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December 2024 - December 2025
Detailed observation of presented data
South Africa’s Facebook Ads benchmarks for click-through rate (CTR) told a year of sharp swings. Across all industries, CTR averaged 1.39% from November 2024 through October 2025, trailing the 1.80% global benchmark. The market dipped to a winter trough, built momentum through mid-year, spiked dramatically in September (3.99%), then fell to an unusual low in October (0.17%). Compared to the steadier global trend, South Africa’s pattern was more episodic, with standout months that reshaped the averages.
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.
The period opened at 1.16% in November 2024 and closed at 0.17% in October 2025, an 86% decline from start to finish. Median CTR across the year sat at 1.29%, with an overall average of 1.39%. The highs and lows bookend the narrative: a surge to 3.99% in September 2025 and an abrupt drop to 0.17% in October.
Month-to-month movements were pronounced. Early Q1 marked the trough, with January (0.62%) and February (0.61%) at the bottom. CTR rebounded in March (1.33%) and held near the 1.27–1.30% range through May before lifting to 1.91% in June. Momentum cooled slightly in July (1.66%) and August (1.44%) before the September spike. The largest single-month lift came in August to September (+2.54 points), followed by the steepest decline in September to October (−3.82 points).
Volatility averaged 0.80 points per month in South Africa, far higher than the 0.05-point month-to-month shifts seen globally.
The rhythm followed familiar seasonal contours, but with sharper amplitude. Performance softened through late Q4 and early Q1, with the year’s lowest sustained levels in January–February. CTRs rebuilt through Q2, peaking for the quarter in June, and remained elevated through Q3, culminating in the September spike. Early Q4 saw compression, with October marking the year’s floor.
Excluding the September surge and October trough, South Africa’s November–August average was 1.25%, indicating that the headline average was pulled upward primarily by the late-Q3 spike.
Globally, CTR climbed steadily from 1.75% in November 2024 to 2.04% in October 2025 (+17%), with mild month-to-month variations. South Africa averaged 23% below the global benchmark for the year and outperformed the world in only two months—June (+5% vs. global) and September (+108%). The narrowest lag occurred in July (12% below global). The widest gap appeared in October, when South Africa trailed by 92%.
Across the year, South Africa’s CTR performance was both lower and more volatile than the global baseline: 1.39% vs. 1.80% average, with sharper swings and two consecutive months that flipped from well above market (September) to well below (October).
Understanding Facebook Ads click-through-rate benchmarks for all industries in South Africa—alongside global CTR performance—helps teams evaluate engagement patterns, seasonal dynamics, and relative momentum. These country-specific Facebook Ads benchmarks provide a clear view of how CTR trends in South Africa compare to the global market over the past year.
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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