Meh, I've tested a ton of click through rate stuff. From micro-workers to stupid shit sold on the open market, to my own custom software. I see no evidence of CTR being a ranking signal. There's also been zero case studies that convince me otherwise.
Here is what I can tell you. On-page is "Huuuuge". Measuring up your competition is one of the first things I do. This was one of the last post I wrote on my blog before I got too busy to write anymore, but it's one of my favorite tools (
TF*IDF Article). Basic audit tools work as well (Screaming Frog). Or shit, just do an eye test. If you look at a lot of top ten SERPs, it's pretty easy to identify patterns.
Next thing I look at is competition and average time in the top positions. Are they big brands? Have they been there for a while?
Getting to #1....."The Great White Buffalo".
