Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Entertainment

See how your CPL compares. Explore lead generation cost benchmarks by industry, region, and campaign type

Cost Per Lead for Entertainment

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Based on $3B in Facebook Ads data, Entertainment (all countries available) shows an average cost-per-lead of 36.22, about 2% below the global baseline (37.06) over the same months.
  • Volatility is exceptionally high: average month-to-month absolute change is ~107% vs ~10% for the baseline. Several extreme spikes and dips drive this.
  • Seasonality diverges from market norms. While the global trend rises in Q4, Entertainment CPL declined through December, then surged in early 2025 and again in August.

Scope and context

This analysis looks at cost-per-lead trends for industry Entertainment and target country All countries available compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Entertainment CPL performance (selected data)

  • Overall level: Average 36.22 across Sep 2024–Aug 2025.
  • Highs and lows:
  • High: 58.97 in Aug 2025.
  • Low: 8.17 in May 2025.
  • Range: 50.80 points.
  • Trend over time: From 37.70 in Sep 2024 to 58.97 in Aug 2025, a +56.4% increase.
  • Notable movements:
  • Decline through Q4: 31.96 (Oct) → 31.20 (Nov) → 29.45 (Dec).
  • Jan rebound: 43.89 (+49% vs Dec).
  • Mar peak vs Feb: 55.07 (+69%).
  • May collapse: 8.17 (−83% vs Apr), followed by a June spike to 44.63 (+446% vs May) and a July drop to 12.00 (−73% vs June).
  • August reached the period high at 58.97 (+391% vs July).
  • Volatility: Average absolute month-to-month change ≈ 107%, indicating very unstable CPLs.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Level vs market: Entertainment averaged 36.22 vs baseline 37.06 (≈2.3% below market). However, this masks large swings.
  • Highs and lows:
  • Baseline high: 41.58 (Nov 2024); low: 31.12 (Oct 2024).
  • Entertainment’s extremes (58.97 high, 8.17 low) were far wider than the baseline range (≈10.45 points).
  • Seasonality:
  • Q4: Baseline rose into Nov–Dec (41.58 and 39.63). Entertainment fell through Q4 (Oct–Dec average 30.87), ≈17.6% below the baseline’s Q4 average (37.44).
  • Early 2025 (Jan–Apr): Entertainment averaged 45.14, ≈24% higher than the baseline (36.46), signaling an above-market phase.
  • Mid-year (May–Jul): Entertainment averaged 21.60, ≈44% below the baseline (38.88), driven by sharp May and July dips.
  • August: Entertainment 58.97 vs baseline 37.03 (+59% above market).
  • Stability: Baseline month-to-month volatility averaged ~9.8%, versus ~107% for Entertainment, underscoring how category-specific dynamics diverged from overall trends.
  • First-to-last change: Baseline increased +12.6% (Sep 2024 → Aug 2025) vs Entertainment’s +56.4%.

What marketers should note

  • Compared to the global trend, Entertainment’s cost-per-lead was generally below average on the year but punctuated by extreme surges (March, June, August) and steep dips (May, July).
  • Seasonal patterns deviated from the broader market: costs did not rise in Q4; instead, pressures appeared in early Q1 and late summer, while mid-year saw unusually low CPLs.

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Entertainment and all countries available 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 Entertainment industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. Geographic targeting affects ad costs based on market competition and user engagement in different regions. 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.

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.