A new year brings new opportunities in the advertising landscape, both exciting and challenging for brands on Meta platforms. With fresh trends emerging and others fading into the past, Q1 is a crucial period for businesses to recalibrate, sharpen their targeting, and make strategic, data-driven decisions that will define their road to success for the rest of the year.

At GeistM, we’re always tracking these shifts in ad performance, ensuring our clients have the latest insights to stay ahead of the curve. From the dynamics of key metrics like CTR, CPC, and CPM to the impact of new algorithm updates, our expert team is dedicated to identifying the trends that truly move the needle.

Here’s a look at the key Period-Over-Period (PoP) Meta trends our analysts have been tracking in Q1 of 2025:

• Mid January 2025
• End January 2025
• Mid February 2025
• End February 2025
• Mid March 2025

Mid-January 2025 (1st to 15th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• CPMs decreased by -36% during the first half of January 2025
• The Sports & Supplements vertical noticed the largest decrease of -50%
• None of our accounts noticed a rise in CPMs.

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed a -6% decrease in CPCs during this time
• The Fashion & Beauty vertical saw the most significant drop in CPCs of -18%
• The largest jump of +14% came from the Sports & Supplements vertical.

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• A -30% decrease in CTRs was noticed during the first half of January
• The Sports & Supplements vertical saw a substantial decrease of -57%
• Unfortunately, none of our accounts saw a rise in CTRs.

Here’s what our Senior Growth Analysts had to say about these changes:

“There were decreases in CPMs, CPCs, and CTRs. In fact, all verticals saw drops for CPMs and CTRs. We also noted that our Health & Wellness vertical needs to closely monitor campaigns as Meta is tightening restrictions, particularly around lower-funnel metrics.

As these changes roll out, brands in this space will need to be more strategic than ever in how they structure campaigns, optimize targeting, and navigate the evolving ad policies to maintain performance and efficiency.”

End January 2025 (16th -31st)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed a +16% increase in CPMs during this period
• The biggest decrease in CPMs came from the Food & Beverage vertical at -5%
• On the other hand, the Sports & Supplements vertical noticed massive rise in CPMs at +33%.

Meta CPCs 

Key Takeaways:

• There was a +9% increase in CPCs during this period
• The Health & Wellness vertical saw a 3% drop in CPCs.
• A significant jump of +42% was noted in the Sports & Supplements vertical.

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• Analysts saw a +9% increase in CTRs during the second half of January
• The Health & Wellness vertical experienced an increase of +23%
• The most notable decrease (-7%) was in the Food & Beverage vertical.

Mid-February 2025 (1st -15th) 

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed a +4% increase in CPMs during the first half of February.
• The most significant decrease of -3% came from the Health & Wellness vertical.
• The Sports & Supplements vertical noticed the largest increase of +15%.

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• A decrease of -5% was noticed during the first half of February.
• The Sports & Supplements vertical saw the largest drop in CPCs of -35%.
• A noticeable increase of +24% came from the Health & Wellness vertical.

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• During the first half of February, our analysts noticed an +8% increase in CTRs.
• An incredible jump of +78% was seen by the Sports & Supplements vertical.
• A noticeable decrease of -21% was seen by the Health & Wellness vertical.

End February 2025 (16th – 28th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed a -3% decrease in CPMs during the second half of February.
• The Sports & Supplements vertical noticed the most significant decrease of -14%.
• The biggest rise of +55% came from the Health & Wellness vertical.

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• There was a +4% increase in CPCs during this period.
• The Health & Wellness vertical saw the largest drop of -11% in CPCs.
• A substantial jump of +19% came from the Fashion & Beauty vertical.

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a -7% decrease in CTRs during the second half of February.
• An immense increase of +73% came from the Health & Wellness vertical.
• The most notable decrease of -19% came from the Fashion & Beauty vertical.

Here’s what Matthew, our Senior Analyst had to say about these shifts and what we need to look out for in the next few months… 

“There were slight decreases in CPMs and CTRs but a slight increase in CPCs PoP (period-over-period). The first day of Spring (March 20th) marks the beginning of seasonal messaging & content. And Easter Sunday Weekend (April 18-21st) is a time to spend time at home with family for over 30% of Americans, so make sure you manage your promotions and budget accordingly”

Mid March (1st-15th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a +6% increase in CPMs during the 1st half of March.
• A large decrease of -15% came from the Health & Wellness vertical.
• A large increase of +21% came from the Sports & Supplements vertical.

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts saw CPCs fall by 5% during this period.
• A notable drop of -17% was seen by the Home & Family vertical.
• A jump of +5% was noticed by the International vertical (clients outside the US).

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• During this period, our analysts noticed a +10% increase in CTRs.
• The Sports & Supplements vertical saw the largest increase of +21%.
• The most notable decrease of -7% came from the Health & Wellness vertical.

How GeistM Can Help

At GeistM, we don’t just track industry trends—we anticipate them. Our analysts continuously track shifts in Meta’s ad landscape, ensuring your brand’s objectives align with the latest trends. By making real-time adjustments, we keep your campaigns optimized, effective, and ahead of the competition.

What sets us apart is our in-house content and creative team, which is always one step ahead in leveraging the latest 2025 trends. From innovative User-generated content (UGC) ad formats to data-driven storytelling, we craft compelling, high-performing creatives that align with Meta’s evolving best practices. 
With the new year in full swing, now is the time to partner with a performance marketing agency that thrives on agility and innovation. Let’s turn these insights into results—contact us today!

Written by Nitanti Alur with insights from Matthew Whitaker

As Q4 progresses, the digital ad landscape, particularly within Meta platforms, is entering one of the most dynamic times of the year. Meta sees consistent significant shifts in ad KPIs as brands scale their efforts to capture holiday shoppers, maximize visibility, and close out the year with strong conversions.

Month by month, these rates reflect larger market trends, changing consumer behavior, and the Meta algorithm updates. At GeistM, we keep an eye out for key metrics like CTR, CPC, and CPM. We judge the trends and give our expert predictions. 

So here are the trends GeistM analysts noticed in Q4 of 2024:

• Mid-October 2024
• End-October 2024
• Mid-November 2024
• End-November 2024
• Mid-December 2024
• End-December 2024

Mid-October 2024 (1st -15th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a -3% decrease in CPMs
• The Fashion & Beauty vertical noticed the most significant drop in CPMs at -16%
• While the biggest increase came from the Sports & Supplements vertical of +18%

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed a -17% decrease in CPCs
• The Food & Beverage vertical noticed a substantial decrease of -20% in CPCs
• The Health & Wellness vertical noticed the largest increase of +24%

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a +12% increase in CTRs during the first half of October
• The Sports & Supplements vertical saw the greatest increase of +22%
• While the biggest decrease of -30% came from the Fashion & Beauty vertical

Here’s what our analyst Cher had to say about these shifts in trends. 

 “There was a decrease in both CPMs and CPCs period-over-period. The election period will most likely drive up CPMs over the next two weeks, especially on Meta. The Black Friday Cyber-Monday Promo Period is slightly later than previous years, so let’s be mindful of pacing in November to adjust for these changes.”

End October 2024 (16th -30th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed that CPMs increased by +6% in the second half of October
• The Food & Beverage vertical saw the largest drop in CPMs of -7%
• While the Fashion & Beauty vertical noted the biggest increase of +42%

Meta CPCs 

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a +10% increase in CPCs towards the end of October
• The Fashion & Beauty vertical saw the largest decrease of -13%
• The most significant increase of +30% came from the Home & Family vertical

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• Our Analysts noticed a -4% decrease in CTRs during the second half of October
• The Fashion & Beauty analysts saw an immense increase of +63%
• While the Food & Beverage vertical encountered a sizeable decrease of -24%

Here’s what Matthew, our analyst, had to say about these shifts in trends and how this affected the beginning of November: 

“There was an increase in both CPMs and CPCs period-over-period. The Black Friday Cyber-Monday Promo Period is slightly later than previous years so let’s be mindful of pacing in November to adjust for these changes.” 

Mid November 2024 (1st -15th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed that CPM trends remained stable in the first half of November
• The largest drop of -15% was noticed by the Home & Family vertical
• The Health & Wellness vertical noted the biggest increase of +14%

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a -14% decrease in CPCs during the first half of November
• The Home & Family vertical saw a decrease of -26%
• The biggest increase of +8% came from the Sports & Supplements vertical

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• According to our analysts, CTRs increased by +14% during the first half of November
• The Food & Beverage vertical saw a considerable increase of +27%
• Sports & Supplements vertical encountered the largest decrease in CTRs of -19%

Here’s what Cher, our Senior Marketing Analyst, had to say about these shifts 

“There was an increase in both CPMs and CTRs period-over-period. The election period drove up CPMs early in the month, with CPMs stabilizing afterward as we approached Black Friday.

The Black Friday Cyber-Monday Promo Period is slightly later than previous years so we paced to handle this.”

End of November 2024 (16th – 30th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a +22% increase in CPMs in the second of November
• None of the verticals saw a decrease in CPMs during this period
• Home & Family vertical noted the biggest increase at +66%

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a +14% increase in CPCs during the second half of November
• The International vertical (which consists of any campaigns running outside of the US) was the only vertical that remained stable during this period
• The largest increase came from Home & Family vertical of +75%

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• During the second half of November, our analysts noticed an +8% increase in CTRs
• The Fashion & Beauty vertical saw a significant increase of +26%
• The Home & Family vertical encountered a decrease in CTRs of -5%

Here’s what Cher, our senior marketing analyst, had to say about the trends at the end of November 

“There was an increase in CPMs, CPCs, and CTRs period-over-period. As Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales come to a close, it’s essential to be mindful of additional holiday sales clients have lined up for the rest of the pre-Christmas period.”

Mid December 2024 (1st -15th)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• As Cyber Week came to an end CPMs remained stable in the first half of December
• The Fashion & Beauty vertical saw the largest decrease of -18%
• The International vertical (all clients outside the US) saw the most notable increase of +25%

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed stable CPCs during the first half of December

• The biggest dip came from the Health & Wellness vertical with a drop of -26%

• The Home & Family vertical saw the biggest increase of +55%

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• According to our analysts, there were no major fluctuations in CTRs during the first half of December

• The largest increase of +33% came from the Health & Wellness vertical

• A notable decrease of -16% was seen by the Home & Family vertical

Here’s what Senior Marketing Analyst, Matthew, had to say: 

“CPMs, CPCs, and CTRs mostly remained stable period-over-period. Notable changes include the Health & Wellness vertical seeing a 26% decrease in CPMs but a sharp 33% increase in CTRs.”

End December 2024 (16th – 31st)

Meta CPMs

Key Takeaways:

• Our analysts noticed a -32% decrease in CPMs during the second half of December

• The International vertical (clients outside of the US) noticed the largest decrease of -29%

• None of the accounts saw a rise in CPMs

Meta CPCs

Key Takeaways:

• We noticed a -9% decrease in CPCs during the second half of December

• The Sports & Supplements vertical saw the largest drop in CPCs of -37%

• None of the verticals saw an increase in CPCs

Meta CTRs

Key Takeaways:

• CTRs decreased by -19% during the second half of December

• The Fashion & Beauty vertical saw the largest increase of +38%

• The biggest decrease in CTRs of -20% was seen by the Home & Family vertical

Here’s what Matthew, our Senior Growth Analyst, had to say about these shifts

“There were decreases in CPMs, CPCs, and CTRs. In fact, all verticals saw drops for CPMs and CPCs!”

Here’s How GeistM Can Help

At GeistM, our analysts are constantly monitoring industry trends and adjusting campaigns in real-time, ensuring they remain optimized and aligned with shifting dynamics.

With the new year upon us, there’s no better time to partner with a performance marketing agency like GeistM. Our expertise in navigating these rapid changes ensures your brand stays ahead of the curve during this critical time of year. Let’s make this season your most successful yet—contact us today!

Written by Nitanti Alur with insights from Matthew Whitaker and Cher Chen

Managing advertising campaigns efficiently is crucial for success. If you’re venturing into Meta Ads for the first time or working with an Agency partner like GeistM, understanding the role of Business Manager is essential.

Here’s an overview from our growth experts that answers some key questions about Business Manager and its integration with agency partners.

What is Business Manager, and Why Do I Need It for Meta Ads?

Business Manager is a tool provided by Meta that allows businesses to manage their advertising activities, pages, and assets in one place. It’s particularly useful for companies that are working with multiple ad accounts, pages, or partners.

Why You Need Business Manager

• 1. Centralized Control: It helps you organize your advertising efforts and control who has access to your assets.
• 2. Collaboration with Agencies: If you’re working with an agency like GeistM, Business Manager simplifies the process of granting them access to your ad accounts and assets. Or, you can set up additional ad accounts under your Business Manager that are specific for them.
• 3. Improved Security: You can manage permissions and roles, ensuring that only authorized users can access sensitive data.

What Are the Requirements to Set Up a Business Manager with an Agency Partner?

To set up a Business Manager account, you’ll need:

• 1. Log In to Business Manager: Go to your Business Manager account.
• 2. Business Settings: Click on “Business Settings” from the main menu.
• 3. People and Partners: Select “Partners” in the left-hand menu.
• 4. Add a Partner: Click on “Add” and enter your agency partner’s Business Manager ID or email address.
• 5. Assign Roles: Choose the level of access you want to grant (more on permissions below).

When partnering with an agency, it’s crucial to discuss and finalize the roles and permissions in advance to ensure smooth collaboration.

How Can I Add My Agency Partner to My Business Manager?

Adding an agency partner to your Business Manager involves a few straightforward steps:

• 1. Admin Access: Full control over the Business Manager, allowing them to manage everything. This is generally not recommended unless necessary.
• 2. Advertiser Access: Can create and manage ads, view performance metrics, and edit ad settings. This is a common choice for agencies. RECOMMENDED.
• 3. Analyst Access: Limited to viewing ad performance without the ability to make changes.

Carefully consider the level of access based on the responsibilities you want your agency partner to have.

What Is a Facebook Pixel and Why Is It Important for My Ads?

Facebook Pixel or Meta Pixel is a piece of code that you place on your website. It collects data on user interactions and helps you track the effectiveness of your ads. This is also known as client-side tracking.

Importance of Meta Pixel

• 1. Tracking Conversions: It allows you to measure the actions users take after clicking your ads.
• 2. Audience Targeting: You can create custom audiences based on visitors to your site, helping you retarget users effectively.
• 3. Optimization: The pixel helps optimize your ad campaigns for specific actions, such as purchases or sign-ups, improving overall ad performance.

What Is a Facebook Conversions API and Why Is It Important for My Ads?

Unlike the Facebook Pixel, which operates client-side (tracking events from a user’s browser), Conversions API or CAPI sends event data directly from your server to Facebook. This means that it can capture events even if the user’s browser blocks cookies or JavaScript. This is also known as server-side tracking.

CAPI allows businesses to send various types of event data, such as purchases, sign-ups, and page views. This can include details about the user (like email or phone number, if hashed) and the actions they took on your website.

Importance of CAPI

• 1. Enhanced Data Accuracy: By reducing reliance on client-side tracking, CAPI improves the accuracy of the data you collect. This is especially important as browser privacy settings become more restrictive.
• 2. Improved Ad Targeting: With more reliable data, businesses can create better-targeted ad campaigns, leading to improved ROI.
• 3. Greater Control Over Data: CAPI provides businesses with the flexibility to choose what data to send to Facebook, enabling more tailored tracking and measurement strategies.
• 4. Better Cross-Device Tracking: Since the Conversion API captures events from the server, it helps track user behavior across different devices, enhancing the understanding of customer journeys.

Which Pixel Should I be Using? Should My Agency Use A Different One?

At the end of the day, choosing between CAPI and the Meta Pixel depends on your business’s needs and goals. If you’re concerned about data privacy and cookie blocking, then the Conversion API is the better choice. The Pixel is a good tool if you’re starting with Facebook advertising.

However, you do not have to choose anymore. It is now best practice to utilize both CAPI and the Meta Pixel at the same time. This ensures that nothing falls through the cracks and you can  track as much data as possible.

You might be wondering if we use both the Meta Pixel and CAPI, wouldn’t we be collecting multiple of the same events? Yes, you will, however, since Meta is able to see the same event come in through both the browser and server, they will keep one event and discard the rest, a process called deduplication. 

This duplication process is important and why it’s consideredbest practice to share the same pixel with your agency and to NOT create a separate pixel for them. When creating a separate pixel tracking the same events, you will see duplicating results and not understand who is providing the most value.

How Can I Add My Agency Partner to Manage My Pixels?

To give your agency partner access to your Facebook Pixel, follow these steps:

• 1. Log In to Business Manager: Go to your Business Manager account.
• 2. Data Sources: Navigate to “Data Sources” and select “Pixels.”
• 3. Select Your Pixel: Choose the pixel you want to share with your agency.
• 4. Assign Partner: Click on “Add People” or “Add Partner” and enter your agency partner’s Business Manager ID.
• 5. Set Permissions: Determine the level of access they should have regarding your pixel.

By providing your agency partner with access to your Pixel, you ensure they can optimize your ad campaigns effectively.

Conclusion

Using Business Manager in conjunction with an agency partner can streamline your advertising efforts on Meta platforms. By understanding the setup process, roles, and tools like Facebook Pixel and CAPI, you can enhance your advertising strategy and drive better results. Whether you’re new to Meta Ads or looking to optimize your existing campaigns, Business Manager is an invaluable resource for managing your digital presence.

Or, you can simply contact GeistM, where our expertise goes beyond helping you understand your data. We specialize in optimizing campaigns to maximize ROI, ensuring your marketing efforts deliver the best possible results.

Written By: Marc DeMattie