Click-through rate (CTR) is an email marketing metric that measures the percentage of recipients who clicked on at least one link in an email compared to the total number of emails delivered. It indicates how effective your email content is at driving engagement.
Click-through rate shows the ratio of recipients who interacted with your email by clicking on links, buttons, or calls to action (CTAs).
This metric provides deeper insight than open rate because it reflects active engagement rather than just viewing the email.
CTR is an important performance indicator for campaigns focused on conversions, lead generation, and website traffic. Higher CTR typically signals that your content and offers are relevant and appealing to your audience.
CTR is calculated using the formula: (Unique Clicks ÷ Delivered Emails) × 100
For example, if you deliver 10,000 emails and 500 recipients click a link, the CTR is: (500 ÷ 10,000) × 100 = 5%
Some marketers also calculate CTR based on opens, but the standard method uses delivered emails as the denominator.
Click-through rate matters because it:
Businesses and marketers use CTR for:
The average CTR for marketing emails typically ranges from 2% to 5%, depending on the industry.
Irrelevant content, poor email design, weak CTAs, or misaligned audience targeting can cause low CTR.
By creating engaging content, optimizing CTA placement, personalizing emails, and running A/B tests on subject lines and layout.
