Why Are My Facebook Ads So Expensive? (High CPM)

If your Facebook CPMs (Cost Per 1,000 Impressions) are high, your ads are expensive. Learn what causes high CPMs and how to reduce them.

Symptoms You Might Be Seeing

  • Your cost to reach people is high
  • Your campaign budget is being spent quickly with low reach
  • Your ads are more expensive than industry benchmarks

Common Root Causes

  • Your audience is too small or too competitive
  • Your ad creative has a low engagement rate
  • It's a competitive time of year (e.g., Black Friday)
  • Your ad has a low relevance score

What to Fix First

  • Broaden your audience targeting or test new lookalike audiences
  • A/B test new ad creatives to find ones that generate more engagement
  • If your CPM is high seasonally, consider if you can afford to compete or if you should lower your budget
  • Improve your ad copy and creative to be more relevant to your target audience

Why Traditional Fixes Fail

  • Agencies may continue to use the same audiences and creatives for too long, leading to audience fatigue and rising CPMs.
  • They may not be transparent about seasonal cost increases.

Common Patterns We See

  • Video ads typically have a lower CPM than static image ads because they keep users on the platform longer.
  • The more engaging your ad is (likes, comments, shares), the lower Facebook will make your CPM.

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