Tips on Improving Your Organic Click-Through Rate

01 Jun, 2020 Organic SEO Strategies

A digital marketing campaign often relies on a handful of key performance indicators to determine success, with one of these being click-through rate (CTR). As Google continues to advance its algorithms and add new features, CTRs are increasingly important to a website’s SEO efforts. CTR is a ratio of the number of users who clicked on a specific link to the total number of users who viewed the page on the SERP. While calculating the rate is simple, its value is rather significant.

Importance of Click-Through Rates

Ranking organically on the first page of Google is often the most effective way to bring in traffic. Google tends to favor websites with high traffic and engagement, as these factors are signs a site provides relevant content and a good user experience. High CTRs help by communicating to the algorithm that the webpage fulfills users’ search queries.

The more targeted and focused your webpage is, the more likely it will have a high click-through rate. Users are more likely to click on and interact with a link that is specific and hones in on their particular interest. In order to improve your CTR organically, there are a few components that you might consider implementing.

Utilizing Precise Keywords

One of the most fundamental steps towards achieving a good CTR is incorporating high-grade keywords into your webpage. While a website may host a variety of high-quality content, it will not be viewed by users unless it includes keywords that are positioned to capture a specific search query. Focusing on long-tail keywords – typically three or four keyword phrases specific to your webpage – can increase your page’s relevance and focus. This can attract more qualified leads, which may result in more clicks and interaction with the campaign.

Incorporating Schema Markups

Ensuring your website’s data is structured can also work to enhance your CTR. Schema markup is code that is put on your website to help search engines better understand a specific page’s content and what it means, so that it can help return more informative results for users. Certain schema markups, like FAQ and reviews, can help showcase your expertise and entice users to click on your site.

By incorporating schema markup, your website’s link will exhibit more information on the search page, such as additional topics and questions related to a user’s original search query. This will display more of your page to potential users, thus helping to increase the likelihood they will interact with your listing and increase your CTR.

Detailed Meta-Descriptions & Simplified Titles

Effective meta-descriptions and title tags are another fundamental component of a good CTR. Meta descriptions are the snippet below a link that summarizes the page’s content. These are typically limited to 160 characters and should include commonly searched for phrases.

While you want the meta-description to be detailed, it is important to keep the title tag of the webpage straightforward and simplified. The title tag is typically the first and most prominent aspect of a webpage shown on the search engine results page, so you should make it specific yet informative so prospective users are more apt to click on it.

Expert Help to Improve Your Rate

In addition to these fundamental features, other elements that can help boost your CTR are:

  • including appealing visuals in search previews
  • registering and maintaining your Google Business Profile page
  • ensuring your site is mobile-friendly and optimizing its speed

Overall, there are many different factors involved in enhancing your CTR, and your site may require continuous monitoring to achieve the best results. If you are looking to improve your pages’ CTRs, is it useful to consult with an expert who understands the intricate process of optimizing marketing campaigns.