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February 2025 - February 2026
Detailed observation of presented data
South Africa’s Facebook Ads click-through rate told a dramatic story in 2025: mostly below the global benchmark, punctuated by a late-Q3 surge and a sharp October collapse before a year-end recovery. Across all industries, South Africa’s median monthly CTR averaged 1.50%, trailing the global 1.84% average, yet it also posted some of the year’s most extreme monthly swings. September delivered a breakout high, October fell to the low of the year, and December closed strong, setting a choppy cadence against the steadier global trend. 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 all industries in South Africa compared to the global benchmark.
South Africa started the year soft at 0.62% CTR in January and finished at 2.22% in December—up roughly 260% from the opening month. The year averaged 1.50%, spanning a wide range from a low of 0.17% in October to a high of 3.99% in September. Key inflection points defined the narrative: March doubled over February (+117%), June climbed to 1.97% (+52% vs. May), and September spiked (+176% vs. August) to the yearly peak. That momentum snapped in October, plunging 96% from September’s high, before rebounding in November (1.37%) and accelerating into December (2.22%, +62% vs. November).
Volatility was the standout feature. Month-to-month swings in South Africa averaged 0.95 percentage points, more than fourteen times the global average change of 0.07 points. The global CTR, by contrast, traced a calm, upward-sloping path, moving from 1.69% in January to 2.10% in December (+24% over the year), with the narrowest annual range of roughly 0.45 points.
Seasonally, South Africa’s CTR performance built through midyear, peaked in late Q3, and then whipsawed in Q4:
Globally, the rhythm was steadier and more typical of Facebook Ads benchmarks: Q1 at 1.69%, Q2 at 1.75%, Q3 at 1.89%, and Q4 the strongest at 2.02%, with October and December delivering the highest global CTRs.
Relative to the global benchmark, South Africa underperformed in 9 of 12 months and outpaced it in June (+11%), September (+111%), and December (+6%). On average, South Africa trailed the market by about 19% across the year. The gap swung widely: the narrowest distance appeared in December (a +0.12-point edge), while the widest positive gap hit in September (+2.10 points) and the widest negative gap in October (−1.84 points), when South Africa’s CTR sat 92% below the global level.
The contrast in stability is stark. The global trend rose gradually with limited month-to-month movement, whereas South Africa’s CTR was markedly more volatile, marked by outsized spikes and abrupt reversals.
Understanding Facebook Ads click-through rate benchmarks for all industries in South Africa highlights a year of under-market averages, pronounced seasonality, and exceptional volatility versus the global pattern. These CTR performance insights help contextualize country-specific outcomes within worldwide Facebook Ads benchmarks for all industries in South Africa.
Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs
Click-Through Rate (CTR) is the percentage of impressions that resulted in a click on the Facebook ad. Different industries see varying ad costs due to market competition, user demographics, and conversion value. 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.
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), December (Christmas & Day of Goodwill), Mid-year retail (June Youth Day promotions)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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