What is a Good CTR?
Industry benchmarks and standards to evaluate your click-through rate
A good CTR typically ranges from 2% to 5%, but this varies significantly by platform and industry. Here's a quick overview:
- Google Ads:3.17% average (good: 3-5%)
- Facebook Ads:0.9% average (good: 1-3%)
- Email Marketing:2.6% average (good: 3-5%)
- YouTube:4-5% average (good: 5-10%)
Where Does Your CTR Stand?
Each platform has different standards. What's excellent on Facebook might be average on Google. Use these visual benchmarks to instantly see where your CTR falls.
<1%Average
1-3%Good
3-5%Excellent
>5%
<0.5%Average
0.5-1%Good
1-2%Excellent
>2%
<1%Average
1-2.5%Good
2.5-4%Excellent
>4%
CTR Benchmarks by Platform
Google Ads CTR Benchmarks
| Rating | CTR Range |
|---|---|
| Excellent | >5% |
| Good | 3-5% |
| Average | 1-3% |
| Poor | <1% |
Facebook Ads CTR Benchmarks
| Rating | CTR Range |
|---|---|
| Excellent | >3% |
| Good | 1-3% |
| Average | 0.5-1% |
| Poor | <0.5% |
Email Marketing CTR Benchmarks
| Rating | CTR Range | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Excellent | >5% | Highly engaged list |
| Good | 3-5% | Healthy engagement |
| Average | 1-3% | Industry norm |
| Poor | <1% | Re-engage needed |
Good vs Bad Ad Copy Examples
Learn from real examples across platforms
Google Ads Headlines
"Buy Shoes Online"
Too generic. Zero reason to click over competitors.
"Nike Air Max 50% Off - Free Shipping Today"
Specific brand, discount, urgency, and benefit.
"Best Insurance"
Claims without proof. Everyone says they're the best.
"Car Insurance from $29/month - Get Quote in 60 Seconds"
Specific price + time investment = low friction.
Facebook Ad Copy
"Check out our new product!"
Vague. What product? Why should I care?
"5,000+ happy customers switched to our meal kit. Join them."
Social proof + clear value proposition.
"Limited time offer!"
Overused phrase. No specific deadline.
"Sale ends Sunday: 40% off everything. No code needed."
Exact deadline + exact discount + no friction.
Email Subject Lines
"Newsletter #47"
Boring. No incentive to open.
"Your order ships free until midnight ⏰"
Personal, urgent, clear benefit.
"Important Update"
Vague and possibly spammy. What update?
"John, your cart is 20% cheaper today"
Personalized name + specific savings = relevance.
CTR Benchmarks by Industry (Google Ads)
Data from WordStream Industry Benchmarks (updated regularly)
| Industry | Average CTR | Good CTR |
|---|---|---|
| Arts & Entertainment | 11.78% | >15% |
| Travel | 8.54% | >10% |
| Sports & Recreation | 7.73% | >10% |
| Real Estate | 3.71% | >5% |
| Education | 3.39% | >5% |
| Health & Medical | 3.27% | >5% |
| Finance | 2.91% | >4% |
| E-commerce | 2.69% | >4% |
| Technology | 2.09% | >3% |
| B2B | 2.41% | >3% |
Why is My CTR Low?
đź’° What If Your CTR Goes Up?
Small improvements = big results. See for yourself.
Mobile vs Desktop CTR
Where should you focus your optimization?
| Platform | Mobile | Desktop | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search | 3.48% | 1.98% | Mobile |
| Facebook Ads | 1.20% | 0.70% | Mobile |
| Email Marketing | 2.10% | 3.80% | Desktop |
Check Your CTR
Calculate your click-through rate and see how it compares
How to Improve Your CTR
- 1
Write Compelling Headlines
Use power words, numbers, and clear benefits to grab attention.
- 2
Use Strong Call-to-Actions
Make your CTA specific and action-oriented (e.g., 'Get Free Quote' vs 'Submit').
- 3
A/B Test Creatives
Continuously test different versions of your ads, emails, or content.
- 4
Target the Right Audience
Ensure your message reaches people who are actually interested.
- 5
Optimize for Mobile
More than 50% of clicks come from mobile devices.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is 2% CTR good?
A 2% CTR is considered average for most platforms. For Google Search Ads, it's slightly below the 3.17% average. For Facebook Ads, 2% would be considered excellent (above the 0.9% average). Context matters—always compare to your specific platform and industry.
Is 5% CTR good?
Yes, a 5% CTR is considered excellent for most platforms! For Google Ads, this is above average. For email marketing, this indicates highly engaged subscribers. For Facebook Ads, 5% would be exceptional.
What is a good CTR for Google Ads?
For Google Search Ads, a good CTR is 3-5%, with the average being 3.17%. For Google Display Ads, 0.5-1% is typical since users aren't actively searching. Branded keywords often see 5-10% or higher.
What is a good CTR for Facebook Ads?
For Facebook Ads, the average CTR is around 0.9%. A good CTR is 1-3%, and anything above 3% is excellent. CTR varies by ad format—video ads typically see higher engagement than static images.
Why is my CTR so low?
Low CTR can be caused by: 1) Poor targeting (wrong audience), 2) Weak headlines or copy, 3) Irrelevant or low-quality images, 4) Mismatched message and landing page, 5) Ad fatigue (same audience seeing ads too often). Test each element systematically.
Does higher CTR always mean better results?
Not necessarily. A high CTR with low conversions might indicate clickbait or targeting people who aren't ready to buy. The goal is quality clicks that convert. Monitor both CTR and conversion rate together for the full picture.
How quickly can I improve my CTR?
You can often see CTR improvements within 1-2 weeks of making changes. Start with quick wins: rewrite headlines, add numbers or urgency, and test different images. Bigger improvements like audience refinement take 2-4 weeks to show results.
Related Tools
Data Methodology: Our benchmarks are compiled from WordStream, Mailchimp, and Meta's official data. Sample: 50,000+ ad accounts. Updated quarterly.