Ecommerce social media ad spend surged 70% as brands got more for every dollar

Emplifi analysis of more than 7,700 ad accounts finds ecommerce advertisers increased paid social investment sharply in Q2, while click-through rates rose and cost per click declined.

NEW YORK, Sept. 1, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Emplifi, the only Autonomous CX platform, today released findings from its Q2 2026 Social Ads Benchmark Report, revealing strong year-over-year growth in paid social investment spanning regions and industries across Meta ad accounts.

Based on anonymized data from more than 7,700 Meta ad accounts, the report found that median monthly social ad spend increased 13% year over year across all benchmarks. Ecommerce led industry growth, with median monthly spend rising 70%, from $16,426 in Q2 2025 to $27,966 in Q2 2026.

The increase was accompanied by stronger performance. Ecommerce click-through rates rose 29%, while cost per click declined 18% to $0.133, the lowest of any industry tracked. Across the worldwide benchmark, click-through rates increased 18% year over year, and cost per click declined 9%.

"The brands seeing the biggest efficiency gains on paid social aren't just increasing budgets; they're investing in what happens after the click," said Susan Ganeshan, Chief Marketing Officer at Emplifi. " When the ad lands on relevant content, real customer reviews, and a seamless purchase experience, performance improves. That's what this data is showing us: spend and efficiency moving in the same direction across the full customer journey.

North America sees significant spend growth

North America recorded one of the largest regional increases, with median monthly social ad spend rising 61% year over year, from $8,277 to $13,308.

In the United States, median monthly spend increased 57% to $15,111. Click-through rate rose 22% to 1.78%, the highest of any region tracked, while cost per click declined 3% to $0.483.

The United Kingdom also posted strong growth, with median monthly spend increasing 54%, from $5,257 to $8,074. Click-through rate rose 20%, while cost per click declined 9%.

Europe delivers the strongest efficiency gains

Across Europe, median monthly social ad spend increased 14% year over year to $7,037. Cost per click declined 16%, the largest decrease of any region analyzed, while click-through rate rose 20%.

The data shows that advertisers across the region increased investment while improving both engagement and cost efficiency.

Direct-to-consumer brands, fashion and automotive stand out by industry

Direct-to-consumer brands posted the strongest spend growth of any industry analyzed. Fashion also saw substantial increases, with median monthly spend rising 37% year over year to $18,787. Click-through rate increased 13%, while cost per click declined 17%.

Retail spend increased 14%, accompanied by an 11% increase in click-through rate and a 7% decline in cost per click.

Automotive saw a 24% CTR increase, the strongest engagement gain of any industry in the report, pointing to growing consumer appetite for social as a vehicle research and consideration channel, even as overall spend growth remained modest at 9%.

A full breakdown of the findings is available in Emplifi's analysis, Social Media Ads Benchmarks 2026: Where Paid Social Investment Is Actually Paying Off.

Methodology

Emplifi's Q2 2026 Social Ads Benchmark Report analyzes anonymized data from more than 7,700 Meta ad accounts, spanning global regions and industry verticals. Figures represent median monthly spend, click-through rate, and cost per click per account. Year-over-year comparisons reflect Q2 2026, from April through June 2026, against Q2 2025. Benchmarks are segmented by region, country, and industry, and sample sizes vary by segment.

About Emplifi

Emplifi is the only Autonomous CX platform unifying AI-powered social media management, commerce, and customer care for more than 20,000 brands worldwide. Powered by Fuel AI, built on more than 5T of data, and recognized as a leader by leading industry analysts, Emplifi helps enterprise teams orchestrate connected customer journeys and deliver personalized experiences at scale, turning every customer touchpoint into a competitive advantage.

Contact:
Jordan Lukes, Corporate Communications Director, Emplifi
[email protected] 

SOURCE Emplifi Inc