Definition: Clickthrough Rate

What is clickthrough rate?

The clickthrough rate is the percentage of people who have clicked on a particular link or advert compared to the total number of online adverts.

This measurement is important for advertisers who use various digital channels such as search engines, websites, social media and email. It is an indication of how effective, relevant and eye-catching a link or message was in getting clicks from viewers. A high clickthrough rate indicates that the content is more relevant to what people are looking for or interested in. Conversely, a low clickthrough rate means that the content was not appealing or relevant to them as it did not grab their attention or match their online interests and search intent.

An engaged audience is important for the success of digital marketing on many platforms, that's why companies study clickthrough rates to optimise aspects such as visual design, topics covered, placement and much more. The goal is to increase the clickthrough rate so that clicks turn into actions such as purchases or sign-ups.

How is the clickthrough rate calculated?

The clickthrough rate is calculated as a percentage by taking the number of clicks and dividing it by the total number of views, then multiplying the result by 100. 

(Number of clicks / Total number of views) x 100 = Clickthrough rate

For example, if a link was clicked 50 times by 500 people, the clickthrough rate is 10%.

(50 / 500) x 100 = 10% clickthrough rate