Digital Marketing News
Small Business Grants in Australia That Can Fund Marketing
How to find and apply for small business grants in Australia, what they can pay for, and when marketing can be part of a funded project.
What is digital marketing? It’s any marketing that reaches people through the internet and digital devices: search engines, websites, social media, email, online ads and apps. For a small business, digital marketing means being found when people search, showing up where your customers spend time online, and turning that attention into calls, bookings and sales you can measure.
What does digital marketing mean?
Digital marketing is the online side of marketing. Traditional marketing reaches people through print, radio, TV, signs and letterboxes; digital marketing reaches them on their phones and computers. The goal is the same (more of the right customers), but digital channels have two big advantages for small businesses: you can target people by location, interests or what they’re searching for, and you can measure what each channel brings in.
A simple digital marketing definition: promoting a business through online channels, and using data from those channels to improve the results.
What are the main types of digital marketing?
These are the digital marketing techniques most businesses use:
| Channel | What it is | Good for |
|---|---|---|
| Search engine optimisation (SEO) | Improving your website so it ranks higher in Google’s free results | Being found by people already searching for what you do |
| Pay-per-click (PPC) advertising | Paid ads, such as Google Ads, where you pay when someone clicks | Fast, targeted traffic for specific services or offers |
| Social media marketing | Posting and advertising on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn and others | Building awareness, trust and a community |
| Content marketing | Useful articles, videos and guides that answer customers’ questions | Trust, SEO and showing expertise |
| Email marketing | Newsletters and automated emails to people who have opted in | Repeat business and nurturing leads |
| Local search | Your Google Business Profile, reviews and maps listing | Being found by people nearby |
| Website and conversion | A fast, clear site with obvious calls to action | Turning visitors into enquiries |
Most businesses don’t need every channel. The right mix depends on how your customers look for you.
What does digital marketing mean for a small business?
For a small business, digital marketing is less about doing everything and more about doing the few things that bring in work. For most local businesses, that starts with:
- A website that works on phones and makes it easy to call, book or enquire.
- A complete Google Business Profile with photos, services and reviews.
- SEO for your main services and towns, so you show up when people search.
- One or two social media channels your customers actually use, kept active.
- Tracking, so you know which of these brings in enquiries.
Paid ads, email marketing and content can then build on that foundation.
How to do digital marketing
Whether you do it yourself or with an agency, the process is similar:
- Know your customer. Who are they, what problem do they have, and what do they search for?
- Set a goal you can measure, such as enquiries, bookings or online sales each month.
- Choose your channels based on where those customers look.
- Fix the foundations: your website, Google Business Profile and tracking.
- Create content and campaigns that answer customers’ questions and give them a reason to act.
- Measure and adjust every month: keep what works, change what doesn’t.
Common digital marketing terms explained
What does SEO mean in digital marketing?
SEO stands for search engine optimisation: improving your website’s content, structure and reputation so it appears higher in Google’s unpaid results. Our plain-English guide to SEO explains it in more detail.
What does CPC mean in digital marketing?
CPC means cost per click: what you pay each time someone clicks your ad. On Google Ads, the cost per click depends on how many advertisers compete for the same search and how relevant your ad is.
What does CTR mean in digital marketing?
CTR means click-through rate: the percentage of people who see your ad or search listing and click it. If 1,000 people see your listing and 30 click, your CTR is 3%. Our guide on how to increase click-through rate covers ways to lift it.
What does retargeting mean in digital marketing?
Retargeting (or remarketing) shows ads to people who have already visited your website or engaged with your social pages, reminding them to come back. It needs a tracking pixel or tag on your site, and your privacy policy should say you use one.
What are digital marketers?
Digital marketers are the people who plan and run online marketing. Some specialise (an SEO specialist, a Google Ads manager, a social media manager, a content writer); others are generalists who manage several channels. A small business might have one person in-house, hire an agency, or use a mix. Our article on in-house marketing vs outsourcing compares the options.
What does digital marketing cost?
It depends on the channels and how much is done for you. As a guide, here are our own prices:
- SEO: from $1,000 + GST a month, with no lock-in contract.
- Social media management: from $1,500 + GST a month for one platform.
- Google Ads management: a management fee plus your ad spend, which is paid to Google.
- Marketing partnerships: from $4,500 + GST a month for 28 hours of work across channels, including SEO, Google Ads, social media, email and content.
How we approach digital marketing
We start with what you want more of (calls, bookings, sales) and where your customers look, then recommend the fewest channels that will get you there. We set up tracking first, so every month you can see what each channel brought in, and we review the plan with you at a monthly meeting. If one channel is all you need for now, we’ll tell you.
Frequently asked questions
Is digital marketing better than traditional marketing?
Not better, but easier to target and measure. Many regional businesses still get results from radio, print or signage, and strong plans often combine both, with digital channels tracking the response.
Can I do digital marketing myself?
Yes, especially the basics: your Google Business Profile, a few social posts a week and asking for reviews. As it grows, many owners hand some or all of it to a specialist so they can focus on the business.
How long does digital marketing take to work?
Paid ads can bring traffic as soon as they’re live. SEO and content take longer to build. Our article on how long SEO takes explains why.
What is the most important digital marketing channel?
For most local businesses, being found on Google (your website, SEO and Google Business Profile) comes first, because those people are already looking for what you offer.
The short version
Digital marketing is marketing through online channels such as search, social media, email and ads, measured with data. For a small business, start with a good website, your Google Business Profile and SEO, then add channels where your customers are, and track what each one brings in.
If you’d like help working out which channels suit your business, book a free 30-minute discovery call.
