We know how much of a nightmare it is to increase click-through rates across all marketing channels and many best practices are just that, general practices. So how do you actually increase your CTR? Well first, let's establish a couple of things.
According to Marketing Terms, click-through rate is a digital metric that measures the ratio of total clicks in paid and organic search, advertising, emails, and other mediums. So it's measuring how interested an audience is in whatever you're offering. Unfortunately, it seems like audiences aren't too keen on clicking.
In 2017, the overall display ad CTR is just 0.05%.
While CTR might not be an indicator of success, a higher CTR helps businesses reduce cost-per-click, boost organic rankings and increase both traffic and conversions.
Fortunately, for you, we've compiled some actionable tips you can take to increase your CTR, differentiated by channel.
PPC Ads
You might think getting more clicks on your Google Ads adverts is easy, but the truth is it’s now getting harder and harder to stand out from the competition. New brands and new websites pop up every day, trying to compete in the same space you are.
So how do you get more clicks and reduce your ads’ cost-per-click?
1. Write great headlines!
According to Copy Blogger, 80% of readers never make it past the headline. Titles are the first thing consumers read when searching online. Make sure yours is attractive and catchy enough to have a dramatic impact on the CTR.
Include a special offer or promotion, or write extended headlines by adding a full stop at the end of your first description line. By doing so, the first line will automatically be added to your headline, making it more attractive to users.
Your headline must also match the page you’re linking to in order to fully optimise your ad. Chances are most users who clicked on your ad did it because of the title, but when they arrive at the destination, they’re likely to be disappointed if the promise in your headline isn’t advertised on your landing page. If you’re offering 40% off, make sure your landing page mentions the sale as well. Otherwise, they’ll leave.
Seasonal titles are also recommended as they make your ad look relevant and recently updated. The more relevant your keyword is, the more users are likely to click. 54% of consumers click on relevant ads.
Example of extended headline with special offer
Example of extended and seasonal headline with special offer
2. Replace Prices With Discounts
Including a price in your headline or description can be a dangerous tactic as you might not always be the cheapest ad on the page.
Adding a good deal instead of the price will help your new ad outperform the old ones. 74% of new generations are influenced by discount offers.
Example of headline with discount VS headline with price
3. Use An Ad Extension
Ad extensions are easy to install and will help you create longer, more attractive adverts. You’ll be able to write additional content and therefore show more information to shoppers.
Example of an ad extension featuring a deal
4. Edit Your URL
The URL displayed on your ad is not the same as your actual URL. That’s why it’s recommended to consider your display URL as another opportunity to add relevant copy.
With a maximum capacity of 35 characters, there’s no space for extra information. Go straight to the point, add a product or category name, or anything else that could make people want to click.
Simplicity is key.
Example of a short and relevant display URL
5. Freebies, Freebie, Freebies!
Everyone likes a freebie!
The Journal of Marketing found that word of mouth was more efficient when people got freebies. Indeed, people who got a product for free talked about it 20% more than people who received a discount or voucher.
Mention it in your ad, and I guarantee you’ll get more clicks! It can be anything, from a free guide, to a free lesson or a gift…
Example of an ad mentioning a free day pass
6. Google Seller Ratings
Google Seller Ratings is an automated Google Ads extension that demonstrates to consumers that customers trust your business and have had a positive experience with you.
It’s a star rating system that displays under the display URL on your ads. Google Seller Ratings increases CTR by 10% on average.
Example of Google Seller Ratings Ads
So, how can you get them?
According to Google, GSRs show when a business has collected 150 unique reviews in the last 12 months, as well as a minimum overall rating of 3.5 out of 5 stars.
Want to know more? Read our guide!
Organic Listings
1. Aim For Page 1
SEO experts know how much of a difference your ranking can make! Ranking in position 1 or 2 will not bring you the same traffic as ranking in position 11 or 12.
According to Protofuse, organic listings on page 1 receive 90% of clicks, and less than 10% of users actually move on to page 2.
Based on this research, it’s necessary for your business to invest in SEO and start trying to rank on page 1 of SERPs (search engine page results).
2. Great Title Tags and Meta Descriptions
Titles matter for organic listings too.
Make them catchy, as that’s what your audience will read first but also note that they should be optimised for search engines.
Title tags should include your main keyword, be 45 characters long, and create curiosity.
Example of catchy title tag in organic listings
Meta Descriptions are another way to attract users by giving them relevant information.
They should be under 160 characters, and as different as possible from the other ordinary ones. Meta descriptions can be compared to trailers. They’re a great way to give users just enough material for them to want to see more!
Example of meta description with lack of a unique voice
Example of meta description “that might do the trick!”
3. Optimise Your URL
Your URL influences your ranking position, and therefore your click-through rate.
It’s important to make sure your URL follows the same folder structure as the rest of your site. Make sure to include the keywords you’re optimising your page for as well.
If you’re trying to promote something seasonal, consider creating a new page for it, and a special seasonal URL. This will attract more consumers.
4. Get Review Snippet stars in organic search with Trustpilot product reviews — or by collecting service reviews on your Trustpilot profile page
Review Snippets are those coveted star ratings that show up in organic search results and display the overall rating of a company.
When shown on a SERP listing for a product page, Review Snippets help earn consumers’ trust and improves click-through rate, driving potential quality visitors to your site.
Not selling products online? Not to worry — you can still get Review Snippets to show up for branded search queries like "Your Brand + Reviews". That's because Trustpilot's company profile pages come with great domain authority (Trustpilot is in the top 1% most visited websites in the world).
Having a presence on Trustpilot shows both Google and your potential customers that you are a credible provider of whatever kind of solution you're offering — which, as a form of off-page SEO, can work wonders for your own organic listings in the SERPs.
Social Media
1. Your Call To Action Must Be Clear
A lot of social posts do not have clear call to actions, resulting in poor click-through rates. It’s important to tell your readers what you want them to do. Encouraging people to interact isn’t easy, and including a CTA to your social posts can help you get a boost in traffic.
Consider including your logo on the image to get more exposure when your post gets shared.
Example of Clear CTA On Social Post
2. Great Images
As we are experiencing a shift to visual social media, social platforms are becoming less text-heavy, making it necessary for brands to pick their images carefully. Visual content is growing considerably, with 20 times more engagement on posts with pictures, and 94% more views on images.
Appealing images help brands engage with social media users when scrolling through their news feeds, hence why visual marketing should be a priority for all businesses hoping to increase their CTR.
3. Unique tone of voice
Tone of voice is extremely important and one of the things that will help build your brand identity and image. When it comes to social platforms, it’s necessary to establish a clear strategy that will help define your business’s personality.
One of the best ways to stand out and be different from the competition is to be witty. Consider including humour into your messaging to engage with your audience and improve your CTR on social.
Example of funny Innocent Drinks Social Post
Email Marketing
1. Write great subject lines
In order to increase your emails’ click-through rate, you first need recipients to open your email. Did you know 33% of email recipients open email based only on the subject line?
Finding click-worthy subject lines can be difficult, that’s why we recommend testing a couple before defining your style and tone of voice.
The important thing to remember is that the subject line must be as concise as possible while describing what the email is about.
Clarity and consistency are necessary. This is the recipe to success.
“TGIF!” - Example of short and straight to the point subject line
2. The shorter the better
Recipients are more likely to read a shorter email, whilst longer emails can easily bore the reader. Make sure your message is concise and clear: this can be achieved by creating a sense of urgency.
Go straight to the point and don’t forget to add your call to action button. We recommend using verbs like start, join or learn in the CTA button.
Personalising the call to action can also dramatically increase CTR. Don’t be afraid to use your, you or even names! Finally, adding a sense of urgency with words like now, today or before gives the reader a reason to click immediately.
Example of short email with good CTA
3. Personalise your emails
Personalising emails is a great way to build a close relationship with your customers. Indeed, getting personal helps customers engage with your business. According to eConsultancy, 74% of marketers believe that personalisation has a positive impact on customer engagement, yet 94% of marketers do not use it as much as they should.
To personalise your emails, it’s important to understand what your audience is interested in. Of course, not everyone wants to hear about the same thing, which is why you should start by segmenting your contact list. This will help you send the right kind of emails to the right customers.
Example of personalised email
4. Make sure they’re mobile-friendly
According to AWeber, 53% of emails are opened on a mobile device, and 75% of readers are likely to delete an email for not being mobile-friendly.
If you’re not even thinking about optimising your emails for mobile, you’re neglecting your email marketing strategy!
2017 is the year to start optimising your emails for mobile if you haven’t done it yet. If you have, consider making your emails responsive too, so they can be opened from any device.
Example of mobile-friendly and responsive emails
Whether you’re trying to get more traffic or build closer relationships with your customers, increasing your click-through rates is an essential part of growing your business... And with these tips, we’re confident you’ll see a massive difference in no time. You’re welcome!
