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Facebook Ads CTR Benchmarks for Education in South Africa

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CTR (Click Through Rate) for Education in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads click-through-rate benchmarks: 12‑month summary

This analysis looks at click-through-rate (CTR) trends for industry Education 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 positioning: Education in South Africa averages 1.99% CTR versus 1.81% globally (+10%), driven by an outsized September spike. Excluding September, the local average is 1.34% (about 26% below the global baseline).
  • Seasonal shape: Local CTR softened into December–January, recovered through Q2, dipped in July, rebounded in August, and spiked in September. Globally, CTR eased in late Q4 then climbed steadily through August–September.
  • Volatility: Month-to-month change averaged ~1.00 percentage point locally (inflated by September). Excluding September, volatility was ~0.34 pp versus a stable 0.05 pp globally.

Education in South Africa: trend highlights

  • Average and median: 12‑month average CTR 1.99%; median 1.39%.
  • Highs and lows:
  • High: 9.09% in Sep 2025 (notable outlier).
  • Next-highest: 2.25% in Jun 2025.
  • Low: 0.89% in Jan 2025.
  • Direction of travel: From Oct 2024 (1.41%) to Sep 2025 (9.09%) CTR rose by about 546%. Excluding September, the trend is a gradual rise from October through June, a July dip (1.11%), and a partial August recovery (1.45%).
  • Notable swings:
  • Largest increase: Aug → Sep (+7.64 pp).
  • Largest decrease: Jun → Jul (−1.14 pp).

Global baseline: context

  • Average and median: 12‑month average CTR 1.81%; median 1.75%.
  • Highs and lows:
  • High: 2.12% in Sep 2025.
  • Low: 1.67% in Feb 2025.
  • Trend: From Oct 2024 (1.76%) to Sep 2025 (2.12%), CTR increased ~20%. The baseline dipped through late Q4 (Oct–Dec) and early Q1, then climbed steadily from March to September.
  • Volatility: Average month-to-month absolute change ~0.05 pp, indicating a smooth, predictable trend.

How South Africa compares to the global benchmark

  • Relative performance by month: CTR was below the global average in 10 of 12 months. The exceptions were:
  • June 2025: 2.25% vs 1.84% (about 23% above market).
  • September 2025: 9.09% vs 2.12% (about 329% above market; clear outlier).
  • May was close to parity (1.71% vs 1.79%, ~4% below).
  • Distribution vs global: Local median (1.39%) sits well below the global median (1.75%), reflecting consistently lower CTR outside the September spike.
  • Seasonality alignment: Both series show softer late Q4 performance and stronger late Q3 results, but South Africa’s Education segment exhibited a sharper mid-year build (Feb–Jun), a July pullback, and a unique September surge.

Understanding click-through-rate benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Education 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 Education industry, Facebook ad costs can be moderate, with higher costs for professional and specialized courses. 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.