Facebook advertising is a go-to marketing channel when you want to raise brand awareness, connect with prospects, and get new customers. But, how do you know you’re maximizing your Facebook ads ROI? Our data in this Facebook benchmarks report has the answer!
In partnership with our friends at WordStream by LocaliQ, we’re sharing Facebook ads benchmarks across 20 industries to help you better understand how your Facebook ads performance compares to averages in your industry. The report includes Facebook ads benchmarks for click-through rate, cost per click, and more.
💡 Want to take this data to go (+get key trends and even more insights)? Download our free Facebook ads benchmarks guide here!
Table of contents
- Facebook ads benchmarks: Traffic campaigns
- Facebook ads benchmarks: Lead gen campaigns
- Facebook ads tips
Facebook ads benchmarks: Traffic campaigns
Facebook advertising optimizes your campaigns against an ad objective. Your chosen ad objective for each campaign helps Facebook know how to best serve your ads to reach specific goals.
When you want to drive clicks from your Facebook ads to your landing page, app, or event, you’d use the traffic objective. Many small businesses favor traffic campaigns since they increase the chances of getting more website visitors, and more importantly, potential customers!
| Business category | Avg. click-through rate | Avg. cost per click |
| Animals & Pets | 1.63% | $0.76 |
| Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry | 1.13% | $1.11 |
| Arts & Entertainment | 2.55% | $0.44 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 0.99% | $1.15 |
| Automotive — For Sale | 1.18% | $0.70 |
| Automotive — Repair, Service & Parts | 0.99% | $0.99 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 1.34% | $0.88 |
| Business Services | 1.37% | $0.84 |
| Career & Employment | 1.31% | $0.70 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 0.81% | $1.27 |
| Education & Instruction | 1.20% | $0.79 |
| Finance & Insurance | 0.88% | $1.11 |
| Furniture | 1.15% | $1.19 |
| Health & Fitness | 1.68% | $0.90 |
| Home & Home Improvement | 1.23% | $0.95 |
| Industrial & Commercial | 1.03% | $0.80 |
| Personal Services | 1.28% | $0.87 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 1.02% | $1.08 |
| Real Estate | 2.45% | $0.65 |
| Restaurants & Food | 2.29% | $0.52 |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | 1.82% | $0.65 |
| Sports & Recreation | 1.30% | $0.77 |
| Travel | 2.06% | $0.43 |
Note: Because this campaign objective focuses on driving traffic, it often results in higher cost per lead and conversion rates. Concentrating on the most relevant metrics for your advertisement objective is essential, which is why we’ve left out those particular metrics.
Average click-through rate
CTR or click-through rate measures how frequently users click on your ad. CTR is a good indicator of how click-worthy your ad is and can help you determine the quality of your Facebook ad content.
The average click-through rate in Facebook ads for traffic campaigns across all industries is 1.51%.
|
Business category |
Avg. click-through rate |
| Animals & Pets | 1.63% |
| Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry | 1.13% |
| Arts & Entertainment | 2.55% |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 0.99% |
| Automotive — For Sale | 1.18% |
| Automotive — Repair, Service & Parts | 0.99% |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 1.34% |
| Business Services | 1.37% |
| Career & Employment | 1.31% |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 0.81% |
| Education & Instruction | 1.20% |
| Finance & Insurance | 0.88% |
| Furniture | 1.15% |
| Health & Fitness | 1.68% |
| Home & Home Improvement | 1.23% |
| Industrial & Commercial | 1.03% |
| Personal Services | 1.28% |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 1.02% |
| Real Estate | 2.45% |
| Restaurants & Food | 2.29% |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | 1.82% |
| Sports & Recreation | 1.30% |
| Travel | 2.06% |
The industries with the highest CTR were Arts & Entertainment at 2.55%, Real Estate at 2.45%, and Restaurants & Food at 2.29%.
The industries with lower average CTR were Dentists & Dental Services at 0.81%, Finance & Insurance at 0.88%, and Attorneys & Legal Services at 0.99%.
Since Facebook ads are so visually driven, it makes sense that industries that can offer more creative ads tend to see higher click-through rates.
“CTRs differ strongly between different business types across Facebook, even more so than on Google Ads. Successful Facebook ads require impressive, visual proof to attract attention from the scrolling audience—and that's why you see some of the best Facebook ads CTRs from those industries that can wow us with the promise of a good time, like Travel, Arts & Entertainment, and Sports,” said Mark Irvine, Director of Paid Media at Search Labs.
🔏 Unlock more secrets to a higher click-through rate now!
Average cost per click
Cost per click or CPC tells you how much you're paying for each click on your Facebook ad. It’s calculated by dividing your total spend by your total number of clicks. Maintaining a lower average CPC on a traffic campaign is something most businesses strive for since it proves you’re driving website visitors at an overall cheaper cost.
The average cost per click in Facebook ads for traffic campaigns across all industries is $0.83. This is much lower than the average cost per click in Google Ads of $4.22.
| Business category | Avg. cost per click |
| Animals & Pets | $0.76 |
| Apparel / Fashion & Jewelry | $1.11 |
| Arts & Entertainment | $0.44 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | $1.15 |
| Automotive — For Sale | $0.70 |
| Automotive — Repair, Service & Parts | $0.99 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | $0.88 |
| Business Services | $0.84 |
| Career & Employment | $0.70 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | $1.27 |
| Education & Instruction | $0.79 |
| Finance & Insurance | $1.11 |
| Furniture | $1.19 |
| Health & Fitness | $0.90 |
| Home & Home Improvement | $0.95 |
| Industrial & Commercial | $0.80 |
| Personal Services | $0.87 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | $1.08 |
| Real Estate | $0.65 |
| Restaurants & Food | $0.52 |
| Shopping, Collectibles & Gifts | $0.65 |
| Sports & Recreation | $0.77 |
| Travel | $0.43 |
The industries that saw the lowest cost per click were Travel at $0.43, Arts & Entertainment at $0.44, and Restaurants & Food at $0.52.
The industries that saw higher-than-average costs per click were Dentists & Dental Services at $1.27, Furniture at $1.19, and Attorneys & Legal Services at $1.15. These industries typically have a higher lifetime average customer cost, so it makes sense that their advertising costs would be more than a restaurant or entertainment venue.
“The biggest trend I am seeing with this Facebook ads CPC data is that consumer demand remains strong despite the uncertain economy. Cost per click is well within range of what we’ve been quoting advertisers for years now, while click-through rate also remains strong,” said Tyler Mask, Senior Manager of Custom Solutions at LocaliQ.
Facebook ads Benchmarks: Lead gen campaigns
Facebook ad campaigns using the lead gen objective are optimized to drive leads. This can be done through actions such as form fills, messages, calls, and conversions.
Lead gen objective campaigns use Facebook Lead Ads. The unique format of Facebook Lead Ads includes a prompt directly within the ad to collect a lead. That way, users can provide your business with their information without having to navigate away from the Facebook platform.
We added conversion rate and cost per lead to these benchmarks because this objective is primarily used for increasing leads and conversions.
| Business category | Avg. click-through rate | Avg. cost per click | Avg. conversion rate | Avg. cost per lead |
| Arts & Entertainment | 3.70% | $0.87 | 9.77% | $13.46 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 1.79% | $5.42 | 5.92% | $78.26 |
| Automotive -- Repair, Service & Parts | 1.38% | $2.86 | 5.35% | $58.56 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 2.46% | $2.16 | 4.61% | $52.46 |
| Business Services | 2.70% | $1.73 | 7.57% | $22.65 |
| Career & Employment | 2.37% | $1.34 | 7.02% | $18.17 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 1.80% | $3.82 | 11.34% | $29.08 |
| Education & Instruction | 2.44% | $1.80 | 8.05% | $27.94 |
| Finance & Insurance | 1.98% | $2.94 | 5.62% | $30.88 |
| Furniture | 2.55% | $1.58 | 7.29% | $29.08 |
| Health & Fitness | 1.66% | $3.60 | 5.76% | $60.95 |
| Home & Home Improvement | 1.80% | $2.08 | 8.90% | $20.49 |
| Industrial & Commercial | 1.50% | $2.69 | 10.13% | $37.71 |
| Personal Services (Weddings, Cleaners, etc.) | 2.72% | $1.88 | 8.76% | $19.49 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 3.17% | $3.63 | 4.99% | $60.95 |
| Real Estate | 3.69% | $1.22 | 9.58% | $12.43 |
| Restaurants & Food | 1.85% | $2.61 | 5.63% | $45.15 |
| Sports & Recreation | 3.29% | $1.11 | 8.24% | $15.33 |
| Travel | 6.62% | $0.96 | 3.95% | $26.05 |
Average click-through rate
While Facebook lead ads don’t necessarily require users to click to your business’s website, they still have to click on your ad to become a lead. The option to click on your website also is still included in the ad. Prioritizing a higher click-through rate for your Facebook lead ads is key to attracting users to take action with your business.
The average click-through rate in Facebook ads for lead gen campaigns across all industries is 2.50%.
| Business category | Avg. click-through rate |
| Arts & Entertainment | 3.70% |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 1.79% |
| Automotive -- Repair, Service & Parts | 1.38% |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 2.46% |
| Business Services | 2.70% |
| Career & Employment | 2.37% |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 1.80% |
| Education & Instruction | 2.44% |
| Finance & Insurance | 1.98% |
| Furniture | 2.55% |
| Health & Fitness | 1.66% |
| Home & Home Improvement | 1.80% |
| Industrial & Commercial | 1.50% |
| Personal Services (Weddings, Cleaners, etc.) | 2.72% |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 3.17% |
| Real Estate | 3.69% |
| Restaurants & Food | 1.85% |
| Sports & Recreation | 3.29% |
| Travel | 6.62% |
The industries that saw the best CTRs on their Facebook ads running with the lead gen objective were Travel at 6.62%, Arts & Entertainment at 3.70%, and Real Estate at 3.69%.
The industries with the lowest CTRs were Automotive – Repair, Service & Parts at 1.38%, Industrial & Commercial at 1.50%, and Health & Fitness at 1.66%.
Average cost per click
Each click from your Facebook lead ads costs you money, so trying to maintain the lowest average CPC possible is a no-brainer. However, you’ll also want to factor in your lead quality when looking at your CPC. You ultimately want to turn your leads into customers, so a higher quality lead may end up being worth a higher CPC.
The average cost per click in Facebook ads for the leads gen campaign across all industries is $1.92.
| Business category | Avg. cost per click |
| Arts & Entertainment | $0.87 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | $5.42 |
| Automotive -- Repair, Service & Parts | $2.86 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | $2.16 |
| Business Services | $1.73 |
| Career & Employment | $1.34 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | $3.82 |
| Education & Instruction | $1.80 |
| Finance & Insurance | $2.94 |
| Furniture | $1.58 |
| Health & Fitness | $3.60 |
| Home & Home Improvement | $2.08 |
| Industrial & Commercial | $2.69 |
| Personal Services (Weddings, Cleaners, etc.) | $1.88 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | $3.63 |
| Real Estate | $1.22 |
| Restaurants & Food | $2.61 |
| Sports & Recreation | $1.11 |
| Travel | $0.96 |
The industries with the lowest CPCs were Arts & Entertainment at $0.87, Travel at $0.96, and Sports & Recreation at $1.11.
The industries that saw the highest CPCs for the leads objective were Attorneys & Legal Services at $5.42, Dentists & Dental Services at $3.82, and Physicians & Surgeons at $3.63.
When you compare average CTR and CPCs between the two objectives, you’ll find that CTR for lead gen campaigns are trending higher than that of the traffic objective. This may indicate that, while costs for lead gen clicks are higher, Facebook is likely targeting users that are actually a better fit for businesses (on average) than the traffic objective.
Average conversion rate
Conversion rate indicates how frequently your Facebook ads are turning clicks into leads. You can find out your conversion rate by dividing your total number of leads by your total number of clicks. Of course, a high conversion rate signals that your Facebook ad is compelling enough to convince potential customers to take the next step and become a lead with your business. If you find you have a lower conversion rate on average, you may need to rethink your ad targeting, copy, or landing page.
The average conversion rate in Facebook ads for lead gen campaigns across industries is 8.25%.
| Business category | Avg. conversion rate |
| Arts & Entertainment | 9.77% |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | 5.92% |
| Automotive -- Repair, Service & Parts | 5.35% |
| Beauty & Personal Care | 4.61% |
| Business Services | 7.57% |
| Career & Employment | 7.02% |
| Dentists & Dental Services | 11.34% |
| Education & Instruction | 8.05% |
| Finance & Insurance | 5.62% |
| Furniture | 7.29% |
| Health & Fitness | 5.76% |
| Home & Home Improvement | 8.90% |
| Industrial & Commercial | 10.13% |
| Personal Services (Weddings, Cleaners, etc.) | 8.76% |
| Physicians & Surgeons | 4.99% |
| Real Estate | 9.58% |
| Restaurants & Food | 5.63% |
| Sports & Recreation | 8.24% |
| Travel | 3.95% |
The industries with the highest CVRs for Facebook ads running the leads objective were Dentists & Dental Services at 11.34%, Industrial & Commercial at 10.13%, and Arts & Entertainment at 9.77%.
The industries that saw lower-than-average conversion rates were Travel at 3.95%, Beauty & Personal Care at 4.61%, and Physicians & Surgeons at 4.99%.
Facebook ads conversion rates are heavily reliant on your ad quality. Taking a bit more time to effectively map out your messaging and creative can make all the difference in your conversion rates.
Average cost per lead
Similar to clicks, securing a new lead from Facebook ads also costs your business money—which is known as your cost per lead. Cost per lead is calculated by dividing your total spend by your total number of conversions.
The average cost per lead in Facebook ads for the leads objective across industries is $23.10.
| Business category | Avg. cost per lead |
| Arts & Entertainment | $13.46 |
| Attorneys & Legal Services | $78.26 |
| Automotive -- Repair, Service & Parts | $58.56 |
| Beauty & Personal Care | $52.46 |
| Business Services | $22.65 |
| Career & Employment | $18.17 |
| Dentists & Dental Services | $29.08 |
| Education & Instruction | $27.94 |
| Finance & Insurance | $30.88 |
| Furniture | $29.08 |
| Health & Fitness | $60.95 |
| Home & Home Improvement | $20.49 |
| Industrial & Commercial | $37.71 |
| Personal Services (Weddings, Cleaners, etc.) | $19.49 |
| Physicians & Surgeons | $60.95 |
| Real Estate | $12.43 |
| Restaurants & Food | $45.15 |
| Sports & Recreation | $15.33 |
| Travel | $26.05 |
6 Facebook ads tips
If your Facebook ads are not converting or driving traffic as much as they should when compared to industry averages, you’re not alone. There’s always room to improve—especially by following these Facebook ads tips and best practices that can enhance your performance:
1. A/B test CTA buttons
A powerful call to action can entice users to click on your Facebook ad—increasing your click-through rate. Luckily, Facebook gives you plenty of options to play around with when it comes to choosing an effective CTA button for your ad. Your best bet is to A/B test a few different CTA buttons to see what works.
2. Perfect your lead ad form fields
You may need to test to see what form style works best to maximize both lead quality and quantity. For example, this year Meta announced that it added conditional logic to the Facebook lead generation form setup. Leveraging conditional logic in your forms can help you pre-qualify your leads.
An example of conditional logic settings within a Facebook Lead Ad.
3. Pay attention to the right metrics
Beyond what was covered in this report, there are tons of other social media metrics that can indicate Facebook advertising success for your business. Find a measurement and reporting method tailored to your needs and stick with it. For example, metrics like CTR may not always be the “end all be all” Facebook ads KPI for your business.
A reporting dashboard like this can help you measure the Facebook ad metrics that matter most to your business.
4. Get strategic with your audience
You may want to target different Facebook audiences for different objectives. For example, you may target a Facebook lookalike audience with a traffic objective, so you can educate a new crop of potential customers about who you are and what you do.
Alternatively, you may target a specific email list or retarget users while using the lead gen objective. That’s because these audiences are already aware of your business and may be more likely to convert.
On the other hand, you may go for a more general, broader audience based on Facebook’s behavior and interest targeting options. A larger reach has been found to lower your overall cost per thousand impressions (CPM), since you’re casting a wider net.
Facebook ads audience size indicator on the right-hand side of your screen during the ad set buildout level can help you know if your target market size is just right.
5. Evaluate all your campaign objective options
If you have experience with search ads, you can think of your Facebook campaign objectives like how you would your Google or Microsoft campaign goals and bidding strategies. Campaign objectives impact how Facebook serves your ads, so you may want to test out a few. That way, you can see which ones serve your ads the most efficiently. In short, don’t be married to one campaign objective.
One of the best perks Facebook offers to advertisers is that there are tons of campaign objectives to choose from. Keep an open mind for all the potential campaign objectives you may want to try.
Here's a breakdown of the Facebook ad objectives you can choose from:
- Leads
- Traffic
- Awareness
- Engagement
- App promotion
- Sales
6. Incorporate other channels into your strategy
Your Facebook ads should play a role in a larger marketing plan that rounds out your business’s advertising strategy. To start, be sure to regularly share organic posts to Facebook to fill any gaps in your paid Facebook ad performance.
You’ll likely want to also leverage other social media platforms, as well as channels like SEO and search ads, to supplement your Facebook Ads.
For example, your audience members are probably using TikTok and Snapchat in addition to Facebook or Instagram. You could promote your business across these platforms to grow your overall social presence. Many marketing channels provide similar benefits to businesses, so it’s best to use as many as possible in tandem for a holistic marketing approach.
A cross-channel marketing approach that includes social and search ads, as well as other channels, helps you reach your audience regardless of where they are online. However, juggling all those channels can be a challenge. Luckily, there are plenty of tools and solutions available that can help you manage your campaigns across channels.
"LocaliQ's cross-media optimization (XMO) technology simplifies this approach by leveraging AI and automation to optimize your campaigns across channels based on what's driving the best performance to your business's goals—and your budget.” said Stephanie Asrymbetov, Director of Product at LocaliQ.
🌱 Promote your business across channels with our easy-to-use growth strategy template.
What these Facebook ads benchmarks mean for your business
You can gauge how your business compares to the competition in your industry by tracking your Facebook ads performance against these industry benchmarks. This can be especially helpful when you don’t have a ton of data or you’re unsure of how to best measure your Facebook ads marketing ROI.
Keep in mind, though, that every business is unique. No two Facebook ad accounts are the same. So, be sure to align your advertising expectations with what’s achievable for your business. That said, if you tried our suggested tips above and still find your business’s performance isn’t up to the industry standards outlined here, that’s okay! See how our solutions can help you improve your Facebook ads strategy.
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