CTR (Click-through rate) is the ratio of clicks on an ad to its impressions. It shows what share of impressions ended in a click, but says nothing about sales or profit after that click.
Updated August 11, 2026.
CTR Formula
CTR = clicks / impressions * 100%.
If a banner was shown 10,000 times and received 37 clicks, CTR = 37 / 10,000 * 100% = 0.37%.
The denominator is impressions, not unique users or visits. One person can see the ad several times. The numerator must contain clicks on the same ad over the same period. Mixing a week’s clicks with a day’s impressions is a fast way to get pretty nonsense.
What Is a Good CTR?
There is no normal CTR for the entire internet. The result depends on the ad network, format, placement, product, GEO, device, audience, and campaign goal. That makes a range from someone else’s case almost useless without those conditions.
Compare CTR within the same campaign: creative against creative, placement against placement, source against source. The historical median for your own traffic is more useful than a universal number from an article.
CTR, Landing Page CTR, and Conversion Rate
Ad CTR measures clicks from an ad. Landing page CTR measures clicks from a pre-lander or landing page to the next stage of the funnel. Conversion Rate measures the share of target actions: registrations, leads, installs, or sales.
These are different stages. An ad can have a high CTR while the landing page has a low CTR or low conversion rate. You bought the click but did not get the person to the result.
Why a High CTR Does Not Guarantee Profit
Clickbait, accidental clicks, and an overly broad promise raise CTR but bring trash traffic. After the click, conversion rate, approval rate, EPC, traffic cost, and final profit matter.
If CTR rises while EPC and profit fall, there is nothing to celebrate. The creative got better at collecting clicks, not money.
What a Media Buyer Should Check
- CTR by source, placement, creative, GEO, and device.
- Whether impressions and clicks are counted correctly, with no duplicates or automatic redirects.
- Whether the promise in the ad matches the landing page and offer.
- What happens after the click: landing page CTR, CR, approval rate, EPC, and profit.
CTR is for diagnosing a creative and placement. Optimizing an entire campaign only for CTR is like choosing a restaurant by how quickly its door opens.
See the other terms in the CPA glossary.