CTR vs CVR
CTR and CVR are the two diagnostic rates every paid-media team watches. They tell you whether the problem is the ad — or what comes after it.
The key difference: CTR measures whether the creative earns a click. CVR measures whether the landing experience earns the action.
| Dimension | CTR | CVR |
|---|---|---|
| Measures | Clicks ÷ impressions | Conversions ÷ clicks (or visits) |
| Diagnoses | Creative + targeting quality | Landing page + offer + product fit |
| Owned by | Creative / media team | Growth / web / product team |
| Typical range | 0.5–5% (varies wildly by channel) | 1–10% on lead pages, 0.5–3% on checkout |
| Lifts via | Better hook, image, audience | Faster page, clearer CTA, better offer |
When to use CTR
Use CTR when you're testing ads, hooks, audiences or placements.
When to use CVR
Use CVR when you're testing landing pages, offers, checkout flows or onboarding.
FAQs
Can high CTR hide low CVR?
Yes — clickbait creative can pull a great CTR while sending the wrong audience, which crashes CVR. The combined metric (cost per conversion) is the truer signal.
Which matters more for ROAS?
Neither alone. ROAS = CTR × CVR × AOV ÷ CPM. Move any of them and ROAS moves.
What's a good CTR on paid social?
On Meta, anything above 1% is healthy on cold audiences; warm retargeting often runs 2–5%.