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November 2024 - November 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
South Africa’s Facebook Ads CTR performance across all industries moved on a very different rhythm than the global benchmark: mostly below-market through the year, punctuated by two sharp lifts—June and an outsized September spike—followed by a dramatic October fall. The pattern shows pronounced seasonality and unusually high volatility compared to 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.
Across November 2024 to October 2025, South Africa’s median CTR averaged 1.39%, versus a 1.81% global average. The period opened at 1.16% in November 2024 and closed at 0.17% in October 2025, an 86% decline end to end. Highs and lows were extreme: a peak of 3.99% in September 2025 and a low of 0.17% the very next month.
Momentum swung hard:
Volatility underscores the story. South Africa’s average month-to-month absolute change was 0.80 points, far more turbulent than the global benchmark’s 0.06 points. The local range spanned 3.82 points (0.17% to 3.99%), versus a much narrower 0.42-point band globally (1.67% to 2.08%).
The year followed a soft Q1 profile—typical as holiday engagement normalizes—then strengthened through Q2, with June representing a local high-water mark in the first half. Q3 showed renewed momentum, culminating in an outsized September surge that exceeded earlier gains. Q4 pressure is evident: while global CTRs often firm in October amid rising competition, South Africa diverged with a pronounced October dip.
Quarterly rhythm captures the arc:
Relative to Facebook Ads benchmarks worldwide, South Africa trailed in 10 of 12 months. On average, CTRs were about 23% below global levels. The gap narrowed in mid-year: near-parity in July (−12%) and a brief over-performance in June (+5%). The widest underperformance occurred in October (−92% vs global), while September posted the largest outperformance (+106% above global). Trend lines diverged as well: globally, CTRs climbed roughly 24% from January to October (1.68% to 2.08%), while South Africa fell 73% over the same span due to the October break.
In sum, Facebook Ads CTR performance across all industries in South Africa was more volatile and generally below the global benchmark, with short-lived June and September breaks above market. Understanding Facebook Ads click-through rate benchmarks for all industries in South Africa—alongside global CTR performance, CPC trends, CPM analysis, and country-specific ad costs—helps teams gauge industry ad performance and compare engagement patterns to worldwide norms.
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.
Discover detailed cost benchmarks for different Facebook advertising metrics:
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Cost per thousand impressions across different markets
Benchmark click-through rates for Facebook ads
Cost per lead across different markets
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