Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
HR & Staffing ads in the Netherlands posted an unusually dramatic cost-per-click arc against the global benchmark: elevated and rising into January, cooling modestly by March, then collapsing to a near-zero CPC reading in May. The global picture over the same window moved gently lower and stayed tight, underscoring how country-specific ad costs in the Netherlands diverged sharply in both level and volatility. 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 HR & Staffing in the Netherlands compared to the global benchmark.
The series begins at 2.70 in November 2024, surges to a peak of 4.33 in January 2025 (+60% from November), settles to 3.71 in March (−14% from January), and plunges to 0.013 in May (−99.7% from March). Across these four reads, CPC averaged 2.69 with a wide range between the 4.33 high and the 0.01 low—roughly a 345x swing. Average step-to-step volatility was 1.98 points, signaling sharp movements between observed months.
By comparison, the global CPC trend over the same checkpoints was far steadier: 1.46 in November 2024, 1.14 in January, 1.14 in March, and 1.13 in May, averaging 1.22 with an average step change of just 0.11 points. The Netherlands’ HR & Staffing CPC therefore ran about 120% above the global average across the period, despite the dramatic May trough that pulled down the local mean.
Seasonality appears in the global benchmark as a classic Q4/Q1 rhythm: CPCs were highest in November (1.46) and softened into early Q1 (near 1.14), holding close to that level into May. The Netherlands followed a different cadence. Rather than easing after the holidays, CPC spiked into January, then retraced in March before a severe May drop. The pattern reads as a short-lived surge followed by an abrupt reset, rather than the smoother glide path seen globally. In other words, while global CPC trends show familiar seasonal pressure in Q4 with stability by spring, the Netherlands’ HR & Staffing market moved through a steeper crest and an unusually deep trough.
Relative performance shifted dramatically over the period. In November, the Netherlands sat 85% above the global CPC. The premium widened to 281% in January and 225% in March. By May, the gap flipped to 99% below the global level. Across the window, the Netherlands declined 99.5% from November to May, while the global benchmark eased a contained 23%. Volatility in the Netherlands was roughly 17x higher than the global trend, illustrating a market that both outpaced the world on CPC levels for much of the period and proved considerably more erratic.
Understanding Facebook Ads benchmarks for cost-per-click helps frame industry ad performance in context. For HR & Staffing in the Netherlands, these CPC trends—alongside broader CPM analysis and CTR performance considerations—highlight how local dynamics can depart from the global pattern. This CPC analysis for HR & Staffing in the Netherlands provides a clear view of country-specific ad costs relative to worldwide benchmarks.
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 HR & Staffing industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting Netherlands, 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.
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.
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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Late November–early December (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas and Boxing Day sales), Spring holidays (April–June tourism)
CPM and CPC might rise during spring holiday cluster when travel and leisure ads see elevated engagement. Liberation Day (May 5) is mandatory national holiday—ad inventory might shrink. Ad competition increases in late December for holiday promotions. Few summer holidays mean more consistent campaign performance through summer.
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).
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Instagram CPCs are generally slightly higher due to stronger purchase intent and higher competition among advertisers. But it depends on the audience and creative.
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