Budget first
What could this spend support?
Start with the amount available for advertising, then enter cost per click and a relevant conversion rate.
Turn assumptions into a working plan
What would this budget need to deliver?
Start with your spend or work backwards from a lead or order target. Use your own costs and conversion rates to see what the numbers imply—before you commit to a campaign.
Explore your budget
Campaign Budget Calculator
Set a budget. Or start with the outcome.
Choose lead generation or ecommerce and use one consistent campaign period. The result is a scenario based on your inputs, not a forecast.
02 / A working estimate
What your assumptions imply
Enter your own figures, or load an illustrative example.
These are mathematical estimates, not forecasts or industry benchmarks. Real campaign results vary. Advertising spend excludes agency fees, creative production and other costs.
Make it useful
Choose the question you need to answer.
The most useful estimate starts with a business decision. Change one assumption at a time so you can see what drives the result.
Target first
What spend does this target imply?
Start with the number of leads or orders required. Work back to the traffic and advertising budget your assumptions would need.
Business outcome
What happens after the conversion?
For leads, add your close rate if you know it. For ecommerce, use order value and contribution margin to explore what remains after advertising.
A worked example
Same spend. Different assumptions.
Illustrative lead scenarios for one campaign period. These are simple calculations, not benchmarks or predicted outcomes. Only the click-to-lead rate changes.
Lower conversion
20 estimated leads
- Ad spend
- AUD 2,000
- Cost per click
- AUD 2
- Click-to-lead rate
- 2%
- Cost per lead
- AUD 100
Middle scenario
40 estimated leads
- Ad spend
- AUD 2,000
- Cost per click
- AUD 2
- Click-to-lead rate
- 4%
- Cost per lead
- AUD 50
Higher conversion
60 estimated leads
- Ad spend
- AUD 2,000
- Cost per click
- AUD 2
- Click-to-lead rate
- 6%
- Cost per lead
- AUD 33.33
Each scenario assumes 1,000 clicks. Estimated leads = clicks × conversion rate. Cost per lead = spend ÷ leads.
Before you move on
Turn the estimate into a useful brief.
Bring the assumptions
Record the campaign period, audience, cost per click and conversion rate. Mark which figures are observed and which are guesses.
Add the costs outside this model
Allow separately for creative production, agency fees and other costs. Ecommerce contribution after advertising is not net profit: fixed costs and tax are excluded.
Decide what you will learn
Set a review point and define the evidence needed to keep, change or stop the plan. A calculated target does not guarantee demand or lead quality.
Your questions
Keep the estimate in context.
Where should my inputs come from?
Start with recent, comparable campaign data where you have it. If you do not, make the uncertainty explicit and compare a few plausible scenarios rather than relying on one number.
Does changing currency convert the figures?
No. The currency selector changes the display label only. Use costs, spend and order values in the same currency.
Can this tell me the right budget?
It shows the relationship between the figures you enter. The right commitment also depends on demand, capacity, customer value, risk and evidence from your business.
Does the estimate include creative and management fees?
The advertising calculation needs to be combined with the costs outside the model. Budget separately for production, management and other project costs when evaluating the overall commitment.
What is the difference between a lead and a customer in this calculator?
A lead is an enquiry or response according to your chosen definition. A customer is a later outcome; the optional close-rate assumption estimates how many leads might become customers. Neither quantity is guaranteed.
Build a campaign plan around the business.
Bring the target and the assumptions behind it. We can help connect the media plan, landing page and measurement to the outcome you need.
Discuss your campaign plan