Organic CTR by position in Google: positions 1 to 20

Updated November 9, 2026 · Organiq · third-party facts carry source and date in the text

The curve Organiq uses expects 31.7% CTR at position 1, 24.7% at 2, 18.6% at 3 and 2.0% at 10, falling to 0.3% at 20. It is a generic curve, not a study. Impressions × expected CTR = expected clicks; the difference from real clicks is the CTR gap.

What is the expected CTR at each Google position?

This is the expected organic CTR curve, positions 1 to 20, read from Organiq's code when the page is built. The third column is the CTR times 1,000.

Position	Expected CTR	Expected clicks per 1,000 impressions
1	31.7%	317
2	24.7%	247
3	18.6%	186
4	13.1%	131
5	9.5%	95
6	6.7%	67
7	4.8%	48
8	3.5%	35
9	2.6%	26
10	2.0%	20
11	1.5%	15
12	1.2%	12
13	1.0%	10
14	0.8%	8
15	0.7%	7
16	0.6%	6
17	0.5%	5
18	0.4%	4
19	0.35%	4
20	0.3%	3

Where does the curve come from?

It is the generic curve Organiq uses when a property has no volume of its own at that position. It does not come from a dated external study or from its own measurement. That is why this page calls it neither a study nor a market average: it is a reference for computing the gap, not a fact about Google.

For fractional positions, the tool interpolates between two whole positions; above position 20, the CTR falls in proportion to 20 ÷ position.

How do you turn the curve into expected clicks and a CTR gap?

Take the impressions and average position of a page or query in Search Console.
Expected clicks = impressions × expected CTR of the position.
CTR gap = expected clicks − real clicks.

Example with invented numbers for illustration: 10,000 impressions at position 3 expect 1,860 clicks (10,000 × 18.6%). If the page got 1,200, the gap is 660 clicks. The pages with the biggest gap in clicks are the first to rewrite the title and description; see SEO quick wins.

How does the curve compare with public studies?

Read on November 9, 2026. SISTRIX (over 80 million keywords, mobile only, 2020 data, page updated in July 2025) measured 28.5% at position 1, 15.7% at 2, 11% at 3 and 2.5% at 10. Ahrefs (300,000 keywords, desktop Search Console CTR, February 2026) measured at position 1, for informational keywords without an AI Overview, 7.6% in December 2023 and 3.9% in December 2025; with an AI Overview, 7.3% and 1.6%.

The Organiq curve has 31.7% at position 1 and 18.6% at 3: above all three public position-1 figures above and above SISTRIX at position 3. Use it as a reference ceiling for classic blue links, not as a forecast.

Which Organiq tool uses the curve?

get_ctr_benchmark returns the curve without sign-in (4 tools work that way); with position and impressions it returns the expected CTR and clicks. score_opportunities and find_page_poaching_opportunities use the property's own curve at positions with volume and this generic one at the others; get_ctr_curve shows both side by side. How to connect: Claude, ChatGPT.

How does Organiq differ here?

In one factor the code proves, with the exception stated.

Factor: the table on this page and the answer of get_ctr_benchmark come from the same constant in the code, so the number you read is the one the tool uses; and the property's own curve replaces the generic one where it has volume.
Comparison and exception: SISTRIX publishes the table of a study and Ahrefs publishes the change with and without an AI Overview; Organiq applies the curve through the tool and uses the property's own curve where it has volume. Exception: Organiq's generic curve was not measured by Organiq and sits above those studies at position 1; where the property has volume, its own curve rules.
Where to see it: the table above and the get_ctr_benchmark tool in the tools table.

What should you not conclude from the table?

CTR changes with the query type (brand queries usually sit well above the curve), the device and what the results page shows: AI Overviews, videos, maps. Search Console position is an impression-weighted average, so a page at "position 3" may have been at several. A gap is a signal to look at the title and description, not proof of a problem.

Frequently asked questions

What is the average CTR of position 1 in Google?

In the Organiq curve, 31.7%. Public studies disagree: SISTRIX measured 28.5% on mobile with 2020 data, and Ahrefs measured 3.9% on desktop for informational keywords without an AI Overview in December 2025. The number depends on the query type, the device and the features on the results page.

Is the curve on this page an Organiq study?

No. It is the generic curve Organiq uses when a property has no volume of its own at that position. It does not come from a dated external study and was not measured on Organiq customers' data.

How do I compute the CTR gap of a page?

Multiply impressions by the expected CTR of the average position: that gives expected clicks. Subtract the real clicks. Positive means the page turns fewer impressions into clicks than the curve expects; compare its title and description with those of the pages at the same position.

Can I query the curve without an account?

Yes. The get_ctr_benchmark tool answers without sign-in, with the whole curve and, if you pass a position and impressions, the expected CTR and clicks.

Does Organiq use this curve in its analyses?

As a fallback. score_opportunities and find_page_poaching_opportunities use the property's own curve at the positions where it has volume and the generic curve at the others; get_ctr_curve shows both side by side.

What is the CTR of position 10?

2.0% in the Organiq curve; SISTRIX measured 2.5% on mobile in 2020.