Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads CTR Benchmarks for Marketplaces in South Africa

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CTR (Click Through Rate) for Marketplaces in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads click-through-rate benchmarks: Marketplaces in South Africa vs global trend

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

Key takeaways

  • South Africa Marketplaces sits well above market: 3.94 in Oct 2024 vs the global 1.76 that month (+124%), and +118% above the global 12‑month average (1.81).
  • Seasonal pattern in the global baseline: softening from November through February, then a steady rise through late Q3, peaking in September.
  • Baseline volatility is moderate: a 0.44 percentage-point range across the year, with average month-to-month movement of ~0.05 points.
  • The selected series contains one month, so intra-year volatility and seasonal dynamics for South Africa cannot be inferred.

Profile of the selected Marketplaces data in South Africa

  • Coverage: 1 month (Oct 2024).
  • Average: 3.94; high: 3.94; low: 3.94.
  • Month-to-month change: not available with a single observation.
  • Positioning vs global in the same month: 3.94 vs 1.76, a +2.18 percentage-point premium (+124%).
  • Positioning vs global high: still above the global peak (Sep 2025 at 2.12) by +1.82 points (+86%).

Even with a single data point, the observed click-through-rate for South Africa Marketplaces is clearly above market levels, indicating stronger-than-average engagement for the period captured.

Global baseline trend (all industries, all countries)

  • Period: Oct 2024–Sep 2025 (12 months).
  • Average: 1.81; high: 2.12 (Sep 2025); low: 1.67 (Feb 2025).
  • Range: 0.44 points (~24% of the average).
  • First-to-last change: +20% (1.76 in Oct 2024 to 2.12 in Sep 2025).
  • Volatility: average absolute month-to-month movement of ~0.05 points.
  • Notable movements:
  • Largest monthly increase: Jul → Aug (+0.12 points).
  • Largest monthly dip: Nov → Dec (−0.05 points).
  • Seasonal pattern: a gentle decline through Q4 and into February, followed by a steady climb through spring and summer, culminating in the strongest levels by September.

Comparative positioning

  • Against the month-aligned global benchmark, Marketplaces in South Africa is decisively above market in Oct 2024 (+124%).
  • Relative to the global 12‑month average, the observed value is +118% higher.
  • Even compared with the global peak month, the selected result remains stronger (+86%).

These results indicate that, at least in October 2024, Marketplaces ads in South Africa generated materially higher click-through-rates than the global baseline, while the broader market showed a pronounced seasonal upswing from late winter into early fall.

Understanding click-through-rate benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Marketplaces 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 Marketplaces industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. 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.