Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type
January 2025 - January 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
The headline in the data is a late-year surge in global Facebook Ads CPC followed by a sharp reset. The worldwide benchmark rose steadily through mid‑year, spiked in November, and then cooled decisively into December and January. Volatility concentrated in Q4, with November standing out as the costliest month of the period. For Public Administration in France, the dataset contains no monthly CPC readings for the months shown, so this summary uses the global benchmark to frame country‑specific ad costs and likely seasonality.
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 Public Administration in France compared to the global benchmark.
Globally, Facebook Ads CPC averaged about 1.11 over the period. The series started at 1.12 in January 2025 and finished at 0.85 in January 2026, a decline of roughly 24%. The high watermark landed in November 2025 at 1.32, while the low arrived two months later at 0.85.
The path to that peak was gradual: modest gains from January (1.12) through March (1.14) were followed by a May local high (1.15). A summer softening pulled CPC down into September (1.09), then costs rebounded in October (1.12) before a clear November spike to 1.32. What followed was a swift correction—down to 1.05 in December and further to 0.85 in January 2026. Average month‑over‑month movement was 0.07 points, but Q4 was far choppier: October to November jumped about 17%, then November to December fell roughly 20%, with another near‑20% drop into January.
The rhythm mirrors familiar CPC trends. Early‑year costs were steady to slightly rising (January–March near 1.13 on average), Q2 hovered close to that level, and Q3 softened (around 1.11), consistent with mid‑year efficiency pockets. Q4 was the outlier. Competition typically intensifies late in the year, and the benchmark reflected that: October recovered from summer softness, November surged to the annual high, and December corrected as promotional pressure ebbed. January 2026 reset to the period low, consistent with a post‑holiday trough.
For Public Administration in France, there were no recorded monthly CPC values in this sample window, so direct month‑to‑month comparisons against the benchmark cannot be calculated. The global trend rose gently through May (+3% from January), dipped through September (−5% from May), and then swung sharply in Q4, culminating in a −24% drop from January 2025 to January 2026. Without the France series, the size and direction of any “above market” or “below average” gaps remain unquantified. What is clear is the benchmark’s dispersion: the range from the November peak (1.32) to the January low (0.85) spanned roughly 0.47 points—about 42% of the global average—indicating a wide band of potential country‑level variation during the peak season and immediate aftermath.
While specific month‑by‑month CPC values for Public Administration in France are not present in this sample, the global Facebook Ads benchmarks outline a clear pattern: steady mid‑year performance, a pronounced November spike, and a sharp reset into January. Understanding CPC trends and country‑specific ad costs for Public Administration in France in the context of the global benchmark helps frame industry ad performance and expected seasonality.
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 Public Administration industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting France, 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 (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), December (Christmas & post‑Christmas sales), May–June (spring sales)
CPM and CPC might increase during spring holidays when leisure and travel campaigns see higher engagement. Extended 'ponts' (bridge days) in May could create long weekends with lower weekday ad inventory. Late November and December feature steep increases in ad competition. Christmas season may drive peak ad volumes.
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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