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Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for IT Services & Outsourcing in South Africa

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

Cost Per Lead for IT Services & Outsourcing in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Cost-per-lead benchmarks: key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-lead trends for industry IT Services & Outsourcing 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 in-country observations are available for South Africa in the selected period, so comparisons to the market baseline rely on global data only.
  • Global median cost-per-lead (CPL) averaged 35.80 across the last 13 months, peaking at 41.58 (November 2024) and bottoming at 20.63 (September 2025).
  • Overall CPL declined 37.3% from September 2024 to September 2025, with a notable late-period dip.
  • Volatility was moderate: the average month-to-month move was 4.50, with the largest jump in November 2024 (+10.45 vs. October) and the steepest drop in September 2025 (-16.40 vs. August).
  • Seasonal pattern: costs rose in Q4 (November–December), softened in January, and stayed in the mid-to-high 30s through mid-2025.

Scope and context

  • Metric: cost-per-lead (CPL)
  • Industry: IT Services & Outsourcing
  • Country: South Africa
  • Selected dataset: no monthly CPL observations provided for the period.
  • Baseline: global trend used for benchmarking.

Global baseline CPL trend (directional reference)

  • Average: 35.80 across Sep 2024–Sep 2025.
  • High: 41.58 in November 2024.
  • Low: 20.63 in September 2025.
  • Range: 20.95 between high and low.
  • Percentage change: down 37.3% from the first observed month (September 2024: 32.88) to the last (September 2025: 20.63).
  • Volatility:
  • Average month-to-month absolute change: 4.50.
  • Largest month-to-month increase: +10.45 from October to November 2024.
  • Largest month-to-month decrease: -16.40 from August to September 2025.
  • Seasonality and pattern:
  • Q4 uplift: CPL climbed sharply in November (41.58) and remained elevated in December (39.63) versus September–October.
  • Post-holiday normalization: January eased to 35.54.
  • Relative stability: April–July hovered around the high 30s (38.59–39.63), before a dip to 37.03 in August and a sharp drop to 20.63 in September 2025.

Comparison: South Africa IT Services & Outsourcing vs. global

  • Data availability: No selected data for South Africa IT Services & Outsourcing in the period, so a direct “above market” or “below average” classification is not possible.
  • Directional takeaway: Use the global baseline as a reference point for expected CPL levels and seasonality. The global pattern shows higher CPLs in Q4, a January pullback, and mid-year stability before the September 2025 dip.

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry IT Services & Outsourcing 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 IT Services & Outsourcing 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.