What's the actual difference between conversion rate and click-through rate?

The basic difference

Click-through rate (CTR) measures how many people clicked your ad divided by how many times it appeared. Conversion rate measures how many visitors to your landing page actually completed your goal (purchase, signup, form submission).

Why this matters for optimization

A high CTR with a low conversion rate means your ad is compelling but your landing page isn't converting visitors. You might have great ad copy attracting the wrong audience, or a landing page that doesn't match what people expected from the ad.

A low CTR with decent conversion rate means fewer people click your ad, but those who do are likely to convert. This usually indicates good targeting but weak ad messaging.

Where to focus

For PPC specifically, start by tracking both. If CTR is fine but conversions lag, optimize your landing page first—improve clarity, remove friction, align messaging with the ad. If CTR is poor, test different ad copy and targeting before changing your landing page.