Last Updated on July 16, 2026
Social advertising is getting more expensive again. The instinct, when a channel gets dear, is to pour more money into the one that still works. The data says do the opposite.
What happened
Costs to reach people on social are climbing across the board in 2026, with CPMs up around 5 to 10% on the major platforms. UK social ad spend is still growing fast, from £7.4 billion in 2025 toward £8.3 billion in 2026.
More money chasing the same attention means a higher price for every view. That is not going to reverse.
Why it matters to you
Here is the number worth holding onto. Businesses running across three or more social platforms report a 22% lower blended cost to win a customer than businesses stuck on one.
Same goal, lower cost, simply by not putting all your budget in one place.
The mistake most businesses make
The mistake is doubling down. One platform brought results last year, so you keep feeding it. As that auction gets more crowded, your cost per customer creeps up, and you respond by spending even more in the same place.
You are paying a premium to stay in the most competitive room in the building.
What to do instead
Start: know your real numbers. Cost per customer, not cost per click. As a rough UK guide, e-commerce cost per acquisition runs around £16.80 on TikTok, £18.40 on Facebook and £22.60 on Instagram. Lead generation on LinkedIn sits nearer £48.60. Know yours before you scale. Our social media cost research goes deeper.
Build: fix conversion before you buy more clicks. A clearer offer and a faster landing page lower your cost on every platform at once. Cheaper than any media buy.
Scale: test a second and third channel deliberately. Small budgets, same offer, and watch the blended cost. Spreading the bet is what pulls the average down. It is the same logic behind not defaulting to one ad giant.
The takeaway
When a channel gets expensive, the answer is rarely more of that channel. Tighten what you are selling, then spread your spend across a few places. That is how the 22% saving shows up in your account, not just in a report.
Frequently asked questions
Are social ad costs going up?
Yes. CPMs are rising around 5 to 10% on the major platforms in 2026 as more spend chases the same attention.
How do I lower my cost per customer?
Improve conversion first, then run across three or more platforms. Multi-platform advertisers report a 22% lower blended acquisition cost than single-platform ones.
Which platform is cheapest?
It depends on your goal. For e-commerce, TikTok and Facebook tend to be lower per acquisition; LinkedIn costs more but reaches B2B buyers.
