Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Media in United States

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

Cost Per Lead for Media in United States

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Main takeaways

  • Based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.
  • This analysis looks at cost-per-lead trends for industry Media and target country United States compared to the global trend.
  • The United States Media series is consistently below market: average CPL 17.33 vs a global baseline of 36.04 (about 52% lower) and lower than the baseline in all 12 months.
  • Seasonality diverges from the global pattern: the baseline peaks in Q4, while the United States Media selection stays subdued in Q4 and instead spikes in August.
  • Volatility is higher in the selection: average month-to-month change of 6.93 (about 40% of its average) vs 4.75 in the baseline (about 13%).

Benchmark highlights for the United States (Media)

  • Average CPL over the period: 17.33.
  • High and low: peak at 27.03 in August 2025; trough at 6.96 in May 2025 (range 20.08).
  • Q4 pattern: Q4 average 14.10, below the series average.
  • Trend from first to last month: from 14.05 in October 2024 to 11.89 in September 2025, a decline of 15.4%.
  • Volatility:
  • Average month-to-month change: 6.93.
  • Largest single-month moves:
  • Down: April → May 2025 (-14.94), August → September 2025 (-15.14).
  • Up: May → June 2025 (+13.88), July → August 2025 (+8.04).
  • Direction: 6 monthly increases, 5 decreases.

Comparison with the global baseline

  • Average CPL: baseline 36.04 vs 17.33 in the selection (United States Media about 52% below global).
  • High and low: baseline high 41.58 in November 2024, low 20.63 in September 2025 (range 20.95).
  • First-to-last change: baseline falls from 31.12 (Oct 2024) to 20.63 (Sep 2025), a decline of 33.7%—a steeper downward shift than the United States Media series (-15.4%).
  • Month-by-month positioning:
  • The United States Media series remains below the global baseline in every month.
  • Widest gap in May 2025: 6.96 vs 39.63 (about 82% below global).
  • In September 2025, the selection is 42% below global (11.89 vs 20.63).

Seasonality and volatility insights

  • Q4: The global baseline is elevated in Q4 (average 37.44), aligning with typical holiday-period inflation. The United States Media selection, however, stays restrained in Q4 (14.10) and does not show a year-end surge.
  • Mid-year dynamics: The United States Media selection shows pronounced mid-year swings—sharp dip in May, strong rebound in June, and a spike in August to its annual high.
  • Late Q3 reset: Both series decline into September, with the global baseline experiencing its largest monthly drop (-16.40) and the selection also falling sharply (-15.14).

Notable monthly moves

  • April → May 2025: selection dips to its low (6.96).
  • May → June 2025: rapid recovery (+13.88).
  • July → August 2025: selection peaks at 27.03, while the baseline remains elevated but lower (37.03).
  • August → September 2025: both series fall, with baseline and selection marking their steepest declines.

Understanding cost-per-lead benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Media and United States 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 Media industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting United States, advertisers often face higher costs due to high competition and purchasing power. 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.

United States Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 20Martin Luther King Jr. Day
Feb 17Presidents' Day
May 26Memorial Day
Jun 19Juneteenth
Jul 4Independence Day
Sep 1Labor Day
Oct 13Columbus Day
Nov 11Veterans Day
Nov 27Thanksgiving Day
Dec 25Christmas Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November (Thanksgiving & Black Friday weekend), December (Christmas), Back-to-school (July–September), Summer travel season (Memorial Day onwards)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise around major holidays like Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day, especially in travel and entertainment. Black Friday/Thanksgiving weekend triggers massive spikes in retail ad competition. December ad demand typically peaks—retail campaigns require significantly higher budgets. Back-to-school promotions drive increased competition. Juneteenth may see regional engagement rise.

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.