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 clearest story in the Facebook Ads benchmarks this period is a late‑year price surge followed by an abrupt reset. Globally, cost per click (CPC) held a narrow band for most of 2025 before spiking in November and then sliding sharply through December and into January 2026. For Public Administration in Great Britain, the current cut does not contain a month‑by‑month series, so the comparison leans on the global baseline as a directional proxy for country-specific ad costs in this category.
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 Great Britain compared to the global benchmark.
Across the global benchmark, CPC opened 2025 at roughly 1.12 and closed January 2026 at about 0.85, a 24% decline across the window. The year’s center of gravity sat near 1.11 on average, with a tight range for most months: from 1.09 in September to 1.15 in May. The standout exception was November 2025, the high for the period at 1.32, before dropping to 1.05 in December and 0.85 in January.
Month to month, movements averaged 0.07 points in absolute terms, but that masks the late‑year swings. From October to November, CPC lifted by about 17% (1.12 to 1.32), then fell 20% in December and another 20% into January. By contrast, the first half of 2025 was remarkably steady: January through June sat between 1.10 and 1.15, with changes typically under 0.02 points. The pre‑Q4 story is “controlled pricing”; the Q4-to-Q1 bridge is “volatility and reset.”
Seasonality came through clearly. The first three quarters behaved predictably, with modest softening into late Q3 (1.09 in September) and a mild rebuild in October (1.12). Q4 delivered uneven pricing: a pronounced November lift—consistent with heightened auction intensity—followed by a December retreat and further easing in early Q1. In level terms, Q4 averaged about 1.16, but that average hides the whiplash between a November peak and a December trough. The early‑2026 reading at 0.85 underscores how quickly CPC can recalibrate after peak shopping periods.
For Public Administration in Great Britain, the dataset did not meet the threshold for a monthly CPC time series during this window, so a direct month‑by‑month comparison to the global benchmark isn’t available. Directionally, the global pattern offers a relevant frame: a stable January–September corridor around 1.10–1.15, a sharp November premium near 1.32, and a two‑month reset to 0.85 by January. The gap between the November high and January low—about 36%—illustrates the degree of late‑year volatility that can shape country‑specific ad costs when competitive pressure rises and then recedes.
In sum, the Facebook Ads CPC trends point to a steady market for most of 2025, punctuated by a November spike and an early‑Q1 correction. While localized readings are not available for this cut, these CPC benchmarks contextualize Public Administration industry ad performance and country-specific ad costs for Great Britain against a consistent global pattern. Understanding Facebook Ads cost‑per‑click benchmarks for Public Administration in Great Britain helps evaluate CPC dynamics relative to global CPC trends.
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 United Kingdom, advertisers experience moderate to high costs with strong performance in urban areas. 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 surge), Late December (Christmas & Boxing Day promotions), Early May holiday weekend promotions
CPM and CPC might increase around early May and late August bank holidays as people engage in leisure travel or retail browsing. During Black Friday/Cyber Monday, retail CPMs could spike sharply in fashion, electronics, and online shopping. Late December typically sees peak CPMs, with e‑commerce budgets needing early ramp-up.
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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