New 2025 CTR Study Finds Branded Searches Spread Clicks Across More Results While Longer Queries Stay Stable

A new Q3 2025 CTR study shows clear shifts in how people interact with Google results. Branded searches on desktop saw the first position drop by 1.52 percentage points. Positions two through six gained a combined 8.71 points. Users now click across more listings instead of choosing the top link by default.
Source: Search Engine Journal.

Longer search phrases remained steady. Multi-word queries showed almost no change in position one CTR. This stability suggests that long-tail and intent-focused searches continue to deliver more predictable performance.

What This Means for Marketers

The top position is still valuable. But it no longer controls the majority of clicks. Users compare more options on the page. Lower positions capture more attention than before. This changes how marketers should evaluate performance.

Long-tail searches continue to be a strong traffic source. Their clarity and intent protect CTR from volatility.

Why CTR Strategy Matters More in 2025

Titles and descriptions now influence results more than raw ranking. When clicks spread out, the listing with the clearer title wins more traffic. Content teams cannot rely only on rank. They must focus on the message the user sees.

This is why many teams are investing in improving ranking by optimizing CTR. A clear or more compelling title can increase clicks even without a ranking gain.

Steps Site Owners Should Take Now

• Rewrite page titles for clarity and value.

• Refresh meta descriptions to match user intent.

• Add structured data to strengthen appearance.

• Track branded and non-branded data separately.

• Evaluate pages that hold rank but lose CTR.

• Strengthen long-tail content that matches specific queries.

These actions support both short-term traffic gains and long-term stability.

Anatolii Ulitovskyi, CEO at UNmiss says:

“CTR is becoming a decisive metric. The study shows up to 8 points shifting into lower positions. That means users are choosing based on clarity, not only rank. A strong title and structured content can protect revenue and increase visibility. Teams need real data from CTR analysis to understand what users click and why.”