What is Clicks Per Search (CPS)?
Clicks Per Search (CPS) is a metric that measures the number of times a search result is clicked on, divided by the number of times that search result is shown.
CPS serves as a valuable measurement to assess the performance and engagement level of specific keywords or advertisements, aiding SEOs and advertisers in optimizing their campaigns for better results.
Why is CPS important?
CPS provides businesses with valuable insights into user behaviour and preferences. By analyzing the average number of clicks per search query, businesses can understand how users engage with their search results and websites.
This information can help in improving the relevance and attractiveness of search results, enhancing user experience, and tailoring content to better meet user expectations.
CPS is an important metric for advertisers because it helps them understand the engagement level of their ads or keywords.
A high CPS indicates that a large percentage of searchers who see the advertisement or keyword are clicking on it, which means that the advertisement or keyword is effective in generating interest and attracting potential customers.
How it relates to zero-click search?
Zero-click searches refer to search queries where the user finds the answer directly on the search engine results page (SERP) without clicking through to a website.
Examples of zero-click searches include weather forecasts, calculator results, and quick answers to common questions.
For advertisers and marketers, this shift poses challenges in terms of measuring and optimizing CPS.
It becomes important to consider not only the number of clicks but also the visibility and impressions received by their ads or search results.
Adapting strategies to optimize for zero-click searches, such as optimizing content for featured snippets or leveraging structured data markup, can help improve visibility and potentially increase the CPS even in the context of zero-click search.
How is CPS used in online advertising?
CPS (Clicks Per Search) can be used in online advertising to measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign.
It is commonly used in platforms like Google Ads and Bing Ads, as well as other search engine marketing platforms.
By analyzing CPS alongside metrics like cost per click (CPC), conversion rate (CR), and return on ad spend (ROAS), advertisers can gain insights into the performance of their campaigns.
CPS helps advertisers understand how often users click on their ads in relation to the number of searches made.
It provides a measure of user engagement and the relevance of the ad to the target audience.
A high CPS indicates that the ad is successfully generating clicks, suggesting it is attracting interest and potential customers.
On the other hand, a low CPS may indicate that the ad is not resonating well with the audience, and adjustments may be needed in terms of ad copy, targeting, or bidding strategies.
By monitoring CPS, advertisers can optimize their campaigns to improve click-through rates, maximize ad visibility, and ultimately enhance their return on investment.
It allows them to make data-driven decisions, allocate resources effectively, and refine their advertising strategies to achieve better performance and reach their campaign objectives.
How to find CPS?
The best-known tool for checking clicks per search is Ahrefs’ Keyword Explorer Tool.
In its “Keywords metrics” section you can find the value of CPS for a particular keyword.
Apart from that, to calculate CPS, you need to track the number of clicks generated by a keyword or advertisement and the number of searches conducted for that specific keyword.
Here's the formula to calculate CPS:
CPS = Clicks ÷ Searches
For example, if a keyword generates 50 clicks and has 1000 searches, the CPS would be calculated as:
CPS = 50 ÷ 1000 = 0.05
This means that for every 1000 searches of the keyword, there were 50 clicks, resulting in a CPS of 0.05.
Conclusion
CPS is a valuable metric for advertisers and marketers to evaluate the effectiveness of their online advertising and marketing campaigns.
By tracking CPS, advertisers can determine which keywords and advertisements are generating the most clicks and adjust their campaigns accordingly to maximize their return on investment.