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Facebook Ads CPC Benchmarks for Nonprofit in South Africa

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

CPC (Cost Per Click) for Nonprofit in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads CPC benchmarks: Nonprofit in South Africa vs. global

This analysis looks at cost-per-click (CPC) trends for industry Nonprofit and target country 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.

Key takeaways

  • Nonprofit CPC in South Africa averaged 0.111 across Oct 2024–Aug 2025, about 90% below the global average of 1.156 over the same period.
  • Clear Q4 seasonality: a sharp spike in November 2024 (0.488) followed by a sustained slide into H1 and very low CPCs through mid-year.
  • From the first to last month observed, CPC fell 93.4% (0.240 in Oct 2024 to 0.0158 in Aug 2025). Peak-to-trough decline was 98.7% (Nov 2024 to Jun 2025).
  • Month-to-month absolute volatility was comparable to the global market in level terms (0.080 vs. 0.081), but with far lower absolute CPCs in South Africa, mid-year movements were minimal.

Selected data highlights: Nonprofit CPC in South Africa

  • Average: 0.111 across 11 months.
  • High and low: November 2024 was the high at 0.488; June 2025 was the low at 0.0065.
  • First-to-last change: down 93.4% from 0.240 (Oct 2024) to 0.0158 (Aug 2025).
  • Volatility:
  • Average absolute month-to-month change: 0.080.
  • Largest shifts occurred around Q4 and into January (Oct→Nov +0.248; Nov→Dec −0.242; Dec→Jan −0.172).
  • After March, swings narrowed considerably; April–August averaged just 0.0156 with month-to-month moves mostly within 0.02.
  • Notable spikes/dips:
  • Spike in November 2024 aligns with typical holiday competition.
  • Gradual easing through Q1; floor reached mid-year (June 2025).

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Average: Global CPC averaged 1.156 vs. 0.111 in South Africa Nonprofit, positioning South Africa well below market (about 90% lower).
  • High and low: Global high in November 2024 (1.474); low in June 2025 (1.029).
  • First-to-last change: Global CPC eased 10.4% from 1.179 (Oct 2024) to 1.057 (Aug 2025), a much gentler decline than South Africa’s 93.4%.
  • Volatility:
  • Average absolute month-to-month change globally was 0.081, close to South Africa’s 0.080, but on a much higher base.
  • Mid-year comparison:
  • April–August averages: 1.073 globally vs. 0.0156 in South Africa (roughly 98.5% lower in South Africa).
  • Relative positioning:
  • South Africa’s Nonprofit CPCs were below average vs. the global trend in every observed month.

Seasonality and pattern insights

  • Seasonal uplift is evident: both South Africa and the global series peak in Q4, especially in November, consistent with higher competition during holiday periods.
  • Post-holiday normalization: prices trend down into Q1 and stabilize by Q2–Q3, with South Africa settling at very low CPC levels through mid-year.

Understanding cost-per-click benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Nonprofit and South Africa 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 Nonprofit 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 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.