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Facebook Ads CPC Benchmarks for Consulting

Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type

CPC (Cost Per Click) for Consulting

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Main takeaways

  • This analysis looks at cost-per-click (CPC) trends for industry Consulting 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.
  • Consulting CPCs across All countries available averaged 1.74, which is 52% above the global baseline average of 1.14. Costs were above market in every single month observed.
  • Seasonality was clear: CPCs peaked in November, eased in January–February, rebounded in March and May, and softened through late summer, hitting the yearly low in September. This aligns with typical Q4 pressure around holiday periods followed by Q1 resets.
  • Volatility was high for Consulting: average month-to-month movement was about 29.6% vs. just 6.9% for the global baseline.

Selected data (Consulting, All countries available)

  • Overall level: Average CPC was 1.74 over Oct 2024–Sep 2025.
  • Highs and lows: Peak at 2.85 in Nov 2024; low at 1.03 in Sep 2025. The range (2.85–1.03) was 1.82.
  • Trend over time: From 2.03 in Oct 2024 to 1.03 in Sep 2025, a -49% change.
  • Volatility: Average absolute month-to-month change was ~29.6%.
  • Notable moves:
  • Oct→Nov: +41% to 2.85 (seasonal Q4 surge).
  • Dec→Jan: -38% to 1.37.
  • Apr→May: +55% to 2.06 (sharp rebound).
  • Aug→Sep: -35% to 1.03 (period low).

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Level comparison: Consulting averaged 1.74 vs. the global 1.14 (+52% above market).
  • Highs and lows:
  • Global high: 1.47 in Nov 2024; global low: 0.95 in Sep 2025; range: 0.52.
  • Consulting’s peak (2.85) was substantially higher than the global peak; even the Consulting low (1.03) sat modestly above the global low.
  • Persistent premium: Consulting CPC stayed above the global value in all 12 months.
  • Volatility:
  • Global average month-to-month change: ~6.9%, with a moderate Oct→Nov +25% lift and -12% corrections in Nov→Dec and Dec→Jan.
  • Consulting exhibited materially higher swings throughout the period.
  • Directional change:
  • Consulting: -49% from first to last month.
  • Global: -19% over the same window.
  • This places Consulting “above market” on level but with a steeper downward slope into September.

Seasonal patterns and notable periods

  • Q4 2024: Both series peaked in November (Consulting 2.85; global 1.47), reflecting holiday-driven competition.
  • Q1 2025: Consulting slid in January–February (1.37–1.39) before rebounding in March (2.04), while the global series eased more gently.
  • Q2 2025: A dip in April (1.33) followed by a sharp May spike (2.06) and a June cool-down (1.58).
  • Q3 2025: Lower levels in July (1.37), a modest August uptick (1.58), and the yearly trough in September (1.03), mirroring the global low in the same month.

Understanding cost-per-click benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Consulting and All countries available helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their Facebook ad. In the Consulting 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 exactly is CPC in Facebook Ads?

CPC (Cost Per Click) is what you pay each time someone clicks on your ad, on any Facebook Ads placement. It's calculated by dividing your total spend by the number of clicks received. Facebook Ads lists Clicks, Link Clicks and Outbound Clicks separately. The former is the sum of all types of clicks (including, for example, clicks to your profile page, to a link or to a comment).

What's considered a good CPC for Facebook ads in 2025?

The truth is that varies, so play with our tool to get some benchmarks that are relevant to you. CPC values are highly dependent on the region, industry and campaign objective. The US is one of the most expensive markets.

What influences cost per click on Facebook?

Several factors affect CPC: your audience targeting, competition in your industry, ad relevance score, and creative performance. If your ad isn't getting engagement or relevance is low, CPC tends to spike.

Why is my Facebook ad CPC suddenly increasing?

CPC spikes usually happen because of increased competition in your target audience, seasonal trends (like holidays), poor ad relevance scores, or algorithm changes. Check if your audience targeting has become too narrow or if your creative is showing fatigue.

Do desktop and mobile Facebook ads have different CPCs?

Yes, there's a noticeable difference between platforms. Mobile CPCs often run lower than desktop. How many times do check Instagram on your phone and how often do you open it in your computer? There's simply much more mobile inventory. Tip: segment your performance data by placement to understand where your clicks are coming from. Spoiler: it's likely all mobile.

Should I optimize my campaigns for CPC or conversions?

For most businesses, optimizing for conversions will deliver much better ROI than focusing purely on CPC. A low CPC is meaningless if those clicks don't convert. However, if you're running awareness campaigns or some kind content promotion, CPC optimization might potentially make sense, although most experts have switched to conversion optimization by now.

Why do my CPC benchmarks differ from published industry averages?

Your specific audience targeting, creative quality, bidding strategy, and account history all influence your CPC. Industry averages provide a reference point, but your historical performance is a more reliable benchmark for setting expectations and measuring improvement.

Are CPCs cheaper on Instagram or Facebook?

Instagram CPCs are generally slightly higher due to stronger purchase intent and higher competition among advertisers. But it depends on the audience and creative.