Click-through rate (CTR) is the percentage of people who see your ad (impressions) and click it, calculated as clicks divided by impressions.
CTR matters in PPC because it tells you how well your ad and targeting match what people want right now, and that directly impacts efficiency. In Google Ads, “expected CTR” is one of the components used in Quality Score (along with ad relevance and landing page experience), so stronger CTR performance can help you earn better ad placement for the same bid and sometimes pay less per click over time.
For Orlando and Central Florida businesses, this is practical money. If you are paying for impressions in a competitive category like dental, legal, or home services, a weak CTR means you are buying attention that does not turn into visits, calls, or form fills. That is why our PPC management work starts by tightening the match between the search term, the ad message, and the landing page, not just “turning ads on.”
| CTR piece | What it is | Why it matters | What to do when it is low |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formula | Clicks ÷ Impressions (shown as a %) | Gives a clean view of engagement at the ad level | Confirm tracking, then review search terms, match types, and ad copy |
| Search CTR vs Display CTR | Search is intent-driven, Display is interruptive | “Good” looks different by network, do not judge them the same | Compare Search with Search, Display with Display, and use separate goals |
| Brand vs non-brand CTR | Brand searches usually click more | Mixing them can hide problems in non-brand lead generation | Split campaigns so you can see true performance and control budgets |
| CTR and Quality Score | Expected CTR is part of Quality Score | Can influence Ad Rank and cost per click | Write ads that match the query, add strong assets, and use tightly themed ad groups |
| CTR vs lead quality | High clicks do not always mean good leads | CTR is a step, conversions are the goal | Pair CTR with conversion rate, cost per lead, and call quality checks |
A common trap is chasing CTR as the only scorecard. You can raise CTR with overly broad promises, but that can bring the wrong clicks and push costs up when calls do not convert to booked jobs. The better approach is to treat CTR as an early signal, then validate it with conversions and lead quality. If CTR rises and conversions drop, your message is probably attracting curiosity, not buyers, or your landing page is not matching what the ad promised.
If you want a simple routine, look at CTR by campaign type (Search, Display, Performance Max), split brand from non-brand, and compare against your own last 30 to 90 days rather than chasing a universal number. Then pair it with conversion tracking and cost per lead so you can see what is actually driving revenue. Our FAQ on which marketing metrics to track can help you pick a small set of numbers that stays honest and easy to review each month.
