Paid Media Performance Statistics for 2026: Global Ad Spend, CPM, CPC, CTR, ROAS, Conversion Rates, and Platform Benchmarks

Paid Media Performance Statistics

In 2026, the global paid media landscape has crossed a landmark threshold. Global advertising spending reached approximately USD 1.17 trillion in 2025 according to WARC’s updated forecast, with digital advertising representing 73% of total ad spend and growing at double-digit rates for the 16th consecutive year. Social media ad spending alone grew 14.9% to USD 306.4 billion in 2025. Retail media ad sales reached USD 163 billion. And nine out of every 10 incremental ad dollars flowing into the market went to digital platforms.

The performance benchmarks that define paid media efficiency in 2026 are simultaneously more abundant and more complex than at any prior period. Google Search ads average a CTR of 6.66% and median ROAS of 3.5:1, but CPC rose again in 2025, and ROAS declined for 13 of 14 ecommerce industries tracked by Triple Whale. Facebook ads average a CPC of USD 1.06 and CTR of 1.08%, with ROAS at 2.79, but Meta’s average CPM hit USD 6.59. LinkedIn Ads carry a median CPC of USD 3.94, median CPM of USD 31 to USD 38, and median CTR of 0.52%, but deliver 113% ROAS for B2B SaaS, outperforming both Google and Meta in that segment. Display ads average a global CTR of 0.05% to 0.1% but vary dramatically by format, publisher quality, and creative execution. Video ads on YouTube carry CPMs of USD 3 to USD 6 for standard placements, while Snapchat commands CPMs as high as USD 12.84 in Q4.

The cross-platform picture is clear: paid media budgets are rising, cost per thousand impressions is rising on most major platforms, and conversion rates are declining in the majority of ecommerce categories. Brands that optimize across creative, landing pages, and audience segmentation are maintaining profitability. Those that do not are experiencing rapidly deteriorating returns.

This article compiles more than 60 paid media performance statistics drawn from WARC global ad spend forecasts, GroupM and MAGNA forecasts, WordStream 2025 Google Ads benchmarks of 17,000 campaigns, Triple Whale Google Ads ecommerce benchmarks, WebFX Meta benchmarks, HockeyStack LinkedIn Ads benchmarks, LocaliQ search and social advertising data, Coupler.io PPC benchmark compilations, Quimby Digital CPM analysis, AI Digital display ad benchmarks, and eMarketer ad spending data published within the last two years. Data spans global ad market size, paid search benchmarks, paid social benchmarks by platform, display advertising performance, video advertising performance, and regional data.

Scope and Methodology

  • Includes only publicly available paid media performance statistics relevant for 2026.
  • Based on the latest figures published within the last two years.
  • Sources include primary research, first-party platform data, institutional studies, and industry reports.
  • Each statistic is listed separately with its original source and study context.
  • No estimates, forecasts, interpretations, or recommendations are included.

Key Paid Media Performance Statistics for 2026

  • Global advertising spending reached approximately USD 1.17 trillion in 2025, a 7.4% year-over-year increase, with social media and digital investments as the primary growth drivers, based on WARC’s updated full-year 2025 ad spending forecast reported by eMarketer.
  • Digital advertising represented 73% to 73.2% of total global ad revenue in 2025 and grew at double-digit rates for the 16th consecutive year, based on MAGNA Summer 2025 Global Ad Forecast and WPP/GroupM figures compiled by Inner Spark Creative.
  • The global digital ad spending market reached USD 650 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to USD 1,593 billion by 2035 at a CAGR of 9.38%, based on a December 2025 market sizing study by Precedence Research.
  • Nine out of 10 incremental ad dollars in 2025 went to digital platforms, with Alphabet, Meta, and Amazon collectively accounting for nearly two-thirds of all new advertising spending growth, based on WARC’s September 2025 forecast revision reported by eMarketer.
  • Social media advertising spending grew 14.9% to USD 306.4 billion in 2025, accounting for 26.2% of all global ad spend, with 60% of social spending flowing to Meta platforms, based on WARC’s full-year 2025 forecast reported by eMarketer.
  • The average CTR for Google Search ads is approximately 6.66% across all industries, with median ROAS at approximately 3.5:1, based on Ahrefs keyword intelligence via the December 2025 PPC Benchmarks report published by WebFX.
  • The overall average CPC on Google Ads rose 12.88% in 2025, while the average cost per lead across all industries increased 5.13% year-over-year to USD 70.11, significantly more moderate than the 25% increase recorded the prior year, based on the WordStream 2025 Google Ads Benchmark Report of more than 17,000 campaigns published at WordStream.
  • ROAS declined for 13 of 14 ecommerce industries tracked on Google Ads in 2025, with the median ROAS falling 10.03% to 3.68 and median CPA rising 12.35% to USD 23.74, based on the Triple Whale 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks Report published at Triple Whale.
  • LinkedIn Ads median CPC is USD 3.94, median CPM is USD 31 to USD 38, and median CTR is 0.52%, with LinkedIn accounting for 39% of total B2B ad budgets and delivering 113% ROAS for B2B SaaS, outperforming Google at 98% and Meta at 104%, based on a 2025 LinkedIn Ads benchmarks analysis published by Closely HQ and NAV43.
  • Meta’s average CPM in 2025 is approximately USD 6.59 overall, with Instagram outpacing Facebook to reach nearly USD 9.46 in Q2, based on Quimby Digital’s 2025 CPM landscape analysis published at Quimby Digital.
  • Facebook’s average CPC across all industries is USD 1.06, and its average CTR is 1.08%, with ROAS at approximately 2.79 and values between 3 and 5 considered healthy for most industries, based on Meta marketing benchmarks data published by WebFX.
  • Global ad spending will continue growing 8.1% in 2026 to reach USD 1.27 trillion, based on WARC’s September 2025 forecast published by eMarketer.

Global Ad Market Statistics

  • Global ad revenue reached USD 979 billion in 2025 according to MAGNA’s Summer 2025 Global Ad Forecast, with digital ad sales at USD 715 billion at 8% year-over-year growth, based on MAGNA and WPP/GroupM data compiled by Inner Spark Creative.
  • Search and retail media combined reached USD 357 billion in 2025, with core search at USD 217 billion (7% growth) and retailer search at USD 140 billion (12% growth), based on MAGNA Summer 2025 data compiled by Inner Spark Creative.
  • Short-form video ad spending is projected to reach USD 111 billion in 2025, with 21% of marketers identifying short-form video as the format delivering the highest ROI compared to image and text-based content, based on HubSpot 2025 State of Marketing Report data cited in a 2025 PPC statistics analysis by Coupler.io.
  • Ad spending on short-form video has risen significantly, and video format is expected to capture the largest revenue share of the digital ad spending market through 2035, with North America projected to hold 37.15% of the global digital ad spend market, based on a December 2025 market sizing study by Precedence Research.
  • Global digital marketing expenditure is forecast to rise 6.8% annually in 2026 and 2027, bringing total digital ad spend to USD 910 billion by 2027, based on Zenith and Oberlo analysis published at Oberlo.
  • Pure-play digital advertising including search, retail media, and social rose 12.4% in 2024 and 10% in 2025, outpacing traditional channels across all major markets, based on GroupM end-of-year forecast data reported by eMarketer.
  • The United States, China, and United Kingdom are the top three largest markets for advertising revenue growth in 2025, with the top five markets including Japan and Germany accounting for approximately 73% of global ad spend, based on MAGNA data compiled by Inner Spark Creative.

Paid Search Performance Statistics

  • Google Ads’ average CTR increased slightly by 3.74% overall in 2025, though just over half of tracked industries experienced a decline, based on the WordStream 2025 Google Ads Benchmark Report of more than 17,000 campaigns published at WordStream.
  • Conversion rates increased for 65% of industries tracked in Google Ads in 2025, a positive reversal after a decline the prior year, with Sports and Recreation and Education and Instruction seeing the largest increases at over 40%, based on the WordStream 2025 Google Ads Benchmark Report published at WordStream.
  • The average CPC across all 23 tracked industries on Google Ads rose in 2025, with cost per lead increasing 5.13% to USD 70.11 from USD 66.69 in 2024, compared to a 25% average increase the prior year, based on the WordStream 2025 Google Ads Benchmark Report published at WordStream.
  • Google Ads’ median CPM rose 10.01% to USD 12.79 in 2025, while median ROAS fell 10.03% to 3.68 and CTR rose 7.49% but conversion rate dipped 9.28%, indicating a growing gap between ad promise and landing page delivery, based on the Triple Whale 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks Report of brands using Triple Whale analytics published at Triple Whale.
  • Legal service ads on Google achieved a CTR of 5.97% (up from 5.3%), CPC of USD 8.58, CPL of USD 131.63, and CVR of 5.09% in 2025, reflecting continued efficiency improvements in a high-competition vertical, based on the TheeDigital 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks analysis published at TheeDigital.
  • Restaurants experienced a CTR decline from 8.68% to 7.58% and CVR decline from 8.72% to 7.09%, while their CPC fell from USD 2.18 to USD 2.05, indicating softening performance despite lower costs in 2025, based on the TheeDigital 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks analysis published at TheeDigital.
  • Home services industry Google Ads saw CTR climb from 6.1% to 6.37%, CPC increase from USD 7.60 to USD 7.85, CPL rise from USD 87.40 to USD 90.92, and CVR improve from 7.1% to 7.33% in 2025, based on the TheeDigital 2025 Google Ads Benchmarks analysis published at TheeDigital.
  • Median ROAS for Google Ads across industries is approximately 3.5:1, with above 4:1 considered strong, 2:1 to 4:1 considered acceptable, and below 2:1 indicative of unprofitable campaigns, based on the WebFX 2026 PPC Benchmarks report using Ahrefs API data from December 2025, published at WebFX.

Paid Social Performance Statistics

  • Facebook’s average CTR is 1.08% and average CPC is USD 1.06 across all industries, with CTRs above 1.49% considered above average and below 0.72% indicating poor creative or targeting performance, based on WebFX 2025 Meta marketing benchmarks data published at WebFX.
  • Meta’s median CTR for lead generation campaigns is 2.53%, compared to 1.57% for traffic campaigns, with AI-powered optimization tools delivering USD 4.52 return for every dollar spent in recently published ecommerce benchmarks, based on Madgicx Meta Ads Benchmarking data published at Madgicx.
  • LinkedIn Lead Gen Forms convert at 13% compared to 2.35% for external landing pages, making them 277% more effective than Facebook for B2B lead generation, based on LinkedIn advertising statistics data published at SEO Design Chicago.
  • LinkedIn Ads using the Conversions API see approximately 20% lower CPA and capture 18% to 22% more touchpoints in the B2B buyer journey, based on 2025 LinkedIn Ads benchmarks for SaaS and tech marketers published at NAV43.
  • LinkedIn Ads’ Q3 achieves the highest average CTR of any quarter at 0.96%, with September being the top individual month at 1.05%, while Q1 sees the lowest CTR at 0.82% and the lowest CPC at USD 10.48, based on the HockeyStack 2025 LinkedIn Ads Benchmark Report published at HockeyStack.
  • 39% of B2B marketers are increasing LinkedIn Ads spend while reducing investment in other platforms, with LinkedIn’s video inventory up 74% in 2025 and video ads now constituting 28% of all LinkedIn impressions, based on 2025 LinkedIn Ads benchmarks for SaaS and tech marketers published at NAV43.
  • TikTok’s average CTR of 0.84% exceeds Facebook’s 0.72% and Instagram’s 0.59%, while its average CPC of USD 1.00 is lower than Facebook’s USD 1.72 and significantly lower than Instagram’s USD 3.56, based on Lebesgue ecommerce benchmark data published at Lebesgue.
  • 40% of marketers say Facebook is one of the major drivers of ROI for their teams, and 19% of marketers plan to invest more of their budget in Facebook than any other social media channel in 2025, based on the HubSpot 2025 State of Marketing Report cited in a 2025 PPC statistics analysis by Coupler.io.

Display Advertising Performance Statistics

  • The global average CTR for display ads ranges from 0.05% to 0.1%, a figure described as a misleading oversimplification by industry analysts, as it masks dramatic variation between high-impact video, native, and programmatic banner placements, based on AI Digital’s 2025-2026 display ad CTR benchmarks analysis published at AI Digital.
  • Display ad CTR varies substantially by format and context, with programmatic banner ads averaging 0.08% to 0.15%, native ads averaging 0.2% to 0.3%, and high-impact video placements in premium publisher environments achieving 0.3% to 0.8% in 2025, based on AI Digital’s 2025-2026 display ad CTR benchmarks analysis published at AI Digital.
  • The average CPM for programmatic display advertising across premium and open web inventory ranges from USD 2.00 to USD 10.00 depending on targeting specificity, inventory tier, and geo, based on analysis of current CPM rates published at Quimby Digital.
  • Snapchat CPMs spiked as high as USD 12.84 in Q4 2025, the highest CPM growth among all major social platforms year-over-year, driven by AR inventory and limited placements, while TikTok CPMs remained in the USD 6 to USD 8 range and YouTube CPMs ranged from USD 3 to USD 6 for standard placements, based on Quimby Digital’s 2025 CPM landscape analysis published at Quimby Digital.
  • During Q4 seasonal peaks, Meta’s CPM jumped nearly 70% for some advertisers, while brands that shifted spend to lower-CPM platforms maintained stable CPA targets, reflecting the importance of cross-platform budget flexibility, based on Quimby Digital’s 2025 CPM landscape analysis published at Quimby Digital.

B2B Paid Media Statistics

  • LinkedIn generates 80% of all B2B social media leads, with 65 million decision-makers on the platform and 28% lower cost per lead than Google Ads for B2B campaigns, based on LinkedIn advertising statistics data published at SEO Design Chicago.
  • LinkedIn brands that run both brand awareness and acquisition campaigns see audiences 6 times more likely to convert than those exposed to acquisition ads alone, based on LinkedIn research cited in a 2025 PPC statistics analysis by Coupler.io.
  • Brands observed a purchase intent increase of 33% after running targeted paid ads on LinkedIn, based on LinkedIn’s own research cited in a 2025 PPC statistics analysis by Coupler.io.
  • LinkedIn CPM ranges from USD 31 to USD 38 at the median, rising to USD 50 to USD 100 in high-competition B2B SaaS and enterprise software industries, making it the highest-CPM social platform by a significant margin but with correspondingly higher audience quality, based on 2025 LinkedIn Ads benchmarks published at Closely HQ.
  • B2B SaaS companies pay a median LinkedIn CPC of USD 8.04, while Finance pays USD 2.59, reflecting the wide variance across B2B sectors on the platform, based on 2025 LinkedIn Ads benchmarks published at Closely HQ.
  • LinkedIn conversion rates for B2B ads typically range from 2% to 4% depending on offer type, with CPL ranging from USD 60 to USD 150, justified by the quality of decision-maker leads generated at that cost, based on the AdBacklog LinkedIn Ads Benchmarks Per Industry 2025 guide published at AdBacklog.

Regional or Geographic Statistics

  • The United States accounts for USD 171.33 billion in digital ad spending in 2025, representing the single largest national digital advertising market globally, projected to reach USD 440.3 billion by 2035 at a 9.9% CAGR, based on a December 2025 market sizing study by Precedence Research.
  • North America holds 37.15% of the global digital ad spending market share and is projected to maintain that position through 2035, based on a December 2025 market sizing study by Precedence Research.
  • Asia-Pacific, particularly China, leads retail media growth globally, with India expected to surpass search advertising revenues with retail media revenues by 2025, based on GroupM’s end-of-year forecast reported by eMarketer.
  • APAC LinkedIn advertisers achieve the highest regional CTR at 1.04% and the lowest CPC at USD 1.03, offering substantially better cost efficiency than EMEA or North America for B2B campaigns, while EMEA faces higher costs and declining engagement due to market saturation, based on 2025 LinkedIn Ads benchmarks published at Closely HQ.
  • Streaming TV ad revenues will grow 19.3% in 2025, while linear TV declines 3.4%, with streaming expected to represent 37.5% of U.S. TV ad revenues by 2029, based on GroupM’s end-of-year forecast reported by eMarketer.
  • The United Kingdom and France are among the fastest-growing national markets for digital paid media, with Europe’s overall digital ad spend expected to grow 27.4% and North America’s growing 37.5%, based on Zenith, GroupM, and MAGNA data cited in a December 2025 market sizing study by Precedence Research.
  • Google is expected to capture 38.1% of global digital advertising growth in 2025, maintaining its dominant position across search and video, with Google, Meta, and Amazon collectively controlling the majority of incremental ad spend growth, based on Zenith, GroupM, and MAGNA data cited in a December 2025 market sizing study by Precedence Research.

References

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