Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type
February 2025 - February 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
The clearest story in the data is a disciplined year with a sharp Q4 surge: global Facebook Ads CPCs stayed tight for most of 2025 before spiking in November and resetting lower into December and January. For Public Administration in Italy, there are no recorded observations in this window, so the global benchmark serves as the reference point. The pattern is classic: steady costs through mid-year, heightened competition late in Q4, and a pronounced early‑year cooldown.
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 Italy compared to the global benchmark.
Globally, CPC for Facebook Ads averaged about $1.13 in 2025. The year started at $1.12 in January and ended at $1.05 in December, a modest −6% slide from start to finish. The high arrived in November at $1.32—about 16% above the annual average—while the low printed in December at $1.05. The global range across 2025 was $0.26.
Month-to-month movement was calm for most of the year. Average absolute volatility was roughly $0.06 per month, with the largest swing coming in Q4: +$0.19 from October to November, followed by −$0.26 into December. After the holidays, January 2026 reset to $0.85—about 20% lower than December and roughly 25% below the 2025 average—underscoring the auction’s typical post‑peak exhale.
Quarter by quarter, the cadence was restrained:
The rhythm of the year was defined by stability through spring, a gentle softening over the summer, and a pronounced Q4 inflection:
This seasonal shape is consistent with broader Facebook Ads benchmarks where Q4 auction intensity often lifts CPCs, with engagement and pricing normalizing at the start of the new year.
For Public Administration in Italy, no in‑market CPC records were captured during this period, so the gap to the global benchmark cannot be quantified. As a result, comparisons use the global curve as directional context rather than a variance analysis. If Italy follows the global shape, the closest alignment would typically occur mid‑year during the quieter months, with the widest divergence around November’s peak. The key global takeaway remains: a mostly steady year punctuated by a decisive Q4 spike and a pronounced early‑year retreat.
While CPM analysis and CTR performance are outside the scope here, these CPC trends provide a grounded reference point for industry ad performance. Understanding Facebook Ads CPC benchmarks for the Public Administration industry in Italy—viewed against the global pattern—helps frame country-specific ad costs and seasonality relative to broader market momentum.
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 Italy, 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), Christmas & post‑Christmas sales (late December), Ferragosto (mid‑August) summer tourism, Back‑to‑school (September)
CPM and CPC might increase during spring holidays when Italians engage in travel or leisure. Ferragosto may see travel and hospitality ads face high competition while retail CPMs dip. Late November and December see ad demand surges. 'Ponte' long weekends could affect ad pacing with stronger performance on adjacent weekdays.
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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