Hamish Smith

Some more great coverage off the back of the #GlobalSearchAwards win, this is in New Zealand from the Fairfax Media, The Southland Times & #ThePress Stuff, telling the story of Ben McIntyre's journey, teaming up with Dan Sim and taking the world by storm with Kia Ora Digital. One helluva story - congrats Ben, Dan, and the whole team. It's a privilege being part of this SEO 2.0 movement, where it's all about generating revenue from organic search for our eCommerce and SaaS clients worldwide. #EveryConversationIsGold #BuildingAnOrganicRevenueRocketShip #WaitUntilTheTechnologyIsReleasedForKeywordRevenueAnalysis

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Directors - the way decision-makers buy products and services has shifted over the last few years. A LOT... Most of their decision-making is done BEFORE they even speak to your sales team 🕵️‍♂️To prove the point...How do YOU make high-ticket buying decisions? You go to the internet first and learn about options through Social Media, websites & videos. Right? You only speak to a salesperson once you’re reasonably sure what you want The same is true for selling your B2B services online...

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Our subscribers are reading exclusives about Forbes' pre-sale battle with Google, Australia's brilliant men's site, Future's digital plans, the Covid 'hidden' impact on trade shows and Reuters' big launch. Why not subscribe now and join media industry leaders every Friday?https://lnkd.in/eNYM2GAy Flashes & Flames: The Global Media Weekly

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Conversion Rates - An Aussie, A Pom & A Saffa walk into a.... Podcast studio! eCommerce is flooded with half-baked tactics: pointless pop-ups, endless sales, and gimmicks that scream desperation. Brands want loyalty, but all they’re attracting are discount vultures. Sound familiar? Adam and I had a cracking time on the eCommerce Australia Podcast with Ryan Martin , diving into the good, the bad, and the downright painful truths of Conversion Rate Optimisation. If you're sick of the discount-driven, “let’s throw everything at the wall” approach, you’ll want to hear this. If your only way to boost sales is a discount code, your brand’s in trouble. Short-term sales hacks bring in low-value customers and eat at your brand’s credibility. How’s that for a “growth strategy” We dished out practical, no-nonsense tactics to drive sales without sacrificing brand value: • Speak to Customers, Not at Them – Forget the flashy UX, and focus on what customers actually care about. • Cut the Fluff – Stop overcomplicating the journey. Less is more – and every click counts. • Nail Your Product Pages – High-quality images, killer copy, and clear calls to action. It’s not hard, but so many get it wrong. • Optimise for Mobile First – The amount of sales lost to messy mobile layouts is insane. • Upsell Without Discounting – If you think discounts are the only way to boost AOV, it’s time to rethink. We’re talking bundles and targeted upsells that actually make sense. Big shoutout to Ryan for letting us have a rant. Want to dig in? Check the comments for links to YouTube, iTunes, and Spotify P.S. remember to sort by most recent to find the hidden comments ;)

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Our team at MediaFAI Pty Ltd revolutionised the way rapid brand compliant media is created for all businesses, from side hustles scalable all the way to multinational franchises. Now we've cracked scalable brand engagement 💪 🤫 Let your customers inform you what they're looking for, without them even knowing. 🎯 Target your customers far more efficiently, closing the elusive last mile - and even creating it in many instances. 🛍️ Increase engagement between your customers and your brand, leading to more awareness and sales. 🪄 Control the entire process from media to happy customer! Combined with decades of expertise in developing intuitive low-configuration products, your brand ⇄ customer relationship is about to be accelerated 🚀🚀And it’s exciting to watch how we're going to improve your staffing very soon 🤫 Take your customers back from your competitiors - get in touch! #MediaFAI #Marketing #SaaS #Startup #Queensland #AdTech #Innovation #BrandEngagement

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🌟 Exciting news in Australian tech! 🌟 Cyan and Collis Ta’eed, co-founders of Envato, have achieved a $375.2 million exit as Shutterstock acquires their company. Envato, a marketplace for creatives, was built from scratch without external funding, proving you can build a massive business and a fulfilling life. 🌐 Key Highlights: $375.2M exit with Shutterstock acquiring Envato. Co-founded by Cyan, a notable female entrepreneur. Bootstrapped success, no external funding. Continued focus on work-life balance and philanthropic efforts. Cyan and Collis remain directors, with Cyan continuing to inspire women in tech. This story highlights the power of innovation and dedication. 🚀👩‍💼 Inspire future women entrepreneurs with “When I’m an Entrepreneur” https://ow.ly/MF4Q50SmWaN Read more: https://ow.ly/ROAa50SmWaM #TechNews #FemaleFounders #Entrepreneurship #Innovation #Envato #Shutterstock

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Sea, Sand, Stories Being a founder or aspiring founder can be so isolating, so the combo of your environment + community is key. When I started Newsary, I had an obsession to solve a problem, a vision of how we could use AI differently to solve that problem and an eight month old. So the beginnings were as lonely as they were hectic. There are many many times when sleep-deprived and bordering burn out, the thoughts it'd be more sensible to go back to the stability and salary predictability of a 9-to-5 crept in my mind. In these moments, I put my running shoes and head to Bondi via Bronte and Tamarama. I have never been a great runner - I like how it makes me feel after, hate the part where I have to run. But on the Bondi to Coogee walk, I hear the waves, see faster runners, and I keep going. When I go back, I'm tomato-red, out of breath but more determined than ever. Because if founders are the sum of the five people they spend the most time building with, our happy place also influences us. Being near water has been found to positively impact mental health, wellbeing, and productivity. As an expat, there are many reasons why I chose Bondi as a home when we first got to Australia almost six years ago. And becoming a mum, and a Founder have just exacerbated that feeling of sheer luck, gratitude, and grounding from taking in the sound and the views daily. Little did I know Bondi is also an epicenter for innovation. I'm incredibly excited to be part of Bondi Innovation's vibrant community of entrepreneurs, VCs, and change-makers working on making Bondi epicenter where innovation meets lifestyle. Thanks for the opportunity to talk more about Newsary in what is my most relaxed interview - if you needed another proof of the numerous "blue space" benefits. Here's to the sea, the sand, and stories of innovation 📣 P.S. If you are a founder, VC, or change-maker in the eastern suburbs check out Bondi Innovation! #founderjourney #bondi #Australianstartup #startupstory

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We've all had them, the annoying, ill-timed or irrelevant 'how did we do survey'. A short except from my work husband Gareth Brock's article for Mediaweek Australia on why brands must stop mistaking information for intimacy. Link to the full article in the comments #brandactivation #data #measurement #actionableintelligence

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Scaling isn’t just about resources—it’s about networks with “boots on the ground” insight. Startup ecosystems like French Tech Australia (FT AU) connect founders to mentors, resources, and markets, offering local knowledge that is crucial for expansion. These networks lend credibility, open doors, and provide on-the-ground insights to navigate new markets with confidence. From strategic partnerships to market access, ecosystems are invaluable in a startup’s journey from local success to global presence. Tip: Use your ecosystem’s resources proactively—growth is faster with the right boots on the ground. How has your network helped you scale? Share your experiences below! 👇 https://lnkd.in/gmuYeYDB #StartupGrowth #ScaleUp #BusinessNetworking #GlobalExpansion #StartupCommunity #EcosystemSupport #InnovationHub #EntrepreneurTips #MentorshipMatters #CrossBorderBusiness Resumption - Sales, Marketing, and Operations Consulting

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Why your next marketing campaign needs a podcast... Podcasts offer a unique way to humanise your brand and create intimate connections with your audience. Wondering how to use podcasts in your next marketing campaign? Here are a few strategies to consider: 1. Provide educational and actionable content Provide your audience with enough expertise, advice and value to establish a relationship built on trust and understanding. When they're ready to take the next step, your business will be first in mind. 2. Showcase BTS content Podcasts provide an excellent insight into the inner workings of a business, it gives you chance to display your culture and ethos in a real, believable way...so no more 'our culture is amazing' posts will be needed on socials... 3. Host Q&A episodes with your audience There's no better way to get people engaged and involved with what you do than to ask for their input, and boy do people love sharing their opinions and thoughts! If you've been thinking about podcasting for your business, drop me a DM and we can go through the hundred of other ideas and tricks I have up my sleeve! #podcastideas #podcastingforbusiness #businesspodcast #videomarketing #audiomarketing #humanbrand #allaboutpeople #culture #behindthescenes #contentcreation #marketingcampaign

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Where does a side hustle idea come from? I spoke to axel sukianto who founded Generate, a fast-growing community of over 400 ANZ marketing professionals. I'll be sharing more of Axel's experience over the next couple of weeks, including topics like: - What was the most effective unscalable thing he did to get Generate running? - What goes into building an authentic, helpful community - Where does a side hustle idea originate? - The one piece of concrete advice he has for others looking to create their own side hustle. Follow me & hit the 🔔 under my LinkedIn profile banner 😄

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What’s more effective? Broadcast or digital? This year, I worked with Commercial Communications Council in partnership with Tracksuit to analyse the Aotearoa Effectiveness Database and learn what makes for effective advertising here in Aotearoa New Zealand. One of the insights was that leading with digital and social channels works *slightly* harder when we’re seeking to convert the current demand in our category and drive immediate or near-term sales. But that leading with broadcast channels works *much* harder when we’re seeking to create future demand and drive long term brand and business growth. ‘Broadcast’ channels are defined as those that reach a lot of people, with the same content, at the same time – channels like TV, radio, outdoor and press. ‘Digital’ channels are those that can also reach a lot of people – but do so in a much more targeted, individualised way – channels like paid search and social, online video and online display. Both types of channel are effective – just at different things. Converting current demand and creating future demand are equally important – but they require different creative and media strategies. Download and read the full ‘Future Demand in Action’ report – link in the comments.

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**A new quarter is about to knock! Are you ready?** With the new quarter starting tomorrow, realistically there are just 10 weeks left for effective marketing in Australia & New Zealand before the year wraps up. Here's your quick action plan for this week: ✅Partner up: Lock in those co-marketing commitments ASAP. ✅Go digital: Turn on your digital campaigns now - you’ll be switching them off all too soon so make each day count. ✅Start the agenda/theme conversations: Event season concludes the 14 November (if you want enough time for sales to follow up on leads) so commit to those agendas so you can move on to venue hire. Don't let the year-end rush catch you off guard. A solid plan this week means a strong finish to 2024. #marketingstrategy #techmarketing #tech #partnermarketing #b2bmarketing

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I had a great conversation with my mate Amy Sutton at the amazing Australia-based B Corp agency weareanthologie.com about why there is so much skepticism around AI offerings like gotomarketmaven.com It's a mix of many things: hype. fear. resentment. denial. disbelief. not-invented-here. "I could do that myself." It's true that generative AI is an Ouroboros. It just regurgitates existing know-how rather than innovate. I don't care. It doesn't matter — at least in terms of the Go-to-Market Maven use cases. I can tap the AI assistants that leverage 30 years and literally 00s of brand, marketing, campaign, go-to-market and sales enablement projects. Because the background work for a good campaign / sales / marketing playbook isn't where the innovation happens. It's a cold, data-driven, pragmatic, analytical job and AI can do it faster and better than you or I can. Period. Market assessment, competitive positioning, segmentation and personas, messaging isn't a "creative" exercise. The playbook feeds the creative and makes it precise, focused, consistent, rooted in a core positioning idea for distinctiveness and differentiation. Sorry, not sorry: "AI with human-in-the-loop" beats "human at a desk", in this instance, every time. You either ride it or get trampled.

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On a Shakedown call (our clever branded name for a discovery call) recently, a prospective client asked how we're 'different' at Brandshake. Here's how. 💥 We're a very small team of Sydney-based experts who want to do great work with good brands and even better people. That’s why our prices are accessible, while our work AND work ethic is outstanding. 💥 We're strictly no-BS. We’re transparent in our approach and you’ll know exactly what to expect from us at all times. Our approach is guided by strategy and data, backed by bloody good design, content and copy. 💥 We’re proud to shake sh*t up, but we’re measured and commerical about it. We get to know your business intimately. If you’re a retainer client, we’ll likely have fortnightly WIPs and send monthly reports, too. 💥 The vast majority of our business comes from referral or repeat business and we have a (sky) high retention rate. We’re external long-term marketing and creative partners. When you partner with us for the first time, chances are, we’ll work together again and again. Lucky us, lucky you! I'd need a long elevator ride to get through that, but how'd I do? Kate Hoefnagels any notes for next pitch? 📝 If you need a marketing, strategy, copy or design partner - let's grab a coffee ☕️ #Brandshake #ContentMarketing #SmallBusiness #BusinessOwner #SmallBusinessGrowth #SydneyMarketingAgency

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Startup founders and supporters Startup Muster the only comprehensive survey of Australian startups and their supporters. The survey reaches throughout the ecosystem to count every person that contributes to supporting founders and startups 🎉 Calling all diverse founders - we need you and your voices and experiences to be seen and heard 📣 We can’t measure what we can’t see and we can’t change what we don’t know - this survey is so important ✊🏼 Fill in the survey today 📝https://startupmuster.com #startup #diversity #entrepreneur #founder #culturaldiversity String Nguyen Mikaela Jade FTSE Dor Akech Achiek Nirary Dacho 🌏 Usman Iftikhar UNSW Founders UTS Startups

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Always good chatting to Jeremy Maggs. Here's the link to our discussion on Hot Business with Moneyweb about the downfalls of short-term thinking and making sure you're measuring the right things when it comes to your marketing spend. At its absolute simplest: >> Without attention, brands don't grow << A simple but fundamental thought that our Group of Companies at M&C Saatchi Group South Africa are orientated around.

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Most agencies are scared to create a specialised offer and double down on it. I get that it feels like robbing Peter to pay Paul. The idea of excluding a large portion of the market to generate income feels foreign to agencies that have built their business by offering any service to everyone. But things are changing. Buyers no longer want generalist agencies that “dabble” (they’ve been burned too many times). They want specialists who solve specific problems and deliver tangible results. Having a specialised offering makes marketing simpler, shortens sales cycles, and streamlines delivery. It makes running an agency a lot easier. When agency founders ask me how to scale their agency these days.... This is my advice: - Define the problem your ideal client has - Double down on the things you're expectational - Turn them into a tangible offer - Start pressure testing it in the market and refine based on feedback Want more info on how to build a specialised agency offer? 🔗 in comments

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🎬 New Episode Alert! 🎬 This week on The Growth Cartel's Weekly Wrap, we dove into the latest insights on startup investments and the importance of diversity in leadership. 📊 The release of the Cut Through Venture's report and its impact on the Australian startup ecosystem 👩‍💼 Why diversity in leadership is not just important but essential for driving innovation and success in the startup world. 🚀 Watch the full conversation for even more on AI, Quantum tech, and major investments shaping the future! We cover the biggest developments of the week, what we have coming up and you won’t want to miss it. 👉 Catch the full episode here and stay up-to-date with all things startups, funding, and leadership: 📺 YouTube - https://lnkd.in/gV3vb3cb 🎧 Spotify - https://lnkd.in/gzUMQVH7 🍎 Apple - https://lnkd.in/gg_wuMQ3 #InvestmentTrends #Diversity #Leadership #GrowthCartel #StartupCommunity #Innovation #CutThroughVentures

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