What Zeald does

Zeald is a New Zealand-headquartered digital transformation agency founded in 2001 that designs, builds, and markets websites and ecommerce platforms for small and medium-sized businesses in New Zealand and Australia. The firm positions itself as the largest and most experienced agency in its segment, claiming to have digitally transformed more than 15,000 Kiwi businesses since inception and to have generated over $2 billion in cumulative ecommerce revenue for its clients.

The company's service portfolio spans website design and development, ecommerce implementation, digital marketing (Display, Remarketing, Email/Content, Google Ads and SEO, product syndication, and conversion optimization), and software integration. Two proprietary technology assets underpin the offering: the Mesh integration platform, which automates data flow between client ecommerce (Shopify, WooCommerce), accounting (Xero), and marketing systems (Google Shopping, Facebook Marketplace) with fault tolerance and performance monitoring; and the Zest Marketplace platform, a multi-vendor marketplace product enabling business collectives and associations to sell collectively. Zeald also operates an 89+ webinar educational library, has educated 50,000+ people, and holds Google Premier Partner status (top 3% globally).

Zeald monetizes through a mix of project-based fees (Fixed Price or Time & Materials for design and development), recurring subscriptions (hosting, domains, SSL, chatbots, the Smart Marketing Program, dedicated offshore staff), and performance-based Success Fees on transactions processed through client websites. Distribution combines direct sales (NZ and Australia offices), free consultations and website audits, content marketing, and channel partnerships including the flagship BNZ Digital Cluster Initiative (2022). The firm is privately held by founders/management with no disclosed external funding, and the leadership team includes co-founder and chairman David Kelly and Head of Strategy Jarra Borman.

Name

Zeald

Legal name

Zeald Limited

Website

https://zeald.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Zeald is a New Zealand-founded (2001) digital transformation agency serving SMEs in New Zealand and Australia with website design, ecommerce, digital marketing, and proprietary software including the Mesh integration platform and Zest Marketplace.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Digital Marketing and Web Design Services

NAICS

Graphic Design Services (54143)

SIC

Services-Advertising Agencies (7311)

akta.pro primary industry

Business Process & Digital Transformation Consulting (BPAEAAAD)

Keywords

• Website design services
• Ecommerce development
• Digital marketing agency
• Software integration platform
• Digital transformation consulting

Headquarters

HQ city

Albany

HQ country

New Zealand

HQ region

Oceania

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Website Design & Development: Project-based website design, development, and redesign services for businesses. Includes ecommerce websites, lead generation websites, and custom website features.
2. Software, Telecommunications & Hosting Solutions: Subscription-based hosting, software, domain names, email hosting, SSL certificates, website hosting, and chatbots. Charged as periodic Subscription Fees.
3. Project Work: Fixed price or Time & Materials pricing for website design/development, software development, chatbot design, consulting, and marketing services. May include Success Fees based on sales value.
4. Dedicated Staff Solutions: Provision of dedicated offshore staff members for clients, charged on a monthly basis with labour recovery, service fees, and out-of-pocket expenses.
5. Digital Marketing Services: Ongoing digital marketing services including Display advertising, Search (Google Ads, SEO), Remarketing, Email marketing, Content marketing, and Channels (Facebook catalogue, Google shopping).
6. Mesh Integration Services: Integration automation services connecting business software systems, with different service levels through Smart Marketing Program.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion4 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Zeald is a New Zealand-based digital transformation agency that designs and develops websites and ecommerce stores, delivers ongoing digital marketing services, and sells proprietary integration and marketplace software (Mesh and Zest). It serves SMEs in New Zealand and Australia through project work, recurring subscriptions, and dedicated offshore staff solutions.

Product overview

Zeald is a digital transformation agency offering a portfolio of services for Kiwi and Australian SMEs. Their core offerings include website design and development, ecommerce solutions, digital marketing services (Display, Remarketing, Email/Content Marketing, Search/SEO/Google Ads, Product Syndication, and Conversion Optimization), and software integrations. Their proprietary products include the Mesh integration platform (for connecting business software and automating marketing data feeds) and the Zest Marketplace platform (for collective merchant selling). They also offer the Smart Marketing Program for flexible access to their full service range, and free GEM Websites for businesses starting their digital journey.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zest Marketplace: An online marketplace platform where a collective of merchants come together to promote and sell their products to customers. Includes a Vendor Management System, inbuilt email marketing, and tech support.
• Mesh

Products and services

• Zest Marketplace Online marketplace platform where a collective of merchants come together to promote and sell their products to customers with shared interests; includes a Vendor Management System, inbuilt email marketing, and mobile-optimised checkout. Targeted at business collectives, industry associations, and merchant groups.
• Mesh Business software integration platform that connects different applications and keeps them in sync, automating data flows between systems with fault tolerance and performance monitoring. Builds marketing data feeds for Google Shopping and Facebook Marketplace. Targeted at SMEs using ecommerce, accounting, and inventory systems.
• Website Design and Development Professional website design and development service that builds tailored websites for SMEs in New Zealand and Australia, including ecommerce and lead generation sites.
• Ecommerce Solutions Ecommerce implementation service that helps SMEs sell products online, integrated with Zeald's Mesh platform for software synchronization.
• Digital Marketing Services Comprehensive digital marketing service including Display advertising, Remarketing, Email and Content Marketing, Google Ads and SEO, product syndication to channels like Google Shopping and Facebook, and bottom-of-funnel conversion optimization.
• Smart Marketing Program

Quantifiable outcome

• $2 billion+ in ecommerce revenue generated for clients
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers19 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration5 records

AI capability2 records

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• BNZ (Bank of New Zealand)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2022Digital Cluster Initiative - a joint initiative between Zeald and BNZ for greater economic development through digital transformation in New Zealand. Part of BNZ and Zeald's commitments as founding members of the Digital Boost Alliance Aotearoa. The Zest Marketplace platform forms the foundation of this initiative.
• GooglecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerGoogle Premier Partner status places Zeald in the top 3% of Google's trusted collaborators globally. This partnership enables Zeald to offer certified Google Ads management, access to Google's advertising platforms including Google Shopping and Display Network, and co-marketing opportunities through Google's partner directory.
• ShopifycoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership for ecommerce platform connections. Mesh integration platform connects to Shopify for product data synchronization and automated feeds to marketing channels.
• WooCommercecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership for WordPress/WooCommerce ecommerce platform connections. Mesh integration platform connects to WooCommerce for product data synchronization.
• XerocoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration with Xero accounting software through Mesh platform, enabling automated invoice creation from ecommerce sales and accounting data synchronization.
• Facebook MarketplacecoreTechnology or IntegrationIntegration partnership enabling automatic product loading from ecommerce websites to Facebook Marketplace, supporting dynamic product remarketing.
• Digital Boost AlliancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFounding member of the Digital Boost Alliance Aotearoa, working alongside BNZ and other partners to achieve greater economic development through digital transformation in New Zealand.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Shopify: Dominant SME ecommerce platform with which Zeald integrates (Mesh). Shopify competes with Zeald's ecommerce design/build services while also being a key technology partner, making it both ally and substitute.
• Wix.com: Global DIY website builder with built-in ecommerce, marketing and integrations. Wix targets the same SME segment as Zeald but at a self-serve SaaS price point, making it a partial substitute for Zeald's design + marketing services bundle.
• GoDaddy: End-to-end SME web presence provider combining domain, hosting, website builder and marketing services. Competes with Zeald for SME web design and ongoing digital marketing spend, especially in the lower end of the SME market.
• Sitecore: Enterprise digital experience platform with partner agency ecosystem. Competes for larger end of Zeald's market with broader CMS, personalization and ecommerce capabilities and a global implementation partner network.
• HubSpot: All-in-one CRM, marketing automation and website platform aimed at SMEs. HubSpot's CMS Hub and Marketing Hub overlap directly with Zeald's digital marketing services and Smart Marketing Program subscriptions.
• Squarespace: Design-forward website and ecommerce platform for creatives, retailers and SMEs. Competes with Zeald for SME mindshare in website creation; overlaps with Zeald's ecommerce and design-led positioning.
• Dentsu Creative (NZ/AU): Global advertising and digital transformation group with significant NZ/AU operations. Competes with Zeald on integrated digital marketing, web build and digital transformation mandates for mid-market and enterprise clients in the same geography.

Direct peers

• Webflow: Web-based website design and ecommerce platform competing directly for SME web design and digital marketing workloads. Zeald's web design + Mesh integration offering targets the same buyer that Webflow's no-code CMS+CMS platform addresses, though Zeald layers in services.
• BigCommerce: SME-focused ecommerce platform with strong partner agency program. BigCommerce competes with Zeald's ecommerce design/build business and is comparable in target customer (mid-market SMEs) and integration-heavy value proposition.
• Springload: New Zealand digital design and development agency serving enterprise and government clients. Closest geographic and capability peer to Zeald in NZ, with overlapping services in web design, UX and digital strategy.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ZealdWebsiteDesign
• Facebookfacebook.com/zeald
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zeald
• Instagraminstagram.com/zealdnz
• Xx.com/zeald

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zeald