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Facebook Ads CPC Benchmarks for Media in New Zealand

Understand how your CPC compares. Dive into benchmark data by industry, region, and campaign type

CPC (Cost Per Click) for Media in New Zealand

October 2024 - October 2025

Insights

Detailed observation of presented data

Key takeaways

  • Overall level: Media advertisers in New Zealand recorded an average cost-per-click (CPC) of 0.788 across the period, about 31% below the global baseline average of 1.139—consistently below market.
  • Highs and lows: The series peaked at 1.596 in Aug 2025 and bottomed at 0.082 in Jul 2025, a wide range of 1.514. The global range was narrower at 0.521 (high 1.474, low 0.953).
  • Volatility: Average month-to-month absolute movement was 0.485 for New Zealand vs 0.083 globally—roughly 6x more volatile.
  • Direction of travel: From Oct 2024 to Sep 2025, CPC fell 68% in New Zealand (0.752 to 0.240), compared with a 19% decline globally.
  • Seasonality: Q4 uplift is visible in both series, with December notably above the global median for New Zealand; a sharp late-winter/late-summer (Aug) spike also stands out locally.

This analysis looks at cost-per-click trends for industry Media and target country New Zealand compared to the global trend. The analysis is based on $3B worth of advertising data from our dataset, which provides strong directional benchmarks.

Trend overview for Media in New Zealand

  • Q4 2024 strengthened into the holidays: CPC climbed from 0.752 in Oct to 1.303 in Nov and 1.464 in Dec (nearly double October), reflecting typical end-of-year advertising pressure.
  • Early 2025 eased: Jan–Jun ranged between 0.504 and 1.093, below Q4.
  • Notable trough and spike: Jul 2025 dropped to 0.082, followed by a surge to 1.596 in Aug (the period’s high), then a reset to 0.240 in Sep. The Aug-to-Sep move was an 85% drop, highlighting short-term volatility.

Overall period average: 0.788. High: 1.596 (Aug 2025). Low: 0.082 (Jul 2025). First-to-last change: -68%.

Comparison to the global baseline

  • Level comparison: New Zealand’s average CPC (0.788) trailed the global median (1.139) by about 31%—below market overall.
  • Monthly positioning:
  • Above market: Dec 2024 (1.464 vs 1.296, ~13% higher), Aug 2025 (1.596 vs 1.057, ~51% higher).
  • Below market: All other months, including an exceptionally low Jul 2025 (0.082 vs 1.050, >90% below).
  • Stability: Global CPC moved within a tighter band (1.474 high in Nov 2024 to 0.953 low in Sep 2025) with modest month-to-month changes (avg 0.083), versus New Zealand’s larger swings (avg 0.485).

Seasonality and volatility

  • Seasonal pattern: Both series show higher CPCs in Q4, aligning with holiday demand. New Zealand’s December spike above the global level underscores that the year-end effect can be stronger in Media for this market.
  • Off-peak dynamics: The pronounced Jul trough and Aug spike in New Zealand deviate from the smoother global pattern, contributing to materially higher volatility locally.

Understanding cost-per-click benchmarks on Facebook Ads in industry Media and New Zealand helps advertisers make more efficient budget and creative choices.

Understanding the Data

Insights & analysis of Facebook advertising costs

Cost Per Click (CPC) is the amount advertisers pay each time a user clicks on their Facebook ad. In the Media industry, Facebook ad costs can be influenced by seasonal trends and market competition. For campaigns targeting New Zealand, advertisers should consider local market factors and user behavior. Different campaign objectives lead to varying costs based on how Facebook optimizes for your specific goals. The data shown represents median values across multiple campaigns, and individual results may vary based on ad quality, audience targeting, and campaign optimization.

Why we use median instead of average

We use the median CTR because the underlying distribution of click-through rates is highly skewed, with a small share of campaigns achieving extremely high CTRs. These outliers can inflate a simple average, making it less representative of what most advertisers actually experience. By using the median—which sits at the midpoint of all campaigns—we provide a more rigorous and realistic benchmark that reflects the true underlying data model and helps you set attainable performance expectations.

Key Factors Affecting Facebook Ad Costs

  • Competition within your selected industry and audience demographics
  • Ad quality and relevance score – higher quality ads can lower costs
  • Campaign objective and bid strategy
  • Timing and seasonality – costs often increase during holiday periods
  • Ad placement (News Feed, Instagram, Audience Network, etc.)

Note: This data represents industry median values and benchmarks. Your actual costs may vary based on specific targeting, ad creative quality, and campaign optimization.

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The data behind the benchmarks

All data is sourced from over $3B in Facebook ad spend, collected across thousands of ad accounts that use Superads daily to analyze and improve their campaigns. Every data point is fully anonymized and aggregated—no individual advertiser is ever exposed.

This dataset updates frequently as new ad data flows in. It will only get bigger and better.

New Zealand Advertising Landscape

National Holidays

Jan 1New Year's Day
Jan 2Day after New Year's Day
Feb 6Waitangi Day
Apr 18Good Friday
Apr 21Easter Monday
Apr 25ANZAC Day
Jun 2King's Birthday
Jun 20Matariki
Oct 27Labour Day
Dec 25Christmas Day
Dec 26Boxing Day

Key Shopping Season

Late November–early December (Black Friday/Cyber Monday), Christmas season (Boxing Day sales), Mid‑year promotions (Matariki in June), Back-to-school (late January/early February)

Potential Advertising Impact

CPM and CPC might rise around Waitangi Day and ANZAC Day as public events increase media consumption. Matariki is new public holiday with growing awareness—advertising may see elevated competition. Late November–December Black Friday/Cyber Monday could drive ad costs significantly. Regional anniversary holidays may cause local inventory shifts.

What exactly is CPC in Facebook Ads?

CPC (Cost Per Click) is what you pay each time someone clicks on your ad, on any Facebook Ads placement. It's calculated by dividing your total spend by the number of clicks received. Facebook Ads lists Clicks, Link Clicks and Outbound Clicks separately. The former is the sum of all types of clicks (including, for example, clicks to your profile page, to a link or to a comment).

What's considered a good CPC for Facebook ads in 2025?

The truth is that varies, so play with our tool to get some benchmarks that are relevant to you. CPC values are highly dependent on the region, industry and campaign objective. The US is one of the most expensive markets.

What influences cost per click on Facebook?

Several factors affect CPC: your audience targeting, competition in your industry, ad relevance score, and creative performance. If your ad isn't getting engagement or relevance is low, CPC tends to spike.

Why is my Facebook ad CPC suddenly increasing?

CPC spikes usually happen because of increased competition in your target audience, seasonal trends (like holidays), poor ad relevance scores, or algorithm changes. Check if your audience targeting has become too narrow or if your creative is showing fatigue.

Do desktop and mobile Facebook ads have different CPCs?

Yes, there's a noticeable difference between platforms. Mobile CPCs often run lower than desktop. How many times do check Instagram on your phone and how often do you open it in your computer? There's simply much more mobile inventory. Tip: segment your performance data by placement to understand where your clicks are coming from. Spoiler: it's likely all mobile.

Should I optimize my campaigns for CPC or conversions?

For most businesses, optimizing for conversions will deliver much better ROI than focusing purely on CPC. A low CPC is meaningless if those clicks don't convert. However, if you're running awareness campaigns or some kind content promotion, CPC optimization might potentially make sense, although most experts have switched to conversion optimization by now.

Why do my CPC benchmarks differ from published industry averages?

Your specific audience targeting, creative quality, bidding strategy, and account history all influence your CPC. Industry averages provide a reference point, but your historical performance is a more reliable benchmark for setting expectations and measuring improvement.

Are CPCs cheaper on Instagram or Facebook?

Instagram CPCs are generally slightly higher due to stronger purchase intent and higher competition among advertisers. But it depends on the audience and creative.