Ad targeting — Q3 trends in New Zealand
Quarterly insights: what worked across Google, Facebook and programmatic channels for NZ brands — audience slices, bid signals and measurement tips.
- Regional performance breakdown: Auckland vs. Wellington vs. provincial NZ
- Top converting audience types for Q3: In-market, affinity, and custom intent
- Privacy-first measurement strategies aligned with NZ guidance
Q3 overview — headline metrics
Across our NZ accounts in Q3 we saw shifts in CPM and CTR by industry. Media costs rose slightly in metro markets while conversion rates improved through tighter audience segmentation and creative testing.
Top audience segments for Q3
Based on performance across retail, fintech and travel verticals, these audience clusters delivered the highest ROAS in Q3.
- Local intent: users searching and engaging with Auckland/Wellington property and local services.
- Purchase-ready: high-intent custom intent lists from search queries + site behaviour.
- Retention lookalikes: audiences built from high LTV customers.
Platform performance snapshot
Benchmarks across channels — use these as a starting point for forecasting and testing in NZ markets.
| Channel | Avg CPM (NZD) | CTR | Primary use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search | 3.2 | 4.1% | Demand capture / high intent |
| Meta (Facebook + IG) | 5.6 | 1.8% | Awareness & mid-funnel |
| Programmatic (open exchange) | 2.8 | 0.9% | Scale & viewability |
Measurement & NZ compliance
We prioritise privacy-enhanced measurement and align with New Zealand guidance. Use aggregated modelling, server-side events, and consent-first tagging where possible.
- Adhere to the Privacy Act and local advertising guidelines.
- Implement consent banners and privacy links (see Privacy Policy).
- Deploy statistically sound A/B testing with robust attribution windows.
Case studies
Tourism — Seasonal push
Programmatic video increased site time by 35% with efficient reach.
Meet the team — NZ ad specialists
Led by our Head of Performance in Wellington, we combine local market knowledge with global platform expertise to build targeted campaigns that scale.
- Strategy & planning — audience-first roadmaps
- Creative testing — iterative multivariate testing
- Optimization — bid strategies and budget allocation