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Facebook Ads CTR Benchmarks for E-commerce in South Africa

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CTR (Click Through Rate) for E-commerce in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

This analysis looks at click-through-rate trends for industry E-commerce 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.

  • Overall, South Africa’s E-commerce click-through-rate (CTR) averaged 2.12%, sitting about 19% above the global baseline (1.78%) across the same months—an above‑market level.
  • The trend was highly volatile: average month-to-month movement was 0.42 percentage points (pp), roughly 9× the global baseline’s 0.05 pp.
  • Seasonality is evident: a Q4 softening (October to December), a Q1 rebound, an April peak, then a steady mid-year slide into August.
  • Despite an above-market start (October–May), CTR fell below the global baseline from June through August, with August notably weak.

South Africa E-commerce CTR overview

  • Period covered: October 2024 to August 2025.
  • Average CTR: 2.12%.
  • High: 2.78% in April 2025.
  • Low: 1.17% in August 2025.
  • Change from first to last month: down 56.7% (from 2.71% in October 2024 to 1.17% in August 2025).
  • Volatility: average absolute month-to-month change of 0.42 pp; 3 monthly increases vs 7 decreases.
  • Notable shifts:
  • Biggest single-month rise: +0.64 pp in January (vs December).
  • Biggest single-month drop: −0.72 pp in May (vs April).
  • Seasonal pattern:
  • Q4 (Oct–Dec) eased from 2.71% to 1.88%.
  • Q1 recovery with January at 2.52% and momentum into April’s peak at 2.78%.
  • Consistent mid‑year decline from May to August, bottoming at 1.17% in August.

Comparison to the global baseline

To benchmark performance, we compared South Africa’s E-commerce CTR to the global baseline for October 2024 through August 2025:

  • Baseline average CTR: 1.78% (high 2.02% in August; low 1.67% in February).
  • Baseline trend: gradual, steady improvement through the period; average month-to-month change only 0.05 pp.
  • Relative positioning:
  • Above market from October 2024 through May 2025. For example, April: 2.78% vs global 1.71%.
  • Below market from June through August. In August specifically, South Africa’s CTR was 1.17% vs global 2.02%—about 42% below the global median.
  • Directional contrast:
  • South Africa’s CTR declined 56.7% from October to August, while the global baseline rose 14.7% over the same window.

What marketers should note about seasonality and stability

  • Year-end softness is visible in December, followed by a Q1 bounce and a pronounced April peak, before a mid‑year fade to the period low in August.
  • Compared to the smoother global curve, South Africa’s E-commerce CTR was markedly more volatile, with larger swings both up (January) and down (May, August).

Understanding click-through-rate benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry E-commerce and South Africa helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Click-Through Rate (CTR) is the percentage of impressions that resulted in a click on the Facebook ad. In the E-commerce industry, Facebook ad costs can be varied, with peaks during holiday seasons and competitive product categories. 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. 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. 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 is CTR and why does it matter for Facebook ads?

CTR (Click-Through Rate) is the percentage of people who click your ad after seeing it. It's calculated by dividing total clicks by total impressions, then multiplying by 100. A high CTR indicates your ad resonates with your audience and helps improve your relevance score, which can lower your overall costs.

What's the average CTR for Facebook ads in 2025?

The average Facebook ad CTR across industries sits around 0.90-1.10%. But there's significant variation. Your specific industry, audience targeting, and campaign objectives should determine your benchmark.

Why is my Facebook ad CTR consistently low?

Low CTR usually stems from poor audience targeting, weak creative, or a disconnect between your ad content and audience needs. Your ad might simply not be standingo out enough. Check if your visuals grab attention, your copy addresses clear pain points, and your audience targeting aligns with people genuinely interested in your offer.

Is CTR still a reliable metric for ad performance in 2025?

Yes—but only in context. High CTR is a signal that your creative works, but it doesn't guarantee conversions. Use it alongside other metrics like conversion rate to get the full picture.