A search result’s organic CTR is simply the number of clicks a result receives, divided by how many times it appears on a search engine result page (also known as “impressions”).

Calculating your organic CTRs can assist in determining just how valuable each rank position is to your site, since no rank is created equal. Furthermore, you can estimate organic web traffic – for example, a drop from position two to eight may result in a 40 percent drop in traffic for a keyword.

There are over 270 million visitors per month who are actively seeking something on Google, making it the largest driver of commerce in the United States. Nevertheless, its virtual nature makes the way transactions are carried out harder to conceptualize. When a person visits a website, what happens?

The process begins with a click. Various elements appear in Google’s search results such as summaries of web pages, ads, videos, images, knowledge boxes, questions, and more. The frequency of clicks on different types of results provides insight into where marketing dollars should be invested.

In a recent study, our team combined research on click-through rates (CTRs) within the Google Search environment and presented the results together. On a typical Google Search page, we begin by labeling the CTR of each result. From there, we present the same data as a table. Then we break down the CTR for every element on a Google Search page, including snippets and question boxes. Here is a breakdown of the click-through rates for Google My Business and local searches.

 

2022 Click-Through Rates (CTR) by Google Ranking Position

Below is a table listing each of the standard organic and paid results on a Google Search page, along with their corresponding clickthrough rates. CTRs are based on Google Search pages without any other elements (e.g. no maps, images, videos, or shopping results).

2022 Click-Through Rates (CTR) by Google Search Page Element

Below is a list of the average click-through rate (CTR) for every element on a Google Search page in 2022. The CTRs shown here are specific to elements within Google’s “All” Search category – they are not representative of Maps, Images, News, or Videos.

2022 Click-Through Rates (CTR) by Google Business Profile Listing Type

Listed below is the CTR for each type of Google Business Profile / Google Maps local search result, both organic and paid.

 

Notable Google CTR Statistics

• The top 3 organic search results account for more than two-thirds of all clicks on the Google Search page (68.1%).
• A snippet, which replaces the #1 organic search result, has the highest overall click-through rate at 43.7%
• Compared to the top paid search result, the #1 organic result receives 19x more clicks on average.
• The #1 organic search result receives more clicks than results #3-#10 combined.
• There is a 31% higher CTR on the top paid search result than on the second paid search result.

 

What can affect your CTRs?

A CTR is a tricky, fickle SEO beast. It can be affected by a number of factors, all of which can be segmented out and calculated for their own unique click-through rates:

• Google universal results and other hijinks

On the SERP playground, Google can be a bit of a bully by occasionally appearing (and then disappearing) universal results, causing click-through rates to fluctuate.

• Branded keywords

The click-through rate for branded terms is usually higher than non-branded terms. Since the searcher is looking for a specific brand, Google has invested billions into giving searchers exactly what they’re looking for.

• Search intent

CTRs are heavily influenced by search intent, including the shape of the curve that they create. Another compelling reason to segment your keywords by intent, following the searcher through the SEO funnel.

• Device type

SERPs appear differently on mobile devices and desktop computers due to size and usability issues. Consequently, CTRs often differ between the two. Searchers on mobile devices are more likely to scroll down the entire first page of search results, but far less likely to venture to the second and (gasp) third pages.

• Industry or topic

Additionally, click-through rates can also vary by industry. Google might produce the best, most trustable result first based on the searcher’s needs – those looking for technology, commerce, and food-related results might need more information than others.