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Channel
Paid social benchmarks
Meta, TikTok, Pinterest, Snapchat, Reddit, X, LinkedIn. Highest-volume direct-response channel for consumer brands. Creative-led, audience-targeted, algorithm-mediated.
Share of digital ad spend: ~28% of US digital ad spend (2026)
Channel snapshot
Avg CPM $4–80 depending on platform and stage. Meta = highest volume, TikTok = lowest CPM, LinkedIn = highest CPM with highest intent.
How to operate this channel
Operator playbook
- Maintain server-side Conversion API (CAPI/equivalent) on every platform.
- Run weekly creative refresh cycles — paid social rewards fatigue cycling.
- Measure with MER + incrementality, not pixel ROAS alone.
- Spark Ads / branded content beats brand-only creative by 30–55% on CTR.
- Test cross-platform holdouts quarterly to validate channel incrementality.
Platforms in this channel
How to read these benchmarks
These Paid social numbers are medians and spreads - your mileage varies by offer and creative. a result inside the range usually means the constraint is elsewhere - offer, landing experience, or measurement - while a result well outside it points straight at targeting, creative, or bid strategy. Compare like with like - same funnel stage, same objective, same season - because a top-of-funnel number judged against a bottom-of-funnel benchmark will always mislead.
How to use this page. Find the funnel stage you are buying, read the range, and calculate the gap to your live numbers. Model the revenue impact of closing that gap with the break-even ROAS and CAC payback calculators, then pressure-test the plan against the full 2026 benchmarks compendium.
Sourcing. Ranges are RGM's 2026 synthesis of platform-reported figures and aggregated account data, expressed as medians and typical spreads rather than single points. They move with season, auction pressure, and creative quality, so re-check them each quarter.