Click-Through Rate (CTR)
Click-through rate explained. 2026: Google Search 6.64%, Meta e-commerce 2.19%, LinkedIn ~0.45-0.65%.
Updated July 2026.
The percentage of people who click your ad after seeing it. A core signal of ad relevance and creative strength, and a direct input to Google's Quality Score.
Formula
(Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100
Benchmark range
Google Search: 6.64% average (2026), up to 12.75% (Arts & Entertainment). Meta e-commerce: ~2.19%. LinkedIn Sponsored Content: ~0.45-0.65%.
Why it matters
Higher CTR signals relevance, improves Quality Score, and lowers CPC on Google. Falling CTR usually means creative fatigue or weakening targeting.
2026 update
AI Overviews materially changed paid CTR in 2026: Seer found paid CTR on AI-Overview queries fell from ~19.7% to ~6.34%. Being cited inside an AI Overview earns ~91% more paid clicks — so AI visibility now affects paid performance directly.
Where it applies
- Google Ads
- Meta Ads
- Microsoft Ads
- LinkedIn Ads
- TikTok Ads