What is a good CTR?

There is no single "good" CTR. A good click-through rate depends on the platform and ad format more than anything else, then on your industry and how well the ad matches its audience. As a rough anchor, the all-industry average click-through rate is about 6.6% on Google Search and about 1.7% on Meta (Facebook and Instagram) — with display and video running far lower still. So a "2% CTR" is disappointing on search and perfectly healthy on social.

The only definition that holds up: a good CTR is one that meets or beats the norm for your platform, format and industry — while still bringing clicks from people who go on to convert. A sky-high CTR from misleading creative isn't a win; it's expensive traffic that bounces.

What makes a CTR "good" or "bad"

Click-through rate is shaped by where and how your ad appears, not by a universal target:

• Platform & format — the biggest driver. Search ads answer an active query and earn high CTRs; display and video interrupt and earn low ones.
• Ad position / rank — the top search result gets far more clicks than the fourth; feed placement beats sidebar.
• Intent match — the closer your ad matches what the person wants, the more they click.
• Creative & copy — headline, offer and imagery are the levers you control most directly.
• Audience targeting — a tight, relevant audience clicks more than a broad, cold one.
• Searching your brand vs not — people who search your brand name click at very high rates; reaching people who've never heard of you (cold prospecting) is lower by nature.

Why CTR varies so much by platform

The most useful lens for "is my CTR good?" is the platform, because format sets the baseline. On Google Search the average click-through rate is roughly 6.6%; on Meta it's about 1.7%; on display and video networks it typically falls well under 1%. That's not three levels of quality — it's three different jobs. A search ad answers a question someone just asked, so a high share click. A social or display ad appears while someone is doing something else, so fewer do, and that's expected.

The practical rule: never compare CTR across formats. A 1.5% social CTR and a 7% search CTR can both be strong. Judge each placement against its own norm, then against whether those clicks actually convert.

Typical Google Search CTRs by industry

Within a platform, industry moves CTR next. Here's a snapshot of average Google Search click-through rates across a spread of verticals:

Averages, 2026. Source: WordStream / LocaliQ. See the full 23-industry table (with CPC & conversion rate) →

Higher-CTR verticals tend to be ones where the ad and the intent line up tightly — entertainment, travel and finance searches are often very specific. For Meta's much lower CTRs by industry, see the Facebook & Instagram benchmarks.

Is a high CTR always good?

No — and this is where CTR misleads people. A high click-through rate only helps if those clicks are worth having. Clickbait headlines, vague offers or an ad that oversells will pull a strong CTR and then a wave of visitors who bounce, cost you money and never convert. Meanwhile a lower CTR from a precise, qualifying ad can be far more profitable.

There's an upside worth knowing, though: on Google Ads a genuinely high CTR feeds your Quality Score, which lowers your cost per click for the same position. So relevant, well-matched clicks pay off twice — they convert better and make each click cheaper. The goal is never "the most clicks"; it's clicks from the right people.

How to judge your own CTR

Compare it against three things, in order:

1. Your platform & format — is it near the norm for search, social or display?
2. Your industry — above or below the benchmark for your vertical?
3. What the clicks do next — never read CTR alone. A high CTR with a low conversion rate is a warning, not a win.

Read CTR alongside cost per click and return on ad spend: together they tell you whether the clicks you're winning are the right ones.

Calculate and benchmark your CTR

Work out your click-through rate — or solve for the clicks or impressions behind a target CTR — right here:

For the formula, worked examples and the full breakdown of how to improve your CTR, see the CTR calculator page.

Frequently asked questions

What is a good CTR for Google Ads?

On Google Search the all-industry average click-through rate is around 6.6%, ranging from under 6% in the most competitive verticals to nearly 13% in arts & entertainment. A good CTR for you is at or above the benchmark for your industry — and, ideally, rising as you refine your keywords and copy.

What is a good CTR on Facebook or Instagram?

Meta click-through rates are far lower than search — the all-industry average is about 1.7%, versus 6.6% on Google Search — because social ads interrupt rather than answer a query. Anything near or above 1.7% is healthy for most industries, with retail and ecommerce running higher.

What is a good CTR on YouTube or display?

Video and display click-through rates run far below search and social — often well under 1% — because the goal is usually attention rather than an immediate click. Don't compare a display CTR to a search one; judge it against your own historical rates for the same format.

Is a high CTR always good?

Not on its own. A high CTR from misleading or clickbait creative pulls in people who bounce and never convert, wasting spend. Read CTR alongside conversion rate and cost per click — the aim is clicks from the right people, not the most clicks.

Key takeaways

• There's no universal good CTR — format sets the baseline (≈6.6% search vs ≈1.7% social, display far lower).
• Within a platform, industry drives the rest — see the benchmark table for your vertical.
• Never compare CTR across formats; a strong social CTR looks weak next to search, and that's fine.
• A high CTR isn't automatically good — read it with conversion rate and CPC.
• Use the CTR calculator to work out or benchmark your own.