Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type
November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
Global Media CPCs spent most of the year running well below the all‑industry benchmark, sliding from late 2024 into a deep late‑summer trough before a sharp Q4 rebound that briefly pushed costs above market. The pattern is choppy but directional: steady easing through mid‑2025, then a pronounced surge in November. 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 the Media industry across all countries compared to the global benchmark.
Across the 13‑month window, Media CPC began at $0.97 in November 2024 and ended at $1.16 in November 2025—about a 20% lift year over year. The median CPC averaged $0.63, ranging from a low of $0.42 in September 2025 to a high of $1.16 in November 2025, a span of $0.74 (nearly a 2.8x swing from low to high). The first half of 2025 trended down: $0.59 in January softened to $0.49 by June, with only brief pauses in March and July. Eight of the 12 month‑to‑month moves were declines. Volatility stood out: average absolute monthly change was $0.12, far more variable than the global benchmark’s $0.05. The single largest move arrived from October to November 2025, jumping $0.61 as CPC leapt from $0.55 to $1.16.
The rhythm echoed familiar seasonal pressures. After a post‑holiday reset, CPCs continued to ease through Q2, then weakened further into late summer, bottoming in September. From that low, costs rebounded into Q4, with a decisive acceleration in November. In contrast to the mid‑year softness, late‑year competition coincided with a sharp uplift, compressing much of the year’s volatility into the final weeks.
Relative to the all‑industry global baseline, Media CPCs across all countries were consistently cheaper. The Media average ($0.63) trailed the global average ($1.13) by roughly 44% across the period. Month to month, the gap typically ranged from 33% below (November 2024) to 60% below (September 2025). The exception was November 2025, when Media CPC briefly moved 14% above the global median ($1.16 vs. $1.02). The trajectories diverged as well: the global benchmark eased steadily over the year (−29% from November 2024 to November 2025), while Media’s path was choppier, ultimately finishing higher (+20%) thanks to a strong Q4 surge. Volatility differences were material: Media’s $0.12 average monthly swing was nearly three times the global baseline’s $0.05, underscoring a more elastic cost environment for Media creatives and placements across all countries.
In sum, Facebook Ads benchmarks for CPC in the Media industry across all countries show a low‑cost, high‑volatility year: prolonged mid‑year softness, a September floor, and an emphatic November spike that briefly outpaced the global market. Understanding these CPC trends—alongside broader CPM analysis and CTR performance context—helps situate country‑specific ad costs for Media relative to the global benchmark.
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 Media 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.
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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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.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
Average cost per click benchmarks across industries
Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
Cost per lead across different markets
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