Glossaire · SEO

CTR (Click-Through Rate)

CTR (Click-Through Rate) is the percentage of users who click a link after seeing it displayed. In SEO, it is calculated by dividing the number of clicks by the number of impressions in the search results, then multiplying by 100: a link shown 1,000 times and clicked 50 times has a CTR of 5%. It is one of the key metrics for measuring how attractive a result is within the SERP: a high CTR means your title tag, URL, and meta description are compelling enough to earn the click. CTR varies sharply by position: the first organic position usually captures the largest share of clicks, and the value drops quickly beyond the top three results. Google Search Console reports the average CTR per query and per page, making it a directly actionable optimization lever that you can pull without overhauling your content.

CTR is the metric that connects your presence in search results to the clicks you actually earn. A page can rank well yet generate little traffic if its CTR is low: this is often a sign of an unappealing title or description.

How CTR is calculated

The formula is simple: CTR = (clicks / impressions) x 100. An impression is counted each time your page appears in the SERP for a query, whether or not it is seen. Google Search Console aggregates this data by query, by page, and by country, which lets you identify high-potential pages: many impressions but few clicks.

Why CTR matters

Beyond measuring traffic, CTR is an indicator of attractiveness. Two pages in the same position can have very different CTRs depending on the quality of their title tag and their meta description. Working on these elements increases organic traffic without gaining a single position. It is one of the fastest and least expensive levers in SEO.

A retenir

A low CTR on a well-ranked page is an opportunity: optimize the title and meta description before trying to win positions.

The optimization levers

To improve CTR, several actions are effective: include the main keyword and a benefit in the title tag, make the meta description specific and compelling, use structured data to earn rich snippets (stars, FAQ, prices), and test alternative wording. Regular analysis in Search Console lets you measure the impact of each change and prioritize the pages with the strongest leverage.

FAQ

Questions fréquentes

It depends entirely on position and query. In the first organic position, a CTR of 25 to 35% is common, while it drops below 5% beyond the third spot. The smart move is to compare your CTR to the expected average CTR for your position in Search Console.

Rewrite the title tag to make it more specific and include the keyword, refine the meta description with a clear benefit and a call to action, and add structured data to earn rich snippets. These adjustments increase the result's appeal without touching the ranking.

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