Facebook Ads Insights Tool

Facebook Ads CTR Benchmarks in South Africa

See how your CTR stacks up. Explore industry, regional, and campaign-type benchmarks with Superads.

CTR (Click Through Rate) in South Africa

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Facebook Ads click-through-rate benchmarks: South Africa vs. global

This analysis looks at click-through-rate trends for industry All industries available 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.

  • South Africa averaged 1.32% click-through-rate (CTR) from Oct 2024 to Aug 2025, versus a 1.78% global average over the same months—about 26% below market on average.
  • Highs and lows: South Africa peaked at 2.30% in June 2025 and bottomed at 0.61% in February 2025. Globally, the high was 2.02% in August 2025 and the low was 1.67% in February 2025.
  • Volatility: South Africa showed high month-to-month volatility (average absolute change ≈0.36 percentage points) versus a steadier global pattern (≈0.05 pp).
  • Trend direction: South Africa declined 4% from October 2024 to August 2025, while the global CTR rose 15% over the same window.
  • Seasonality: Local CTR softened through Q4 into a Q1 trough, rebounded sharply in March, spiked mid-year (June), then cooled in July–August. The global trend eased slightly in Q4–Q1 and then climbed steadily into late Q3, continuing higher into September.

South Africa CTR benchmarks (selected data)

  • Average and range: The average CTR was 1.32%, with a wide range from 0.61% (February) to 2.30% (June).
  • First-to-last change: From October 2024 (1.56%) to August 2025 (1.49%), CTR fell by about 4%.
  • Volatility: Average month-to-month move was 0.36 pp, with notable shifts:
  • Biggest drop: December to January (-0.55 pp; -47%).
  • Sharp rebounds: February to March (+0.72 pp; +117%) and May to June (+1.01 pp; +78%).
  • Seasonal patterns:
  • Q4 moderated from 1.56% in October to 1.17% in December.
  • Q1 trough in January–February (0.62% and 0.61%).
  • Strong mid-year peak in June (2.30%), followed by cooling in July (1.66%) and August (1.49%).

Comparison with the global baseline

  • Global averages and range (Oct 2024–Aug 2025): 1.78% average CTR; low at 1.67% (February) and high at 2.02% (August). Baseline continued to rise to 2.12% in September.
  • Direction and stability: Global CTR increased 15% from October to August, with modest volatility (≈0.05 pp average monthly change). South Africa’s CTR was more variable and trended slightly down over the same period.
  • Relative positioning:
  • South Africa was below the global baseline in 10 of 11 months; it moved above market only in June (2.30% vs. 1.84% globally).
  • The average gap was -0.46 percentage points (1.32% vs. 1.78%), indicating a consistently lower CTR environment.
  • Seasonality alignment: Both series dipped around Q1 and improved into mid-year, but the global increase was steadier, while South Africa showed sharper swings and a larger mid-year spike.

Understanding click-through-rate benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry All industries available 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. 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.

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.