Australia is a Tier 1 market with CPMs 15–25% below the US. High mobile penetration and strong ecommerce adoption drive competitive Meta and Google performance. Smaller advertiser pool means less Q4 volatility than the US — but BFCM adoption is growing fast.
All Benchmarks — Australia
Understanding the Australia Ad Market
Australia is classified as a Tier 1 digital advertising market alongside the US, UK, and Canada. CPMs and CPCs run 15–25% below US equivalents — lower advertiser density combined with a smaller consumer base (26 million people) keeps auction pressure moderate relative to the US and UK.
Mobile-first browsing dominates: over 80% of social media use in Australia is mobile. Meta and Google account for the majority of digital ad spend, with TikTok growing rapidly among 18–35 year olds. LinkedIn is relatively smaller than in the US but effective for B2B and professional services targeting.
Australia's two distinct seasonality windows — Q4 BFCM/Christmas and the January summer sales period — offer advertisers two strong performance peaks per year. Travel and hospitality advertising is particularly seasonal, with strong Q1 booking intent from domestic summer holidays.
Ad Costs by Platform — Australia 2026
| Platform | Avg. CPM (AUD) | Avg. CPC / CTR | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Google Search | A$2.80–A$7.00 | 0.40–0.85% | Strong ecommerce and travel intent |
| Meta (FB/IG) | A$14–A$22 | A$0.70–A$2.00 | Dominant social platform; Q4 spikes to A$28–A$38 |
| A$45–A$75 | A$4–A$10 | B2B and professional services; global auction rates | |
| TikTok | A$6–A$12 | A$0.40–A$1.20 | Strong 18–34; fastest-growing platform |
| YouTube | A$6–A$14 | A$0.08–A$0.22 CPV | High consumption; strong pre-roll performance |
| Google Display | A$3–A$7 | A$0.25–A$0.70 | Lower intent; retargeting effective |
| Programmatic | A$5–A$12 | varies | Growing local SSP ecosystem |
Figures are blended averages across industries. High-competition verticals (legal, finance) see significantly higher CPCs.
Top Industries by CPC — Australia
| Industry | Avg. CPC (AUD) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Finance / Insurance | A$4.50 | Mortgages and superannuation drive highest CPCs |
| Legal | A$4.20 | Personal injury and conveyancing competitive |
| SaaS / B2B Tech | A$3.00 | Strong SMB market in Sydney and Melbourne |
| Ecommerce / Retail | A$0.75 | Google Shopping dominant; healthy ROI |
| Travel / Tourism | A$1.80 | Domestic travel strong; international recovery |
| Healthcare | A$2.00 | Private health insurance most competitive |
| Education | A$1.60 | University applications peak in Nov–Jan |
Year-over-Year Trends — Australia
CPM Trend (2022–2026)
| Year | Avg. CPM |
|---|---|
| 2022 | A$11.50 |
| 2023 | A$13.00 |
| 2024 | A$14.50 |
| 2025 | A$16.00 |
| 2026E | A$17.20 |
CPC Trend (2022–2026)
| Year | Avg. CPC |
|---|---|
| 2022 | A$1.65 |
| 2023 | A$1.80 |
| 2024 | A$1.96 |
| 2025 | A$2.10 |
| 2026E | A$2.25 |
2026E = projected estimate. AUD figures. Blended averages. Sydney and Melbourne CPCs run 15–20% above national averages.