One of the main metrics you will encounter when doing pay-per-click advertising on Google or Facebook is the click-through rate (CTR). Each industry has a different benchmark for a strong click-through rate, and it is important to understand this benchmark so you know whether or not your ads are performing well. If you do not understand the marketing results you receive, it is much harder to refine your messaging and targeting to ensure you are reaching your desired audience. 

What Is a Click-Through Rate?

Before we delve any deeper, we want to go back to basics and define what a click-through rate even is. According to Search Engine Journal, “click-through rate is the percentage of impressions that resulted in a click.” In simpler terms, the CTR is telling you what percentage of the people who saw the ad clicked on it. 

Why Does It Matter?

Why is this important? Well, in the world of pay-per-click advertising, you want your ads to be as relevant for your audience as possible. Higher click-through rates indicate better relevance for your ads, which shows you that you are creating ads that interest users enough to click on to learn more information. Google likes to see higher CTRs on ad campaigns, because it means the advertiser is providing the customer with information they are looking for or interested in. Google rewards advertisers who have higher CTRs by charging them a lower cost per click. The more targeted and relevant you make your ads, the more cost effective they will be.

Industry Benchmarks 

In the veterinary industry, anything around 1.5% for search campaigns and 0.4% for display campaigns is considered a good click-through rate. At Beyond Indigo Pets, our average CTR for search is 6.79% and for display is 1.05%. We achieve this by utilizing highly sophisticated targeting, choosing effective images to accompany ads, and curating right-to-the-point copy that instantly gets a user’s attention. Since our specialty is in the veterinary industry, we are constantly tweaking these elements to ensure that our ads are delivered directly to the best potential customers for our clients. We have written thousands of ads, and we utilize the wording and images that bring the best results.

Improving Your CTR and Making Ads work For You

Whether you have been running ads for a while or you are just starting to create them, try to use the following tips to get an optimal click-through rate and return on your advertising investment:

• Know Your Audience: Optimal targeting for pay-per-click advertising should serve as a kind of microcosm of your current customer base. Take the time to dive into the demographics of your current clients to get a general idea of age range, gender, and zip codes you should start to target.
• Refine Search Terms: One of the best ways to avoid unintended clicks on your ads is to take the time to really refine your search terms. Adding the word “free” to your list of excluded keywords, for example, helps you avoid having your ad clicked on by someone who searched Google for “free veterinary care near me.”
• Include a Call to Action: Every ad that you create should have a Call to Action (CTA) that directs a user to take some kind of further action. This could be “call today,” “visit us online,” or “schedule an appointment.” The more specific you are with your CTAs, the more likely someone will take that next step with your ad

With years of experience in pay-per-click advertising and the CTRs to prove it, Beyond Indigo Pets is here to help you get the most out of every dollar you spend on your digital marketing. Call (877) 244-9322 or visit us online today to learn more about our all-in-one marketing packages.