Domain Click-Through Rate (CTR)

Domain click-through rate measures how often users click a search result relative to how often it is shown. The domain name and [[tld|TLD]] displayed in the URL directly affect CTR: recognizable TLDs like .com often receive higher clicks than unfamiliar extensions, while keyword-rich domains can boost clicks by matching user intent. Google uses CTR as a ranking signal, creating a feedback loop where a [[tld-trust-signal|trusted]] domain earns more clicks, which improves rankings, which earns even more clicks.