Google click-through rates (CTR) saw notable changes across all search industries and categories in the third quarter, according to a report from Advanced Web Ranking.

This report compares third quarter data to the previous quarter. It shows how CTRs can vary and what that means for website traffic.

Main findings:

• Mobile branded searches saw a 1.07 percentage point increase in CTR for top-ranking sites.
• Informational queries (containing words like “what”, “when”, “how”) gained 1.63 percentage points on mobile
• Commerce queries decreased across all devices, with mobile falling 3.51 percentage points
• Short keyword searches (1-3 words) showed improved CTR on mobile devices

Industry Winners and Losers

To assess the impact on traffic, the report looked at changes in CTR as well as search demand trends for different industries.

When CTR and demand increase at the same time, it signals likely traffic gains. However, if both decrease, it may indicate potential losses.

THE Science the sector has rebounded after two quarters of declining CTR.

The top performers saw an increase of 2.48 percentage points (pp) on desktop and 4.16 pp on mobile. Impressions also increased 33.78%.

THE Law, government and politics The industry saw the largest decline in CTR per unique position, with desktop websites ranking second, down 9.74pp. Nevertheless, overall demand increased by 32.74%.

After a year of stable CTRs, the Purchases The sector saw a recovery in the third quarter. The top position increased by 2.30 pp on desktop and 1.94 pp on mobile, with an increase in demand for 21.09%.

Other industries with notable CTR increases include:

• Automotive: +2.95 pp desktop, +1.40 pp mobile (#1)
• Business: +1.52 mobile pp (#1)
• Education: +2.53 mobile pp (#1)
• Family and parenthood: +2.42 pp desktop, +2.39 pp mobile (#1)

On the losing side, Arts & Entertainment saw desktop CTRs drop by 6.56 pp and 1.42 pp for positions one and two and a mobile slide of 4.12 pp for the top spot. Impressions also dropped -1.54%.

Key takeaways

Mobile is crucial, especially in personal finance, where mobile CTRs are 34%. Focus on mobile-friendly designs and keep content short.

Users prefer informative content over sales pages, so prioritize educational material while maintaining clear sales pages.

Different industries require different strategies:

• The science and automotive sectors are growing; add more content here.
• Arts and entertainment need increased audience engagement.
• Personal Finance has good CTRs but lower search volume; be prepared for traffic drops.

Branded searches work well on mobile, so focus on building your brand. Track your CTR metrics against industry standards and adjust them as trends change.

Looking to the future

The results suggest that websites should closely monitor their CTR metrics against industry benchmarks, as rankings alone don’t tell the full traffic story.

SERP layout variations for different keywords can also impact click-through rates.

The next report covering the fourth quarter of 2024 will provide year-end comparisons and trend analysis.

Featured image: Ratana21/Shutterstock