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Facebook Ads Cost Per Purchase Benchmarks for Arts in South Africa

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Cost Per Purchase for Arts in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost per purchase trends for the Arts industry in 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.
  • Overall, South Africa’s Arts cost per purchase sits below market: the average is 38.96 versus the global baseline at 47.82 (about 18.5% lower).
  • The selected series is highly volatile, with a sharp spike in January and a deep dip by August. The baseline shows steadier movement, with mild Q4/Q1 inflation and a notable drop in September.
  • Seasonal signals: the global trend typically rises around December–February and eases through mid-year, while South Africa’s Arts data peaks in January and weakens into August.

Overview

We summarize monthly medians for cost per purchase (CPP) across two time series: selected data for the Arts industry in South Africa and a global baseline. We report averages, highs, lows, month-to-month movements, and relative positioning.

Selected data highlights (Arts, South Africa)

  • Average: 38.96 across four observed months (Nov 2024, Jan 2025, May 2025, Aug 2025).
  • Median: 39.90.
  • High/low: High at 57.42 (Jan 2025); low at 18.61 (Aug 2025). Range: 38.81.
  • First-to-last change: down 23.3% from Nov 2024 (24.24) to Aug 2025 (18.61).
  • Volatility (month-to-month):
  • Nov → Jan: +136.9% (24.24 to 57.42).
  • Jan → May: −3.2% (57.42 to 55.57).
  • May → Aug: −66.5% (55.57 to 18.61).
  • Average absolute monthly move: ~24.00.
  • Notable movement: a pronounced spike in January followed by a steep descent into August.

Baseline context (global)

  • Average: 47.82 across Oct 2024–Sep 2025.
  • High/low: High at 53.89 (Feb 2025); low at 32.29 (Sep 2025). Range: 21.60.
  • First-to-last change: down 30.8% from Oct 2024 (46.67) to Sep 2025 (32.29).
  • Volatility:
  • Average absolute monthly move: ~3.25.
  • Largest one-month swing: Aug → Sep: −29.3%.
  • Seasonality: higher CPP around Dec–Feb, then a gradual easing through mid-year, culminating in a pronounced September dip.

How South Africa compares to the global baseline

  • Overall level: 18.5% below market on average (38.96 vs 47.82).
  • Month-by-month where both exist:
  • Nov 2024: 24.24 vs 43.19 (−43.9%, below market).
  • Jan 2025: 57.42 vs 52.31 (+9.8%, above market).
  • May 2025: 55.57 vs 50.97 (+9.0%, above market).
  • Aug 2025: 18.61 vs 45.69 (−59.3%, well below market).
  • Volatility: South Africa’s Arts CPP is far more volatile than the global series (average monthly move ~24.00 vs ~3.25), driven by a sharp Q1 spike and a late-summer trough.

Seasonality signals to note

  • Global pattern: CPP typically lifts into Q4/Q1 holiday and early-year periods, then softens into mid-year, with a marked dip by September.
  • South Africa (Arts): a strong January peak suggests early-year cost pressure, while August shows an outsized dip relative to the global baseline.

Understanding cost per purchase benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Arts 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 Arts 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's a healthy cost per purchase for ecommerce brands?

It depends on your product price and margins. Most brands aim for $10 to $50. For higher-ticket products, a higher CPA may be acceptable as long as you're maintaining a strong return on ad spend.

How does product price impact CPA benchmarks?

Higher-priced products typically have a higher CPA because people take longer to convert. That's not necessarily a problem if your margin can support it. You should measure CPA in context with AOV and LTV.

Why are my purchase costs going up despite stable ROAS?

Your AOV may be increasing, which helps maintain ROAS even if CPA rises. You could also be facing higher CPMs, lower conversion rates, or creative fatigue.

Should I use manual bidding to control CPA more effectively?

Manual bidding can help if you're struggling to stay within target CPA. It's best used by experienced advertisers who can monitor performance and adjust regularly. It gives more control, but also requires more effort.

How do I scale spend without letting CPA skyrocket?

Increase budget gradually, rotate creative often, and avoid overlapping audiences. Scaling too quickly can lead to audience saturation and rising CPAs.

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