Definition and formula
Click-through rate (CTR) is clicks divided by impressions, multiplied by 100 to express it as a percentage. If a page receives 40 clicks from 2,000 impressions, its CTR is 2%. This measures clicks from search results, not conversions or engagement after a visit.
To calculate CTR across several rows, divide total clicks by total impressions. Do not take a simple average of row percentages: a query with ten impressions should not carry the same weight as one with ten thousand.
Why CTR changes
CTR varies with ranking position, search intent, device, result layout and whether people recognize your brand. There is no single good CTR for every site or query. Compare similar queries at similar positions before deciding that a title needs work.
A falling site-wide CTR can happen when you gain impressions for new queries at lower positions. Check average position and query mix before treating the decline as a problem with your snippets. A more useful title should describe the page accurately; it cannot guarantee more clicks.
Where to see it
In Search Console's search performance report, enable average CTR and filter by page or query. Keep country, device and search type consistent, then compare equal date ranges. Bing Webmaster Tools also provides search performance data; assess each engine separately.
The date comparison analysis helps you distinguish fewer impressions from a lower share of clicks. Start with pages that have enough impressions to avoid reacting to a handful of searches.
Ask mowteng
mowteng retrieves clicks, impressions, CTR and average position from Search Console. Ask for the underlying counts so you can judge how meaningful a percentage change is.
Find pages whose CTR fell in the last 28 days versus the previous 28, with at least 1,000 impressions in each period. Show clicks, impressions and average position for both periods, then break down their queries.