What Is a Good CTR for Google Ads?
One of the questions I get asked most often is: what’s a good CTR for Google Ads?
It comes up a lot during audits, especially when a business has been running ads for a while but isn't quite sure what counts as a strong result. I’ve managed Google Ads campaigns across a bunch of industries and while there’s no one-size-fits-all number, there’s some averages that are worth sharing.
In this post, I’ll explain what counts as a good click-through rate (CTR), what affects it and how you can improve yours based on what I’ve seen in campaigns.
The CTR I see on my accounts
There’s no magic number, but here’s what I typically see across well-run campaigns for my freelance business:
| Campaign Type | Typical CTR Range | My Take |
|---|---|---|
| Search Ads | 5% – 15% | Higher for niche or high-intent keywords |
| Shopping Ads | 1% – 4% | Images, price and feed quality make all the difference |
| Display Ads | 0.5% – 1% | Low intent and broad audiences keep CTR down |
| Performance Max | 0.7% – 1.5% | Blended CTRs across placements like YouTube and Gmail |
Search campaigns tend to deliver the best CTRs, especially when targeting long-tail commercial keywords. For example, I’ve seen terms like “cloud security software for finance teams” hit well over 10%, while broader terms such as “security software” may struggle to hit 3%.
That’s why relevance matters so much and why you shouldn’t compare your CTR to averages without context.
Why Click-Through Rate Matters
CTR is a quick way to gauge how relevant your ads are to the people seeing them. A high CTR suggests your targeting is accurate and your message is landing. A low one can point to:
Irrelevant keywords
Weak or generic ad copy
Poor match between search intent and offer
That said, CTR alone isn’t everything. I’ve seen campaigns with a modest CTR outperform flashier ones because the traffic converted better. So it’s a metric to monitor but not obsess over in isolation. A professional is more likely to be able to give you a quick answer.
What Affects Your Google Ads CTR?
I’ve been running Google Ads for years. These are what I normally note as the most important thing that affect Google Ads CTR.
Search Intent: Highly specific terms like “ISO compliance software for HR teams” tend to perform better than generic ones like “compliance tools”.
Match Types: Broad match keywords often drag your CTR down. I usually prefer phrase and exact match for tighter control and better relevance.
Ad Rank: Higher positions naturally get more clicks. Your quality score, bid and expected CTR all affect this.
Ad Copy: I’ve tested hundreds of headlines. The ones that use the actual search term (or closely match it) consistently perform better.
Campaign Type: Don’t expect the same performance from Display or PMAX as you would from Search.
How to Improve Your CTR on Google Ads
If your CTR’s lower than you’d like, here are a few things I’ve done to help clients turn things around:
1. Match Your Headlines to the Keyword
This is one of the simplest wins. If someone searches “payroll software for accountants”, make sure your ad says exactly that. It builds instant relevance.
2. Improve Your Quality Score
Google rewards relevant ads. When your keyword, ad and landing page all line up, you’ll rank higher and pay less — and often see a CTR bump too.
3. Review Your Search Terms Report
I check this regularly. Look for terms that are getting impressions but no clicks. They could be the wrong fit, or your ads might not be appealing enough. In some cases, it’s better to pause a keyword entirely.
4. Test Different Variations
Always test at least two ad versions. Sometimes even swapping a phrase like “award-winning” for “used by 500+ teams” can boost your CTR significantly.
5. Use Extensions
Sitelinks, callouts and structured snippets all help your ad stand out. I include these in every campaign setup and keep an eye on which ones get the most engagement.
What Other Sources Say
Plenty of big-name blogs talk about average CTRs — WordStream, for instance, has published benchmarks showing 6%+ as a good figure for Search campaigns. While it’s useful context, I’d always take generic benchmarks with a pinch of salt.
In my experience, it’s far more important to judge CTR based on the intent of the keyword and the relevance of your ad. I've had campaigns consistently hit 8–12% CTR on non-branded searches but this is only when the structure and targeting are spot on.
Final Thoughts
If you’re running a Google Ads campaign and wondering if your CTR is good enough, don’t just look at the numbers in isolation. Ask yourself: is this keyword relevant, is my message clear, and am I offering what the searcher actually wants?
If you’re unsure, I’d be happy to take a look. Just get in touch and I’ll give you some honest feedback with no pressure.