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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Design in South Africa

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Cost Per Lead for Design in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost per lead trends for industry Design and target country South Africa compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • No selected data is available for Design in South Africa over the period provided, so a direct, numeric comparison to the global baseline is not possible.
  • Global baseline context: average cost per lead was about 35.80 over the period, with a high of 41.58 in November 2024 and a low of 20.63 in September 2025.
  • Seasonality is visible in the baseline: costs rose sharply in Q4, peaking in November and staying elevated in December, then eased in early Q1 before stabilizing in the mid-to-high 30s through mid-2025.
  • Volatility in the baseline was moderate on average (about 4.5 change month over month, ~12.6% of the period average), with a notable dip in September 2025.

What was analyzed

  • Metric: cost per lead (median by month).
  • Timeframe: September 2024 to September 2025.
  • Segments: Selected segment (Design, South Africa) versus the global baseline.

Selected segment view

  • There are no monthly observations available for Design in South Africa in the selected period. As a result, averages, highs/lows, percentage change, and volatility cannot be calculated for the selected segment. The insights below provide the global baseline as context for how costs moved broadly over the same months.

Global baseline trend

  • Overall average: 35.80.
  • High: 41.58 in November 2024.
  • Low: 20.63 in September 2025.
  • Range: 20.95 between high and low.
  • First-to-last change: down 37.3% from 32.88 in September 2024 to 20.63 in September 2025.
  • Notable movements:
  • Q4 2024: strong seasonal peak. October to November jumped by +10.45, with December remaining elevated at 39.63.
  • Early 2025: eased in January (35.54), then hovered in the upper 30s from February through July (mostly 38–40).
  • September 2025: marked dip to 20.63 from 37.03 in August (-16.40 month over month).
  • Volatility: average absolute month-over-month movement of about 4.50 (roughly 12.6% of the period’s average level). Outside of the September 2025 drop, monthly shifts were mostly contained within a ±1–6 band.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • With no data for Design in South Africa, the selected segment’s level and volatility cannot be positioned as above market, below average, or in line with overall trends.
  • The global baseline shows clear seasonality (higher in Q4) and generally stable costs in the mid-to-high 30s for most of 2025, before a late-period dip in September 2025.

Understanding cost per lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Design and South Africa helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Facebook advertising costs vary based on many factors including industry, target audience, ad placement, and campaign objectives. In the Design industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting South Africa, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.

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The data behind the benchmarks

All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.

This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.

South Africa Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Mar 21Human Rights Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Family Day
Apr 27Freedom Day
May 1Workers' Day
Jun 16Youth Day
Aug 9National Women's Day
Sep 24Heritage Day
Dec 16Day of Reconciliation
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Day of Goodwill

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas & Day of Goodwill), Mid-year retail (June Youth Day promotions)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise during long weekends like Human Rights Day, Freedom Day, and Heritage Day as leisure and travel-related media consumption increases. Retail CPMs may spike in late November–December for holiday shopping. Youth Day and National Women's Day might drive regional campaigns. Weekend extensions across public holidays may benefit weekend campaigns.

What is considered a good cost per lead on Facebook in 2025?

A good CPL usually ranges from $10 to $50, depending on your industry and target audience. B2C offers tend to be cheaper, while B2B or high-ticket services may see CPLs over $100.

Why is my CPL higher than industry averages?

Your CPL could be high due to weak creative, irrelevant targeting, or an offer that doesn't resonate. Low engagement or poor conversion rates on your landing page can also drive up costs.

Does campaign objective impact CPL?

Yes. Campaigns optimized for conversions or leads tend to generate cheaper and more qualified leads compared to traffic or engagement objectives. Facebook needs clear signals to find the right users.

How can I generate leads at a lower cost without hurting lead quality?

Focus on improving your offer, targeting the right audience, and using high-converting creative. Test native lead forms, but make sure you're still qualifying users properly.

Should I optimize for leads or conversions if my goal is pipeline growth?

If your goal is sales or revenue, optimizing for deeper funnel conversions is better. Optimizing for leads alone can inflate volume but hurt quality.