Why Is My Cost Per Lead Going Up? Diagnosis Checklist

Three key takeaways

01
Walk the funnel from the top and fix the first broken step: it's usually the real cause.
02
Rising frequency with falling results usually means ad fatigue: launch new ideas.
03
Reply speed changes bookings as much as the ad does.

1
Expensive to be seen? (high CPM)
The audience may be too small, it may be a busy season, or the ad quality may be low.
2
People don't stop? (low hook rate)
Change the first 3 seconds of your video.
3
People don't click? (low CTR)
Make the message or offer stronger.
4
Clicks but no enquiries?
Fix the landing page or form.
5
Enquiries but no sales?
Fix follow-up speed and lead quality.

Teaching example

01Hook rate falls from 30% to 15%; clicks and the form are fine
02The first broken step is the first 3 seconds of the video, so fix that first
03Rough guide: 25%+ hook rate and ~1%+ link click rate are healthy; your own past results matter most

People have seen your ad too often and stop reacting. Frequency rises and costs go up. Fresh ideas with different hooks bring attention back.

As a rough guide, watch out above 3–4 in a short period. Benchmarks vary a lot by industry and season.

Yes. Export last week's data and ask Claude to walk the funnel and name the first broken step, showing its working.

Examples are teaching examples, not real client results. Platform features and rules change; check the official pages before you act.