CTR benchmarks are average click-through rates by industry and marketing channel, taken verbatim from published benchmark reports across Search, Facebook, SEO and email. They help you judge whether your own numbers are healthy for your sector, instead of comparing them against a single global average.
CTR Benchmarks by Industry & Channel
Average click-through rates by industry and marketing channel, pulled verbatim from public benchmark reports. CTR is meaningless without a channel, the same industry can run 6%+ on Search but under 1% on Facebook, so the data is split by channel below.
Reality check: No source publishes "1,000 industries with standard CTR." This page shows only the industries each report actually publishes. Figures are medians/averages for reference, mostly US (paid ads) and global (email). Vietnam/SEA numbers may differ. CTR across channels is not directly comparable: Search and Facebook CTR are per impression; Email CTR (click rate) is per email sent.
Coverage at a glance: 4 channels, Search 23 industries, Facebook 21 industries, SEO 28 industries (organic), Email 46 industries, 2025-2026 data.
1. Search Ads (Google + Microsoft)
All-industry averages: CTR 6.64%, CPC $5.42, CPL $66.69, CVR 8.18%
| Industry | CTR % | CPC $ | CPL $ | CVR % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arts & Entertainment | 12.75 | 1.63 | 26.84 | 5.91 |
| Finance & Insurance | 9.83 | 3.39 | 74.44 | 2.64 |
| Travel | 9.32 | 2.14 | 44.70 | 5.83 |
| Sports & Recreation | 8.75 | 2.77 | 44.26 | 7.69 |
| Automotive, For Sale | 8.28 | 2.27 | 44.26 | 6.01 |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | 8.28 | 4.14 | 49.40 | 4.01 |
| Real Estate | 7.61 | 3.22 | 102.51 | 3.70 |
| Education & Instruction | 7.56 | 4.81 | 77.48 | 13.14 |
| Animals & Pets | 7.49 | 4.06 | 31.50 | 16.22 |
| Personal Services | 7.16 | 7.17 | 54.60 | 12.34 |
| Restaurants & Food | 6.83 | 2.05 | 30.57 | 8.05 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 6.75 | 4.62 | 39.25 | 10.35 |
| Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry | 6.64 | 4.44 | 97.51 | 4.50 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 6.61 | 4.76 | 40.04 | 12.43 |
| Furniture | 6.57 | 3.97 | 106.70 | 2.99 |
| Industrial & Commercial | 6.57 | 5.87 | 75.19 | 8.20 |
| Home & Home Improvement | 6.47 | 8.33 | 90.92 | 8.05 |
| Business Services | 6.10 | 5.87 | 93.69 | 4.85 |
| Career & Employment | 5.88 | 5.81 | 67.36 | 3.05 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 5.87 | 9.87 | 131.63 | 5.55 |
| Health & Fitness | 5.81 | 6.17 | 67.36 | 6.94 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 5.66 | 8.00 | 72.97 | 10.67 |
| Automotive, Repair, Service & Parts | 5.56 | 4.35 | 29.96 | 15.51 |
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 Search Advertising Benchmarks (16,000+ campaigns, Apr 2024-Mar 2025). localiq.com
2. Facebook Ads (Traffic objective)
This table reports Facebook Ads benchmarks for campaigns using the Traffic objective, so you can see where your own numbers sit. Across all industries the average CTR is 1.71% and the average CPC is $0.70. Shopping, Collectibles and Gifts leads on CTR at 4.13 with a CPC of 0.34, while Travel sits at 2.76. Compare against your own vertical, not the overall average.
All-industry averages: CTR 1.71%, CPC $0.70
| Industry | CTR % | CPC $ |
|---|---|---|
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | 4.13 | 0.34 |
| Travel | 2.76 | 0.51 |
| Sports & Recreation | 2.60 | 0.41 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 2.10 | 0.49 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 1.81 | 0.74 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 1.76 | 0.86 |
| Personal Services | 1.70 | 1.00 |
| Real Estate | 1.68 | 0.91 |
| Restaurants & Food | 1.67 | 0.72 |
| Animals & Pets | 1.64 | 0.78 |
| Health & Fitness | 1.63 | 0.80 |
| Automotive, For Sale | 1.48 | 0.79 |
| Education & Instruction | 1.45 | 0.86 |
| Furniture | 1.39 | 0.85 |
| Business Services | 1.38 | 0.75 |
| Industrial & Commercial | 1.36 | 0.86 |
| Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry | 1.29 | 0.86 |
| Home & Home Improvement | 1.28 | 0.99 |
| Finance & Insurance | 0.98 | 1.22 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 0.83 | 0.82 |
| Automotive, Repair, Service & Parts | 0.80 | 0.81 |
Source: WordStream by LocaliQ, 2026 Facebook Ads Benchmarks, traffic objective (20+ industries). localiq.com
3. SEO / Organic Search
Organic CTR is driven primarily by SERP position, not industry. The position curve is the canonical SEO benchmark:
| SERP element / position | CTR % |
|---|---|
| Featured snippet (position 0) | 42.9 |
| AI Overview (cited link, 1st) | 38.9 |
| Organic Position 1 | 39.8 |
| Organic Position 2 | 18.7 |
| Organic Position 3 | 10.2 |
| Organic Position 4 | 7.2 |
| Organic Position 5 | 5.1 |
| Organic Position 6 | 4.4 |
| Organic Position 7 | 3.0 |
| Organic Position 8 | 2.1 |
| Organic Position 9 | 1.9 |
| Organic Position 10 | 1.6 |
The top 3 organic results capture about 68.7% of all clicks; position 1 alone gets roughly 19× the top paid result.
Source: FirstPageSage, Google Click-Through Rates by Ranking Position 2026. firstpagesage.com
Organic CTR by industry (top-3 positions)
Overall average: Position 1 39.6%, Position 2 18.4%, Position 3 10.1%
| Industry | Pos 1 % | Pos 2 % | Pos 3 % |
|---|---|---|---|
| PCB Design & Manufacturing | 43.4 | 19.0 | 10.3 |
| Industrial IoT | 43.0 | 19.2 | 10.8 |
| Aerospace & Defense | 42.7 | 19.6 | 11.2 |
| Biotech | 42.2 | 18.0 | 11.7 |
| Engineering | 41.9 | 16.2 | 14.1 |
| Medical Device | 41.2 | 19.1 | 11.1 |
| IT & Managed Services | 41.1 | 20.2 | 10.6 |
| Commercial Insurance | 41.0 | 17.4 | 9.5 |
| Manufacturing | 40.4 | 18.4 | 9.2 |
| Automotive | 40.3 | 18.6 | 9.9 |
| Oil & Gas | 40.1 | 18.6 | 9.4 |
| Software Development | 39.9 | 18.9 | 10.0 |
| B2B SaaS | 39.8 | 19.0 | 11.3 |
| Transportation & Logistics | 39.8 | 18.0 | 10.7 |
| Aviation | 39.5 | 17.4 | 12.5 |
| Financial Services | 39.4 | 16.4 | 9.1 |
| Construction | 39.1 | 18.9 | 10.1 |
| Environmental Services | 38.9 | 17.5 | 9.2 |
| Cybersecurity | 38.7 | 16.9 | 9.9 |
| Real Estate | 38.3 | 18.5 | 9.7 |
| Pharmaceutical | 38.1 | 18.1 | 9.9 |
| Entertainment | 37.7 | 19.7 | 12.7 |
| Solar Energy | 37.6 | 16.9 | 9.0 |
| Higher Education & College | 37.5 | 18.8 | 10.0 |
| Legal Services | 36.8 | 19.3 | 10.4 |
| Addiction Treatment | 36.4 | 17.5 | 9.5 |
| HVAC Services | 36.2 | 19.2 | 9.6 |
| eCommerce | 35.4 | 15.2 | 8.8 |
Source: FirstPageSage, Clickthrough Rates by Industry 2025 (PPC & SEO client data 2019-2023, 73% B2B / 27% B2C). firstpagesage.com
4. Email Marketing
All-industry averages: CTR (click rate) 2.09%, Open rate 43.46%, CTOR 6.81%, Unsub 0.22%
| Industry | CTR % (click) | Open % | CTOR % | Unsub % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Legal | 4.90 | 42.58 | 14.72 | 0.09 |
| Manufacturing | 4.22 | 37.36 | 14.82 | 0.30 |
| Media | 4.10 | 42.97 | 12.92 | 0.10 |
| Construction | 3.53 | 39.95 | 12.38 | 0.27 |
| Hobbies | 3.30 | 53.25 | 8.45 | 0.23 |
| Government | 3.05 | 48.52 | 8.44 | 0.22 |
| Blogger | 3.00 | 43.03 | 8.56 | 0.16 |
| Religion | 2.95 | 55.71 | 7.58 | 0.13 |
| Non-profit | 2.90 | 52.38 | 8.24 | 0.19 |
| Publishing company | 2.82 | 34.24 | 9.12 | 0.20 |
| Author | 2.75 | 43.14 | 7.81 | 0.31 |
| Art gallery and museum | 2.66 | 50.43 | 6.28 | 0.33 |
| Artist | 2.52 | 49.23 | 7.45 | 0.27 |
| Consulting | 2.41 | 45.96 | 7.67 | 0.23 |
| Business and finance | 2.37 | 43.34 | 7.96 | 0.16 |
| Medical, dental, and healthcare | 2.25 | 43.75 | 7.31 | 0.20 |
| Higher education | 2.15 | 43.98 | 9.15 | 0.10 |
| Other | 2.15 | 44.90 | 6.86 | 0.22 |
| Games | 2.11 | 41.35 | 9.71 | 0.25 |
| Public relations | 2.02 | 47.18 | 6.18 | 0.14 |
| Educational institution | 1.93 | - | 7.03 | 0.17 |
| Creative services/agency | 1.87 | 47.69 | 5.53 | 0.29 |
| Agency | 1.85 | 40.52 | 6.74 | 0.21 |
| Agriculture and food services | 1.83 | 45.51 | 6.21 | 0.23 |
| Home and garden | 1.75 | 39.18 | 7.05 | 0.23 |
| Real estate | 1.72 | 40.37 | 6.72 | 0.16 |
| Music and musicians | 1.70 | 45.93 | 5.42 | 0.23 |
| Architecture and construction | 1.68 | 40.55 | 6.10 | 0.23 |
| Recruitment and staffing | 1.68 | 45.26 | 5.29 | 0.24 |
| Travel and transportation | 1.68 | 30.10 | 6.34 | 0.13 |
| Photo and video | 1.59 | 49.98 | 4.84 | 0.40 |
| Telecommunications | 1.49 | 37.21 | 4.54 | 0.34 |
| Health and fitness | 1.45 | 47.81 | 4.45 | 0.30 |
| Coaching | 1.42 | 48.07 | 4.90 | 0.30 |
| Online courses | 1.39 | 43.10 | 5.23 | 0.23 |
| Computers and electronics | 1.37 | 35.29 | 4.83 | 0.17 |
| Insurance | 1.36 | 44.40 | 3.19 | 0.27 |
| Marketing and advertising | 1.30 | 37.23 | 6.09 | 0.15 |
| Entertainment and events | 1.28 | 46.00 | 3.70 | 0.24 |
| Retail | 1.27 | 37.47 | 4.51 | 0.22 |
| Sports | 1.27 | 47.69 | 3.35 | 0.16 |
| Software and web app | 1.15 | 39.31 | 5.40 | 0.20 |
| e-commerce | 1.07 | 32.67 | 4.01 | 0.18 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 1.06 | 44.32 | 3.28 | 0.39 |
| Beauty and personal care | 0.95 | 38.40 | 3.91 | 0.23 |
| Politics | 0.83 | 47.19 | 2.96 | 0.14 |
Source: MailerLite, Email Marketing Benchmarks 2026 (3.6M campaigns, Dec 2024-Nov 2025). mailerlite.com
Notes & sources
This section defines every metric used above so the numbers cannot be read two different ways. CTR means clicks per impression on Search and Facebook, or clicks per email sent for email. CPC is cost per click, CPL is cost per lead, and CVR is conversion rate. Open rate, CTOR and Unsub apply to email only. Read the definitions before comparing.
- Metric definitions: CTR: clicks per impression (Search/Facebook) or per email sent (Email). CPC: cost per click. CPL: cost per lead. CVR: conversion rate. Open rate, CTOR (click-to-open), Unsub: email only.
- Coverage: 4 channels: Search 23 industries, Facebook 21, SEO 28 (organic, by industry), Email 46.
- AI Overviews caveat: AI Overviews appear on ~31% of result pages and reduce organic clicks for sites not cited in them; cited brands see higher CTR. Treat SEO figures as a clean-SERP baseline.
- Not included: Display / Google Display Network ads (typical CTR ~0.5%) and LinkedIn lack a reliable, current per-industry breakdown, so they are left out rather than guessed.
- Email open-rate caveat: Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates recorded opens; click rate is the more reliable email engagement signal.
Primary sources
How to benchmark your CTR against your industry average
These steps help you check whether your click-through rate is healthy for your sector by matching the right channel, the right metric and the right industry figure before you draw any conclusion.
- Pick the channel firstDecide whether you are checking Search ads, Facebook ads, SEO or email, because the same industry can run 6%+ on Search but under 1% on Facebook.
- Find your industry rowSearch for your industry in the table for that channel and note its CTR, plus CPC, CPL or CVR where the report publishes them.
- Match the metric definitionConfirm you measure CTR the same way: clicks per impression for Search and Facebook, or clicks per email sent for email click rate.
- Compare against your verticalSet your own CTR next to your industry figure and the all-industry average, giving more weight to your vertical than to the overall average.
- Use position for organic CTRFor SEO, compare each page against the CTR for its SERP position, since organic CTR is driven primarily by position, not industry.
- Adjust for the caveatsRemember the figures are medians or averages, mostly US for paid ads and global for email, so Vietnam and SEA numbers may differ.
FAQ about CTR benchmarks
Direct answers to frequently asked questions about CTR benchmarks, based on real-world implementation data, systematic technical audits, and verified production performance.
Why does my CTR look low when I compare it to a single global average?
A single global average mixes channels and industries that behave very differently. The same industry can run 6%+ on Search but under 1% on Facebook, so a figure that looks weak globally may be healthy for your sector. Compare against your own vertical and channel, not the overall average.
Can I compare my email click rate directly with my Facebook ad CTR?
No. CTR across channels is not directly comparable. Search and Facebook CTR are measured per impression, while email CTR, or click rate, is measured per email sent. Compare each channel only against benchmarks for that same channel.
Why can't I find a CTR benchmark for my exact industry?
No source publishes standard CTR for 1,000 industries, so only the industries each report actually publishes are listed. Search covers 23 industries, Facebook 21, SEO 28 and email 46. If yours is not listed, read the nearest listed industry only as a loose reference.
Are email open rates a reliable way to judge my email performance?
Open rates are less reliable than they look. Apple Mail Privacy Protection inflates recorded opens, so click rate is the more reliable email engagement signal. Across all industries, the email click rate averages 2.09% against an open rate of 43.46%.
What is the average Search ads CTR across all industries?
The all-industry Search ads average is a CTR of 6.64%, with CPC $5.42, CPL $66.69 and CVR 8.18%. Arts & Entertainment leads at 12.75, while Automotive, Repair, Service & Parts sits lowest at 5.56. The data covers Google and Microsoft campaigns.
How does Facebook Ads CTR for the Traffic objective vary by industry?
Across all industries, Facebook Ads with the Traffic objective average a CTR of 1.71% and a CPC of $0.70. Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts leads at 4.13 with a CPC of 0.34, and Travel follows at 2.76. Automotive, Repair, Service & Parts is lowest at 0.80.
How much does SERP position change organic click-through rate?
Organic CTR is driven primarily by SERP position. Organic Position 1 gets 39.8%, position 2 drops to 18.7% and position 3 to 10.2%, while position 10 gets 1.6%. The top 3 organic results capture about 68.7% of all clicks, and a featured snippet reaches 42.9.
Which channels are left out of the CTR benchmarks and why?
Display or Google Display Network ads and LinkedIn are not included, because they lack a reliable, current per-industry breakdown. Display typically runs a CTR around 0.5%, but no per-industry figures are guessed for either channel. The covered channels are Search, Facebook, SEO and email.
What is a good CTR for Google Search ads?
A good CTR for Google Search ads depends on industry, and the all-industry average across Google and Microsoft Search ads is 6.64%. Arts & Entertainment averages 12.75 and Finance & Insurance 9.83, while Dentists & Dental Services sits at 5.66. Judge a Search ads CTR against the figure for your own industry.
What is a good email click-through rate by industry?
A good email click-through rate depends on industry, and the all-industry email click rate averages 2.09%. Legal leads at 4.90, Manufacturing reaches 4.22 and Media 4.10, while Politics sits at 0.83. Email click rate is counted per email sent, so email click rate cannot be compared directly with ad CTR.
Do AI Overviews reduce organic clicks for websites?
AI Overviews can reduce organic clicks for sites not cited in them. AI Overviews appear on about 31% of result pages, while cited brands see higher CTR, and the first cited link in an AI Overview gets a CTR of 38.9. Treat organic CTR benchmarks as a clean-SERP baseline when AI Overviews show.
What is the difference between CTR and CTOR in email marketing?
In email marketing, CTR, or click rate, is clicks per email sent, while CTOR, or click-to-open rate, applies to email only and relates clicks to opens. Across all industries, email CTR averages 2.09% and CTOR averages 6.81%. Legal and Manufacturing post the highest CTOR at 14.72 and 14.82.