What is a good CTR for Google Ads?

The benchmarks

LocaliQ's 2026 search benchmarks cover Google and Microsoft search campaigns in 23 industries and put the all-industry CTR at 6.64%.^[1] The RunAds Google Ads Benchmark 2026, from 224 live accounts, found a median of 2.37% and a pooled 1.67%.^[2]

The gap is about campaign type, not quality. The RunAds sample includes Shopping, Performance Max and Demand Gen as well as Search, and on those placements people are browsing rather than searching and click far less often. A search-only campaign should be compared with the search benchmark.

What "good" means for you

Google itself says a good CTR is relative to what you're advertising and on which networks.^[3] Three checks give you a better reference point than any single benchmark:

• Same industry, same campaign type. A law firm's search ads at 5% are close to LocaliQ's legal average; a travel brand at 5% is well under its category.
• Brand vs non-brand. Brand keywords inflate CTR. Look at non-brand on its own.
• Your own trend. A falling CTR on the same keywords usually means a new competitor, a tired ad or a change in which searches you match.

Then check it against outcomes. CTR is a means, not the goal. A keyword with a 3% CTR and a strong conversion rate beats one with 10% CTR and no sales.

Why CTR matters beyond clicks

Google says CTR contributes to a keyword's expected CTR, which is a component of Ad Rank.^[3] Expected CTR is also one of the three parts of Quality Score.^[4] And because Ad Rank weighs ad quality alongside the bid, relevant ads can win a higher position at a lower price than a competitor bidding more.^[5]

How to raise a low CTR

1. Check search terms first. If your ads show for searches you don't serve, the CTR is low for a good reason. Add negative keywords or tighten match types.
2. Mirror the search in a headline. People click ads that repeat what they typed.
3. Give a specific reason to click: a price, same-day availability, a free quote, a number of reviews you can prove.
4. Add assets: sitelinks, callouts, structured snippets and call assets make the ad larger and give more places to click.
5. Test one change at a time. Responsive search ads rotate headlines; pin only when a message must appear.

Grade your headlines against Google's limits with the free ad copy grader.

RunAds writes and grades Search ads, separates brand from non-brand, and reports CTR next to the conversions it produces. Signing up is free. Credit packs start at $25, and Google ad spend uses 5 credits per $1.

Sources

1. NEW 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks (+Tips), LocaliQ (with WordStream), by Stephanie Heitman. Last updated June 1, 2026.Google Ads and Microsoft Ads search campaigns across 23 industries. The page labels each figure an average.
2. RunAds Google Ads Benchmark 2026, RunAds. Published November 10, 2026.Anonymized aggregates from 224 Google Ads accounts connected to RunAds, November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2026, converted to US dollars. Medians use accounts with at least $1,000 spend and 100 clicks.
3. Clickthrough rate (CTR): Definition, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 9, 2026.CTR = clicks / impressions (5 clicks on 100 impressions is 5%). Google says a good CTR is relative to what you advertise and on which networks.
4. About Quality Score for Search campaigns, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 9, 2026.A 1 to 10 keyword-level diagnostic built from expected CTR, ad relevance and landing page experience, compared with other advertisers over the last 90 days. Not an input in the ad auction.
5. Ad Rank: Definition, Google Ads Help. Checked Nov 9, 2026.Ad Rank decides whether an ad can show and where. Inputs: bid, ad and landing page quality, Ad Rank thresholds, auction competitiveness, search context and the expected impact of assets.

Every number on this page links to its source above, with the date we checked it. Figures from the RunAds Google Ads Benchmark come from anonymized RunAds customer accounts.