What is CTR?
Definition
CTR (Click-Through Rate) = (Clicks ÷ Impressions) × 100%.
Why it matters for advisors
Every time a potential client searches “financial advisor near me” or “retirement planning help”, your listing’s CTR determines how many of those searchers actually click through to your site. More clicks = more chances to convert leads into long-term clients.
Organic Search CTR Benchmarks
- Google’s top organic positions get the lion’s share of clicks:
- Position 1: ~39.8% CTR
- Position 2: ~18.7%
- Position 3: ~10.2%
- Position 10: ~2.2% (Backlinko, FirstPageSage)
Advisor Example:
If 2,000 people search for “financial advisor Houston” in a month:
- Position 1 → 796 clicks
- Position 3 → 204 clicks
- Position 10 → 44 clicks
That’s the difference between hundreds of potential clients visiting your site versus only a handful.
Google Business Profile (Local Pack CTR)
- Local results are critical for advisors serving nearby communities.
- Position 1 in the local pack: ~17.6% CTR
- Position 2: ~15.4%
- Position 3: ~15.1%
- About 5% of profile views lead to an action (click, call, direction request) (Search Engine Journal)
Advisor Example:
Your Google Business Profile gets 5,000 views/month.
At 5% → ~250 people take action (calls, website visits, directions).
If even 10% of those become clients, that’s 25 new leads per month directly from GMB.
Paid Search (Google Ads) CTR
- Average search ad CTR across industries: ~6.66% (LocaliQ)
- Some professional services trend between 5–7%.
Advisor Example:
If your ad gets 10,000 impressions:
- At 6.5% CTR → 650 clicks
- If your landing page converts at 5% → ~33 leads
Even small CTR improvements (6.5% → 7.5%) can mean dozens of extra leads monthly.
CTR in the ROI Calculator
The ROI calculator works by following this path:
Impressions → Clicks (via CTR) → Leads (via Conversion Rate) → Clients (via Close Rate) → Revenue
Scenario Walkthrough (Financial Advisor)
- Keyword: “Financial advisor Houston” → 2,000 monthly searches
- CTR at Position 1 (~39.8%) → 796 clicks
- Website conversion rate: 5% → 40 leads
- Close rate: 20% → 8 new clients
- Avg client value: $3,000/year → $24,000 annual ROI from one keyword
Drop to Position 3 and the math shrinks to ~$6,000/year.
This shows why placement — and CTR — matter so much.
Why CTR Varies for Advisors
- Competition: Big firms with strong branding vs. independents.
- SERP features: Maps/local pack, snippets, reviews.
- Listing quality: Optimized titles (“Fee-Only Financial Advisor in Houston”) vs generic (“Home”).
- Trust signals: Reviews, certifications (CFP®, fiduciary), photos.
