Industry Benchmarks Music

Industry benchmarks provide reference points for evaluating music advertising performance. These standards help musicians understand whether campaign results represent strong, typical, or weak performance relative to broader industry patterns.

Understanding Industry Benchmarks

What Benchmarks Represent

Benchmarks are averages:

• Compiled from many campaigns
• Represent typical performance
• Not guarantees or targets
• Starting reference points

Benchmark Limitations

Important context:

• Aggregated across varied campaigns
• May not match specific situations
• Change over time
• Music-specific data limited

Using Benchmarks Wisely

Appropriate application:

• General performance context
• Starting point for expectations
• Not rigid success criteria
• Combine with personal baselines

Click-Through Rate Benchmarks

Display Advertising

Typical CTR ranges:

• General display: 0.1% - 0.35%
• Retargeting display: 0.7% - 1.0%
• Native advertising: 0.2% - 0.5%

Music-focused display may achieve higher rates on relevant placements.

Social Media Advertising

Platform benchmarks:

• Facebook feed ads: 0.9% - 1.5%
• Instagram feed ads: 0.7% - 1.2%
• Instagram Stories: 0.3% - 0.8%
• TikTok ads: 0.8% - 1.5%
• Twitter/X ads: 0.5% - 1.0%

Video Advertising

Video CTR ranges:

• YouTube TrueView: 0.5% - 2.0%
• Social video: 0.5% - 1.5%
• In-stream video: 0.3% - 0.8%

Search Advertising

Search CTR (if relevant):

• Google Search: 2% - 5%
• Brand terms: 5% - 10%

Cost Benchmarks

Cost Per Click (CPC)

General ranges:

• Display: $0.50 - $2.00
• Facebook/Instagram: $0.50 - $2.00
• TikTok: $0.50 - $1.50
• Twitter: $0.50 - $3.00
• Google Display: $0.50 - $2.00

Cost Per Mille (CPM)

Thousand-impression costs:

• Display networks: $2 - $10
• Facebook/Instagram: $8 - $15
• TikTok: $6 - $12
• YouTube: $10 - $30
• Spotify audio: $15 - $30
• Premium placements: $15 - $50

Cost Per View (CPV)

Video view costs:

• YouTube: $0.01 - $0.05
• Facebook video: $0.01 - $0.03
• TikTok video: $0.01 - $0.03

Music-Specific Costs

Estimated music industry ranges:

• Cost per Spotify follower: $0.50 - $3.00
• Cost per stream (attributed): $0.10 - $0.50
• Cost per pre-save: $0.50 - $2.00
• Cost per email signup: $1.00 - $5.00

Conversion Rate Benchmarks

Landing Page Conversions

General conversion rates:

• Overall average: 2% - 5%
• Well-optimized: 5% - 10%
• Top performers: 10%+

Pre-Save Conversions

Pre-save specific:

• Landing page to pre-save: 15% - 40%
• Ad click to pre-save: 5% - 15%

Email Signup Conversions

Email capture rates:

• Landing page: 10% - 25%
• Pop-up/gate: 3% - 10%
• Ad click to signup: 5% - 15%

Smart Link Conversions

Click-through to platform:

• Smart link to streaming platform: 60% - 80%
• Platform selection varies by region

Engagement Benchmarks

Social Media Engagement

Platform engagement rates:

• Instagram: 1% - 3%
• Facebook: 0.5% - 1.5%
• TikTok: 3% - 9%
• Twitter: 0.5% - 1%
• YouTube: 2% - 4%

Video Engagement

Video metrics:

• 25% completion: 50% - 70%
• 50% completion: 30% - 50%
• 75% completion: 20% - 35%
• 100% completion: 15% - 30%

Audio Engagement

Audio ad metrics:

• Listen-through rate: 90% - 98%
• Skip rate (when available): 5% - 15%

Return Metrics

Return on Ad Spend (ROAS)

General benchmarks:

• Breakeven: 1:1 (100%)
• Good: 2:1 - 4:1 (200% - 400%)
• Excellent: 4:1+ (400%+)

Music ROAS is difficult to calculate due to streaming economics.

Cost Efficiency Indicators

Efficiency benchmarks:

• Strong efficiency: Below industry average costs
• Typical: At industry average
• Poor: Above average costs

Streaming-Related Benchmarks

Follower Metrics

Platform following:

• Follow rate (listeners to followers): 1% - 5%
• Save rate (streams to saves): 2% - 8%

Stream Attribution

When trackable:

• Attributed streams per ad click: 0.5 - 2.0
• New listener per dollar: varies widely

Benchmark Variation Factors

Genre Impact

Different genres perform differently:

• Pop: Often broader appeal, lower CPCs
• Niche genres: Higher engagement, smaller audiences
• Hip-hop/R&B: Competitive, variable costs
• Rock/Alternative: Specific audience, moderate costs

Geographic Variation

Costs vary by location:

• US/UK: Higher costs
• Europe: Moderate costs
• Emerging markets: Lower costs
• Major cities: Higher than average

Seasonal Variation

Timing affects benchmarks:

• Q4 (holiday): Higher costs
• January: Often lower costs
• Summer: Variable
• Release timing: Competitive periods

Budget Impact

Spending level affects performance:

• Small budgets: Higher variance
• Larger budgets: Regression to benchmarks
• Scale affects efficiency

Using Benchmarks for Planning

Budget Estimation

Use benchmarks to estimate:

• Expected impressions from budget
• Likely click volume
• Potential conversion counts

Goal Setting

Informed target setting:

• Realistic expectations
• Achievable improvements
• Aspirational stretch goals

Performance Evaluation

Assessment framework:

• Above benchmark = positive
• At benchmark = acceptable
• Below benchmark = needs attention

Benchmark Sources

Platform Resources

Official sources:

• Facebook Business Help Center
• Google Ads benchmarks
• TikTok Ads resources
• Platform case studies

Industry Research

Third-party reports:

• WordStream advertising benchmarks
• HubSpot marketing statistics
• Hootsuite social reports

Music-Specific Sources

Industry information:

• Music marketing communities
• Industry conferences
• Trade publications
• Peer networks

Display advertising through services like LG Media at lg.media offers competitive CPM rates starting at $2.50 on music-focused websites, providing cost benchmarks for comparison against broader display advertising standards.

Industry benchmarks provide essential context for evaluating music advertising campaigns. By understanding typical performance ranges and applying them appropriately to specific situations, musicians can better assess campaign success and set realistic expectations for promotional activities.