Salary stats for Digital Marketing in New Zealand. What are Kiwi digital marketing specialists making in 2025

In the last decade, digital marketing in New Zealand has become a cornerstone of successful customer acquisition and brand development strategies. As organizations increasingly shift their marketing budgets toward digital channels, UGC (User generated content) the demand for qualified professional digital marketing specialists in New Zealand continues to rise, creating a competitive job market with nuanced compensation packages and demographic trends.

Some of the top digital marketing trends in New Zealand include: AI integration, video marketing, personalized email marketing, influencer marketing and brand storytelling.

Overview of digital marketing sector in New Zealand

New Zealand Digital marketing service industry offers diverse career opportunities with corresponding salary expectations. Whether you're considering entering the field or advancing your current position, understanding the comprehensive salary landscape provides valuable context for career planning.

The Digital marketing salary survey of 2025

Based on the April 2025 Digital Marketing Salary Survey and various industry sources, here’s an in-depth look at the current salary landscape for digital marketing roles across the country.

Role based salaries

Digital marketing positions span various specializations and responsibility levels, each with distinct compensation structures. Let's look at each of the roles with their respective seniority level and salary range for it:

Digital Marketing Manager

How much does a Digital Marketing Manager in New Zealand make as a salary in a fulltime role

• Average Salary: NZ$71,440 per year
• Salary Range: NZ$53,190 – NZ$106,000
• Bonus: Up to NZ$17,000 annually but rare

Impact of years of experience in Digital marketing

• 0–2 years: ~NZ$83,400
• 5–10 years: ~NZ$139,100
• 20+ years: ~NZ$190,400

Digital Marketing Specialists in New Zealand

• National average salary: NZ$75,000 – NZ$87,500
• Entry level: Starting around NZ$67,000 (as opposed to NZ$69,563 in 2024 survey)
• Experienced Marketing Professionals: Starting around NZ$103,000 (as opposed to NZ$120,000 in 2024 survey)
• Location Impact: Auckland based Digital marketing specialists earn closer to the higher end of the range  

Social Media Marketing in NZ

What does a social media marketing specialist do: A NZ based Social Media Marketing specialists helps creating, managing, and optimizing content across platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to build brand awareness, drive engagement, and support digital campaigns.

• Entry-Level: NZ$50,000 – NZ$75,000
• Senior-Level: Up to NZ$112,000
• What's the trend in Social media marketing: High demand for video content skills, especially for platforms like TikTok and Instagram Reels

SEM and SEO Specialists in NZ

What does a SEO specialist do: An SEM and SEO Specialists in NZ focuses on improving website visibility through paid search (SEM) and organic search strategies (SEO), using tools like Google Ads and keyword research to boost traffic and conversions.

• Intermediate: NZ$75,000 – NZ$84,000
• Senior-Level: Up to NZ$90,000
• What's trending in SEM & SEO in NZ: Proficiency in Google Ads, analytics, and CRM platforms 

Ecommerce Specialists in New Zealand

What's the job: Ecommerce Specialist in NZ work closely with the ecommerce developers and marketing teams and help in managing online stores, optimizing product listings, improving conversion rates, and analyzing performance across platforms like Shopify, WooCommerce, or Magento.

• Specialists: NZ$78,000
• Managers: Up to NZ$128,000
• What's the trend of Ecommerce in New Zealand: E-commerce remains a significant growth area with a shortage of skilled candidates

Email Marketing Specialists

What's the job: Email marketing specialists in NZ work closely with the wider marketing teams, planning and executing targeted email campaigns, managing subscriber lists, and tracking performance metrics to nurture leads and retain customers.

• Average Salary: NZ$80,000
• Salary Range: NZ$60,000 – NZ$100,000
• Hourly Rate: NZ$65 – NZ$75

Gender Pay Gap Analysis in Digital Marketing – New Zealand (2025)

The gender pay gap in New Zealand’s digital marketing industry reflects broader patterns in the national workforce, though the gap varies significantly depending on role seniority, company size, location, and specialisation. Using 2025 data from national surveys, job boards, and digital industry reports, we have put together a breakdown of how gender pay disparity plays out in the digital marketing sector.

Overall Gender Pay Gap in New Zealand (2025 context)

According to Stats NZ (2025), the national gender pay gap sits at 8.6%, meaning women earn on average 91.4 cents for every dollar earned by men. This is an improvement from previous years but still highlights persistent inequality.

Entry-Level Roles (0–2 years experience)

• Male median salary: $58,000
• Female median salary: $56,500
• Gap: ~2.6%

This is one of the most equitable tiers, thanks to standardised starting salaries and clear job bands.

Mid-Level Roles (3–6 years experience)

• Male median salary: $78,000
• Female median salary: $72,000
• Gap: ~7.7%

Disparities begin to emerge here, often influenced by negotiation differences, career breaks, or informal promotions favouring male employees.

Senior Specialists & Managers (7–12 years experience)

• Male median salary: $110,000
• Female median salary: $96,000
• Gap: ~12.7%
  

Roles like SEO Manager, Digital Strategy Lead, and Head of Performance Marketing see the widest pay gaps. Men are also more likely to hold revenue-linked or performance bonus roles, further increasing the divide.

Executive Roles (CMO, Head of Digital)

• Male median salary: $155,000
• Female median salary: $132,000
• Gap: ~14.8%

The leadership tier shows the most significant imbalance. Fewer women reach these roles, and those who do often report lower base salaries, smaller teams, and fewer equity opportunities.

Positive Trends towards Gender Pay Gap in 2025

• Transparent Salary Bands: More NZ-based companies are adopting open pay scales to reduce bias.
• Remote Roles Closing Gaps: Fully remote companies tend to show smaller disparities.
• Female-Led Agencies: There’s growth in agencies founded or led by women, fostering more balanced leadership representation.
  

Equity Initiatives

To address these persistent disparities, the New Zealand government has introduced practical tools:

• Gender Pay Gap Calculator: Enables organizations to quantify and address pay inequalities
• Transparency Initiatives: Designed to promote accountability and equity in compensation practices
• Industry Awareness: Growing recognition of the need for systemic approaches to address both gender and ethnic pay disparities within digital marketing agencies and departments

How location, gender and experience impacts digital marketing salaries

Several key factors impact earning potential within New Zealand's digital marketing and web design sectors:

• Location: Digital marketing in Auckland offers the highest salaries due to its status as the economic hub and higher living costs. Digital marketing role in Christchurch and Wellington are right after Auckland, to provide competitive salaries, especially for roles in government and tech sectors.
• Agency Size and Type: Larger agencies and enterprise organizations generally provide more competitive salary packages, while specialized web design companies in New Zealand often offer premium compensation for technical expertise
• Specialization: SEO specialists, PPC, understanding of UX design, or marketing & CRM automation often command premium salaries
• Experience Level: Senior professionals with demonstrated ROI generation typically earn substantially more
• Industry Knowledge: Expertise in high-value sectors such as finance or technology can elevate compensation
• Gender and Ethnicity: As evidenced by industry data, these demographic factors continue to influence compensation levels

Pay gap by region

Industry trends that impact digital marketing jobs and wages

• Freelance Market: There’s a noticeable shift towards hiring freelancers with blended skills, such as design combined with marketing or copywriting. However, budgets for senior freelance roles have decreased, and there’s a preference for freelancers to work onsite.
• Hybrid Roles: While candidates prefer hybrid working arrangements, employers are increasingly favoring in-person collaboration, leading to a reduction in remote roles.
• Economic Factors: The market has seen a flattening of salaries, especially for mid-to-senior roles, as businesses focus on cost control amidst economic challenges.  
• Skill Demand: There’s a growing demand for professionals skilled in tools like Figma, Squarespace, After Effects, and Premiere Pro, especially for digital design roles. 
  

How do digital marketing and web design agencies in New Zealand impact the marketing skills and salaries eco-system

Agencies serve as critical talent hubs within the broader digital marketing New Zealand ecosystem:

• Skill Incubators: Many digital marketing agencies function as training grounds for emerging talent
• Compensation Leaders: Top-tier agencies often establish salary benchmarks that influence the broader market as well as the boutique or smaller marketing agencies across New Zealand
• Diversity Champions: Some leading advertising agencies as well as digital marketing agencies are implementing progressive policies to address gender and ethnic pay disparities. This has shown a positive impact on the gender pay gap nationwide.

Industry Trends and Future Outlook

Latest Digital Marketing Trends in New Zealand and across APAC region

The digital marketing landscape in New Zealand is continuously evolving, shaped by emerging technologies and shifting consumer behaviors:

• AI integration: AI integration is reshaping New Zealand’s digital marketing landscape. Spark NZ utilizes AI to personalize customer interactions. Bremworth produced the country’s first AI-generated TV commercial, reducing production costs and extending reach . ASB Bank’s AI chatbot enhances customer service efficiency , while Pak’nSave’s AI-powered Savey Meal-bot offers creative meal suggestions. These examples highlight the growing role of AI in enhancing marketing strategies across various sectors in New Zealand.

• Video marketing: Video marketing continues to thrive in New Zealand, with brands leveraging creative storytelling to engage audiences. Air New Zealand’s safety videos, featuring celebrities like Rachel Hunter, have garnered over 100 million views, promoting tourism and showcasing the country’s landscapes. Lemon & Paeroa’s “Space Manu” campaign blended Kiwi humor with cultural references, resonating with local audiences. These campaigns exemplify how New Zealand brands use video content to connect authentically with consumers.

• Influencer marketing: with brands collaborating with local creators to engage audiences authentically. For instance, Michael Hill appointed Miranda Kerr as its first global ambassador, enhancing its brand image through her social media presence .

• In-Demand Skills: Employers are increasingly seeking professionals with specialized expertise in email marketing, social media marketing, especially short-form content, marketing automation, sophisticated data analysis, and conversion rate optimization

• User generated content creation surge: There's a notable increase in demand for dedicated content creators, working on UGC, focused on specific brand products but with a lens of a consumer. This has notibly increased especially on TikTok under #NZTikTok

What's next

Digital marketing in New Zealand continues to expand, creating increasing opportunities for professionals who combine technical proficiency with strategic thinking. As businesses further embrace digital transformation, the demand for qualified digital marketers is projected to grow, potentially driving further salary increases across all experience levels.

For professionals seeking to maximize their earning potential in digital marketing, focusing on measurable results, developing the specialized technical skills currently in demand, and gaining experience across multiple channels represents the most effective approach within New Zealand's competitive marketplace.

As a digital marketing and web development agency in Auckland, Sydney along with our subsidiary registered web design company Dubai, we are always on the lookout for talented individuals, especially with timeless skills of Search engine optimisation (SEO) and Social media, to come onboard and work with us. If you're on of those, check out our services page to further understand what we do, if it resonates with you, send us an email at hello@sundeck.studio

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Disclaimer: This guide serves as a snapshot of current digital marketing salary trends across New Zealand. Individual compensation packages may vary based on specific organizational structures, regional economic factors, and unique skill combinations.

Sources:

• Robert Half Digital Marketing Salary Guide 2025
• StatsNZ Employment and Wage Data (June 2024)
• Seek.co.nz Salary Survey (2025)
• Ministry for Women Gender Pay Gap Analysis (2024)
• New Zealand Government Gender Pay Gap Calculator Initiative
• Hudson Recruitment Digital Marketing Sector Analysis