Facebook Ads Cost Per Lead Benchmarks for Public Administration

Introduction

Public Administration advertisers across all countries saw a year defined by high CPLs and extreme swings. Compared to the global Facebook Ads benchmark across all industries, Cost Per Lead in this sector ran higher on average and was markedly more volatile, with a dramatic spike in November followed by a sharp reset in December. The year opened with an unusually low January, rebounded hard in February, and then climbed into an outsized Q4 peak before dropping to year-end levels below the global average. This analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks. This analysis explores ad performance trends for Public Administration in all countries compared to the global benchmark.

The story in the data

Public Administration CPL averaged 57.52 across the period (median 57.43), well above the 40.06 global average. The sector started at 68.74 in December 2024 and ended at 29.84 in December 2025, a 57% December-to-December decline, versus a 15% decline in the global benchmark (38.44 to 32.53).

The year’s low came in January at 13.12—62% below the global level that month—followed by a sharp rebound to 71.39 in February. From there, costs oscillated in a higher band through midyear before climbing into Q4. The high arrived in November at 138.99, more than triple the global average that month (45.77). The monthly range spanned 126 points, and average month-to-month movement was 36.6 points—far steeper than the global benchmark’s 3.9-point average shift. In 9 of 13 months, Public Administration CPL sat above the market; May was effectively at parity (38.88 vs. 38.89), while January, July, and December were below.

Notable inflections:

• January plunge from 68.74 to 13.12 (−56 points), then February surge to 71.39 (+58).
• A steady midyear climb from July (35.84) to October (75.00).
• November spike to 138.99 (+64 vs. October), followed by a December reset to 29.84 (−109).

Seasonal and monthly dynamics

The pattern was whipsaw in Q1—soft in January, elevated by February, and moderating in March—yielding a Q1 average of 43.32 versus 35.94 globally. Q2 carried firmer costs (53.87 vs. 38.85 global), while Q3 cooled slightly (47.88 vs. 43.74). Q4 was the standout: averaging 81.28 for Public Administration compared with 42.24 globally, fueled almost entirely by November’s surge. Performance typically softens through Q4 as competition rises, with engagement rebounding in early Q1; here, CPLs followed an opposite rhythm—spiking in late Q4, then resetting in December.

Country vs. Global

Across all countries, Public Administration CPLs ran about 44% above the global benchmark on average. The gap was narrowest in May (near parity) and December (8% below the market). It was widest in November, when Public Administration CPLs were roughly 204% above global levels. While the global benchmark trended relatively smooth with a mild late-year dip, the Public Administration series was more volatile, ending lower year-over-year despite a significant Q4 run-up.

Closing

Understanding Facebook Ads cost-per-lead benchmarks for the Public Administration industry across all countries—alongside related CPC trends, CPM analysis, and CTR performance—helps frame country-specific ad costs against the global market. These CPL trends highlight how Public Administration industry ad performance compares to the broader Facebook Ads benchmarks worldwide.