What is CTR?

What is CTR? CTR (click-through rate) is the share of ad impressions that led to a click: clicks divided by impressions, times 100. An ad with 3,000 clicks from 200,000 impressions has a CTR of 1.5 percent. On Meta, check whether you are reading link CTR or CTR (all), because they count different clicks.

Work it out: free CTR calculator.

What is the CTR formula?

CTR is clicks divided by impressions, multiplied by 100. Meta calculates link CTR the same way, using link clicks.

CTR = clicks ÷ impressions × 100

Worked example

These are the example numbers the CTR calculator uses.

Input Value
Impressions 200,000
Clicks 3,000
Spend 2,500
  • CTR = 3,000 ÷ 200,000 × 100 = 1.5 percent.
  • CPC = 2,500 ÷ 3,000 = 0.83.
  • CPM = 2,500 ÷ 200,000 × 1,000 = 12.50, and 12.50 ÷ (10 × 1.5) = 0.83, the same CPC.

That last line is why CTR matters for cost: at a fixed CPM, a higher CTR means a cheaper click.

Meta reports two CTRs, and they are not interchangeable.

Column Counts Use it for
CTR (link click-through rate) Link clicks to your destination Traffic and sales campaigns
CTR (all) All clicks, including reactions, comments, shares, profile clicks and expanding media Overall engagement

CTR (all) is always equal to or higher than link CTR. A comparison between two ads, or with any outside figure, only works if both use the same column.

What is a good CTR for Facebook ads?

There is no single figure to give. Meta publishes no CTR benchmark, and the averages in marketing reports combine different industries, campaign objectives, placements and click types, so a number from one report does not describe your ads.

A more useful test is relative: compare link CTR between ads in your own account that share an audience, placement and objective, over the same dates. Then check what the clicks did. An ad with a lower CTR and a lower CPA is the better ad.

How is CTR used for AI and UGC ads?

CTR sits between the creative metrics and the sales metrics. Hook rate tells you if people stopped; CTR tells you if the ad gave them a reason to leave the feed.

  • If hook rate is high and CTR is low, the ad held attention without a clear call to action or offer. Test a stronger product moment and end card.
  • If CTR is high and CPA is high, the ad may be attracting curiosity clicks that the landing page does not convert. Check that the ad's claim matches the page.
  • When comparing AI versions of one script, run them in the same ad set so CTR differences come from the creative, not the audience.

FAQ

How do you calculate CTR?

Divide clicks by impressions and multiply by 100. 3,000 clicks from 200,000 impressions is a CTR of 1.5 percent.

What is a good CTR for Facebook ads?

Meta does not publish a CTR benchmark, and the averages in marketing reports mix industries, objectives, placements and click types. Compare link CTR between ads in your own account that share an audience, placement and objective.

What is the difference between link CTR and CTR (all)?

CTR (all) counts every click on the ad, including reactions, comments, shares and profile clicks. Link CTR counts only clicks on links to your destination, so it is the one that matches traffic to your site.

Does a higher CTR lower CPC?

At the same CPM, yes. CPC equals CPM divided by 10 times CTR in percent, so doubling CTR at the same CPM halves the cost of each click.

Sources

Checked: 12 Oct 2026