CTR Curve by Positions: How to Read Forecasts
CTR Curve — the average distribution of clicks by positions in search results: what percentage of people click on the first result, how many on the second, and so on. The curve is needed not for itself, but as a way to estimate how much traffic a page will gain from a rise in position.
How It Works
The drop is sharp: the top positions take disproportionately much, by the end of the first page the share of clicks becomes a few percent, on the second page — fractions of a percent. That’s why moving from 15th to 8th place usually gives more gain than from 40th to 25th, even though there are more steps in the second case.
Why Specific Numbers Are Always Approximate
| Factor | How It Affects |
|---|---|
| Type of Query | For brand queries, the first position takes almost everything |
| Type of Results | Answer boxes, images, and ads push organic results down |
| Device | On mobile, scrolling is different |
| Snippet Attractiveness | A good title gathers more clicks at the same position |
Where We Use It
The calculation of the “Lost Traffic” block is based on the curve: the shortfall in clicks is calculated as the difference between the click-through rate at the target position and the current one, multiplied by impressions. Therefore, the forecast should be considered an upper limit, not a plan.
Why Zero Clicks with Thousands of Impressions Is Normal
If a page is in the third decade, it is seen, but almost not clicked: the click-through rate there is close to zero. Therefore, a report like “10,000 impressions, 3 clicks” does not mean a bad snippet — it means a low position. It makes sense to work with the snippet starting from about the first page of results, and before that, the issue is with the position itself.
How to Use This
- Find pages in positions 4–20 — there, the increase in clicks per step is maximal.
- First, work on the snippet: increasing click-through rate does not require moving positions.
- Then enhance the page with content and links.
- Check the actual CTR after a month: it will show if it worked.