Search marketers just got fresh proof that Google’s click landscape keeps shifting. Advanced Web Ranking’s latest Q3 2025 Google CTR Trends report reveals a clear pattern: branded desktop searches now send clicks to more results lower on the page, while commercial and local queries make life harder for the top organic spot. The study compares July–September data with the previous quarter and uses an international dataset, so the Google CTR Trends reflect real global user behaviour.
Key Google CTR Trends in Q3 2025
- Branded desktop searches spread clicks wider Position 1 lost 1.52 percentage points, while positions 2–6 together gained 8.71 points. Users now click more brand-owned results below the fold.
- Commercial queries punish the top spot Searches with words like “buy,” “price,” or “near me” saw position 1 on desktop drop 3.01 points. Positions 1 and 2 combined lost 4.20 points.
- Local searches follow the same trend Position 1 CTR fell 2.52 points on desktop and 2.13 points on mobile as maps, ads, and rich results push organic links down.
- Longer queries stay stable Searches with 4+ words held steady at the top position. In contrast, two-word and three-word desktop queries lost about 1.2 points each at position 1.
- Short queries remain volatile One-word mobile searches gained 1.52 points at the top, but short desktop queries continued to swing quarter after quarter.
Industry Winners and Losers
The report tracked 18 verticals and found uneven changes:
- Arts & Entertainment suffered the biggest drop: position 1 on desktop fell 5.13 points.
- Travel enjoyed the strongest rebound: position 2 on desktop rose 2.46 points.
- Shopping saw clicks move down: position 1 lost 2.10 points while positions 2 and 3 gained a combined 2.83 points.
What This Means for Your Site
If your traffic comes from branded desktop searches, expect clicks to spread across more of your own listings instead of piling up on position 1. For commercial, local, or short high-volume keywords, even a steady #1 ranking may deliver fewer clicks than last quarter.
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Marketers who target longer, specific queries enjoyed the most predictable Google CTR Trends in Q3, their top positions held firm. Advanced Web Ranking stresses that no single feature update explains every shift, but the direction is clear: Google continues to distribute clicks more evenly in many important SERP types. Stay tuned, Q4 data will show if these Google CTR Trends accelerate or reverse.
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