What is click-through rate?

Click-through rate

Click-through rate (CTR) measures the percentage of people who click a link after seeing it. In email marketing, it's the number of clicks divided by the number of delivered emails, multiplied by 100.

CTR tells you whether your content compelled action. An email can get opened and still fail if no one clicks. This metric reveals whether your message, design, and call-to-action worked together to move subscribers forward.

How to calculate click-through rate

The formula is straightforward:

CTR = (Total clicks ÷ Emails delivered) × 100

If you sent 5,000 emails, 4,800 were delivered, and 144 people clicked, your CTR is 3%.

Most email platforms calculate this automatically. In ActiveCampaign, you'll find CTR in your campaign reports alongside open rates and other engagement metrics.

One distinction matters: unique clicks versus total clicks. Unique clicks count each subscriber once, even if they clicked multiple times. Total clicks count every click. Unique CTR gives you a cleaner picture of how many people engaged.

Click-through rate vs. click-to-open rate

These metrics answer different questions.

CTR measures clicks against everyone who received the email. It reflects your entire campaign's performance, from subject line to call-to-action.

Click-to-open rate (CTOR) measures clicks against only the people who opened. It isolates how well your email content performed once someone was already reading.

A low CTR with a high CTOR suggests your subject line needs work. People who open are clicking, but not enough people are opening. A high CTR with a low CTOR points to the opposite problem: great subject line, underwhelming content inside.

Use both metrics together to diagnose where your emails need attention.

What affects click-through rate

Several factors determine whether subscribers click:

• Relevance: Emails that match subscriber interests outperform generic blasts. Segmented campaigns consistently see higher engagement. One organization doubled their email click-through rates within three months of implementing segmentation (Ducks Unlimited Canada case study).
• Call-to-action clarity: One clear ask beats multiple competing links. Subscribers should know exactly what you want them to do.
• Email design: Buttons outperform text links. Placement matters too, as links above the fold get more clicks.
• Timing: Sending when subscribers are active increases the chance they'll engage rather than archive.
• List health: An engaged list clicks more. Subscribers who haven't opened in months drag down your averages.

How to improve your click-through rate

1. Lead with value: The click should feel like a reward, not a chore. Make the benefit of clicking obvious.
2. Use a single primary CTA: Every additional link competes for attention. Guide subscribers toward one action per email.
3. Test button copy: "Get the guide" often outperforms "Click here." Specific, action-oriented language wins.
4. Segment your sends: A product recommendation email to recent browsers will outperform the same email sent to your entire list. Match content to context.
5. Optimize for mobile: More than half of emails are opened on phones. If your buttons are too small or your layout breaks, clicks suffer.
6. Review your email tracking data: Click maps show exactly where subscribers engage. Use that data to refine placement and design.

FAQs

What's a good click-through rate for email?
CTR varies by industry, but most email campaigns fall between 1% and 5%. Compare your results to your own past performance and industry benchmarks rather than chasing a universal number.

Is CTR more important than open rate?
They measure different things. Open rate shows reach, while CTR shows engagement. A high open rate means nothing if no one clicks. For most campaigns, CTR is the better indicator of whether your email drove action.

How does CTR relate to conversions?
CTR measures clicks, not sales. A subscriber might click and not buy. Track your conversion rate separately to understand how clicks translate to revenue.

Should I track unique clicks or total clicks?
Unique clicks give you a cleaner engagement picture. Total clicks can reveal if certain subscribers are highly interested, clicking multiple links in the same email.

Ready to see which emails drive the most clicks? Start your free ActiveCampaign trial and get detailed engagement reports for every campaign.