How to increase CTR for PPC ads and stop burning the budget on disinterest
CTR is the click-through rate and often the first signal that campaigns are ineffective. Ads are displayed, but people do not click. CTR gradually declines, and adjustments to texts, headlines, or CTAs only bring short-term improvements, if any. We discussed what actually influences CTR and why the problem usually does not lie in a single sentence of the ad with our PPC specialist Michal Pintér.
In the interview, he explains why it makes sense to start with real search queries, the role of campaign structure, relevance, and connection to the landing page, and how to increase CTR so that clicks are not just a "nicer number in the report," but bring in people who want to inquire about your service.
Michal, before we dive in: If you had to explain it very simply, what is CTR?
CTR is click-through rate. It shows how many people out of those who saw the ad actually clicked on it. When the ad is displayed a thousand times and twenty people click, the CTR is two percent.
However, what it means in practice is important. CTR is the first reaction of the audience, a quick decision on whether the ad is worth clicking. If it remains low over time or starts to drop, it usually means that the ad does not seem relevant enough. Either the ad is shown to people with a different intent than it was designed for, or it does not communicate what they need to hear at that moment. Sometimes the problem is that after clicking, the person does not find what the ad promised. The ad talks about a specific service, but the website presents general text and no clear next step – for example, a button "Inquire without obligation", "Schedule a consultation" or a simple form that leads to an inquiry.
How much is CTR "the number" that determines the success of campaigns?
It matters only to the extent that you can read it in context. A high CTR may look great, but if people leave immediately after clicking, you are only paying for traffic that brings you nothing. Conversely, a lower CTR can be perfectly fine if it brings in relevant people who have a reason to inquire about or purchase your product.
Do you remember the moment when you realized that "better advertising" alone won't save CTR?
Yes. It was when I took over accounts where ads were being rewritten over and over. Headlines were changing, CTAs were being fine-tuned, but performance didn't budge. That's when you realize the problem isn't in a single sentence.
CTR doesn't increase with a magic word. It rises when the right person meets the right message and finds exactly what they expect after clicking. Once that connection breaks, CTR usually shows it first.
Are there ad formats that naturally have a greater impact on CTR?
For search, the most common format today is RSA, or responsive search ads. When well-constructed, they can perform excellently because they can adapt based on what a person is searching for. However, it's also true that the format alone won't save CTR.
If you put ten variations into RSA that ultimately say the same thing, no significant change will occur. CTR starts to grow only when those variations genuinely present different perspectives. One time you address the problem, another time the benefit, and a third time the result that the person desires.
Why CTR Doesn't Increase When You Just Rewrite a Few Headlines
Imagine that PPC campaigns are running and ads are being displayed, but the demand remains the same. You open the account and at first glance, you see the problem: CTR is low.
At that moment, the automatic reaction usually kicks in. Edit the ads. Rewrite the headline. Add a benefit. Try a different call to action. However, it often happens that even if you create several new variations, they all end up saying the same thing, just in slightly different ways.
Such headlines might look like this:
- Custom PPC Advertising
- PPC Campaigns for Businesses
- PPC Campaign Management
- Effective PPC Advertising
- We Will Increase Campaign Performance
On paper, these are five different texts. For a person reading the ad, however, it’s still the same information: “someone offers PPC.” There’s no reason to click. There’s no specific situation where they would think: This is exactly what I’m dealing with right now.
CTR usually starts to rise when RSA offers more diverse angles and addresses different motivations. That is, when the headlines alternate between the problem, the result, a specific approach, and a clear benefit:
- Don’t Pay for Clicks That Bring No Results
- PPC That Brings Demand, Not Just Visits
- We Will Clean Up Queries and Refine Targeting
- We Build Ads Based on What People Are Really Searching For
- We Will Improve CTR Without Unnecessary Experiments
- Start with Campaign Structure, Not Just Rewriting Words
At that moment, the ad no longer feels like a general offer but rather a response to a specific problem. And that’s exactly when people start clicking through more often.
How do you work with keywords or the audience when you need to significantly increase CTR?
CTR increases the fastest when you clarify the mood in which a person will see the ad. Someone who is just gathering information thinks differently than someone who is already clear and looking for a specific service.
When the ad is shown to people in a "different phase," it simply means this: the person has a different question in mind than the one the ad answers. And then there is no reason to click.
A typical example is when someone searches for "how much does PPC cost" or "PPC management price," and the ad speaks generally about "running campaigns." That person does not want a general service at that moment; they want a specific answer. And if they do not see it right away in the ad, they move on.
Conversely, someone is just finding out what PPC even is and comes across an ad that pushes them with "schedule a meeting today." At that moment, it is too early for them because they do not even know if they need PPC.
What is a more common cause of low CTR: poor targeting, weak text, or poorly set intent?
Most often, intent and relevance. Weak text is often a result of speaking too generally because you are not clear about who exactly is reading the ad and what they are dealing with at that moment.
If the ad is shown to the wrong people, no wording will save it. And when it is shown to the right people, often a simple, specific text that fits their situation is enough.
CTR does not have to decrease just because the ad is poorly written. Sometimes the reason is simpler: the ad is displayed too low in the search results – perhaps as low as the 4th or 5th position. At that point, people click significantly less, even if the text makes perfect sense.
In search, visibility often makes the difference. Users most frequently click on the first results in front of them, and quickly skim over the rest. When there is competition above you holding the top positions, CTR can drop even if the campaign is otherwise well-structured.
In such cases, it makes sense to check the impression share. This shows how often your ad actually appears in the space where it has a chance to gain clicks. If the share is low, say only 15%, it means that in most relevant searches, you are not even showing up at the top. This will then reflect on the CTR as the first indicator.
Can CTR be tested in any way? What tests have helped you the most in practice to increase the click-through rate?
The biggest difference comes from tests that are not cosmetic. Not "I change a word," but "I change the perspective."
Typically, the following works:
- different types of benefits (time, price, convenience, speed, certainty),
- different reasons to click (solving a problem vs. wanting a result),
- different tone (concise and factual vs. more explanatory),
- different definition of who it is for.
And when everything fits, CTR naturally increases because the ad becomes more "about the person" and less about the company.
How do you know that the problem is not with the ads, but with the foundation of the campaign?
When you keep adjusting the ads over and over, but the performance hardly changes, there is a good chance that the problem is not with the texts. You typically notice this when you change headlines, tweak CTAs, try new variations… and CTR or the number of inquiries remains stagnant.
At that moment, it is better to take a step back and rebuild it so that the ad corresponds to one theme, one intention, and leads to a page that exactly matches what it promises.
At PUXdesign, in addition to PPC, we also focus on other areas of marketing – we conduct marketing audits, content strategies, copywriting, SEO, analytics, and social media management. When necessary, we also supplement this with graphics and website adjustments to ensure that campaigns have something to build on.
Is there something about CTR that isn't often discussed, but everyone dealing with PPC should know?
CTR is often the first metric that indicates a problem, but it is not the one that determines the outcome. What happens after the click is what matters.
And one more thing: CTR cannot be taken out of context. It behaves differently in brand campaigns, general searches, and remarketing. Therefore, it makes more sense to monitor whether CTR is increasing or decreasing over the long term rather than chasing a single "correct number".
Have you had any "aha moment" that changed your perspective on CTR?
That CTR is not about being the loudest. It is about being the most accurate. Many people try to increase CTR by making the ad as appealing and universal as possible. However, the more universal it is, the more it blends in. Once you start targeting a specific situation and intent, CTR increases much more easily.
What would you recommend to a company that is considering PPC and is unsure whether to proceed?
I would start by clarifying the goal. Whether you need PPC for inquiries, orders, or just to be more visible. Because everything else depends on that – how to build campaigns, who to target, and what a person will see after clicking.
PPC can be incredibly fast, but it only works when the ad has something to connect to. It's not enough to bring people to the website. You need them to immediately understand what you offer, why it's you, and what the next step is – such as making an inquiry or scheduling a consultation. Only then do you get real inquiries instead of just clicks.
CTR is a nice indicator that often shows whether the ad is reaching the right people and the right intent. However, for PPC to work long-term, what a person sees after clicking must also connect – the website, the offer, the texts, the graphics, credibility, and a clear next step.
At PUXdesign, we don't just handle campaigns within marketing. We can also help you with copywriting, graphics, SEO, content, analytics, and overall strategy to ensure everything works together.
If you want PPC to function as part of the entire marketing strategy and deliver results over time, get in touch with us. We would be happy to take over the campaigns and refine what needs to connect to them.
