Last updated July 21, 2026 · 1 min read
Definition
Click-through rate (CTR) is clicks divided by impressions or views. On a traffic exchange it's usually clicks divided by hits; on a banner or text ad exchange it's clicks divided by ad impressions.
Why it matters to marketers
CTR tells you whether your ad or headline earns attention, separately from whether that attention converts once someone lands. A low CTR points to the ad itself; a low conversion rate after a decent CTR points to the landing page instead — don't fix the wrong one.