Connect MCPStat Check
VerifiedStat checkConfidence: medium

Moving up one position in Google increases click-through rate by 32.3%

Commonly cited as: "Each position up = 32% more clicks"

Verified Confidence: medium

Primary source found; it says the same thing, the scope matches, and it is reasonably current.

Safe rephrasing

Backlinko found that moving up one Google position raised relative CTR by 32.3% on average, though the gain is concentrated at the top positions.

What the source says

We discovered that all things being equal, moving up a single position in Google increases relative CTR by 32.3%. However, this CTR boost isn’t evenly distributed.

Backlinko — We Analyzed 4 Million Google Search Results (organic CTR study)

Commonly cited as
"Each position up = 32% more clicks"
True origin
Backlinko — We Analyzed 4 Million Google Search Results (organic CTR study)
Type
Stat check: A widely repeated statistic traced back to its origin.
Year
2025
Data as of
Study page last updated Apr. 16, 2025
Last checked
Method & sample
Search Console CTR data from 1.3 million pages and 12 million queries; average relative change per position.
Drift between quote and source
  • Average across positions; the jump is much bigger near the top and tiny lower down
Interest
Backlinko (owned by Semrush) sells SEO software.

Sources we opened

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