Get found locally and grow without a big budget

Marketing & Growth

Pick the part of marketing that needs attention today: finding your first customers, getting discovered, improving the website or encouraging people to return. Build from a clear plan and measure what happens.

01 06

Make a plan and find the first customers

Decide who you're trying to reach and what you're asking them to do. Then choose a manageable set of activities.

5 guides

  1. Small business marketing in Australia: a practical plan

    Choose marketing channels that fit your small business, set a budget you can measure, and follow a practical 90-day plan for finding and keeping customers.

    5 min read

  2. How to Write a Simple Marketing Plan (One-Page Template)

    How to write a simple marketing plan for small business: a one-page template with goal, ideal customer, three channels, budget, measures and 90-day calendar.

    9 min read

  3. How to Get Your First 10 Customers (Without Spending on Ads)

    How to get your first 10 customers without ads: a warm-outreach script, founding-customer offers, Google Business Profile, partnerships and referrals.

    10 min read

  4. 15 Cheap Marketing Ideas for Small Businesses (Under $100)

    Fifteen low-cost marketing ideas that work for Australian small businesses — Google Business Profile, referrals, partnerships, email and more — with the how-to.

    8 min read

  5. Networking and Referrals: A 30-Second Pitch That Works

    Ditch the cringey elevator pitch. A plain-English guide to networking in Australia and turning happy customers into a steady stream of referrals.

    8 min read
02 06

Build a clear website and brand

Help visitors understand what you offer and how to take the next step. Compare the costs before deciding what to build yourself.

4 guides

  1. Branding on a Budget: Logo, Colours and Name for Under $500

    Build a small business brand for under $500 in Australia. What to DIY in Canva, when to pay a designer, the brand kit checklist and real 2026-27 costs.

    9 min read

  2. How Much Does a Small Business Website Cost in Australia?

    What a small business website costs in Australia in 2026: DIY builder, freelancer and agency price bands, plus .com.au domain, hosting, email and upkeep.

    9 min read

  3. How to Build a Small Business Website (DIY Guide)

    Build a small business website yourself: the 5 pages you need, Squarespace vs Wix vs Shopify vs WordPress, getting a .com.au domain, and a launch checklist.

    11 min read

  4. SEO Basics for Small Business Websites (No Jargon)

    SEO basics for small business websites in plain English: how Google ranks you, page structure, titles, speed, links, reviews and spotting SEO scams.

    9 min read
03 06

Help local customers find and trust you

Work through your Google listing, local search and reviews as connected jobs. Keep the business details and customer experience consistent.

4 guides

  1. How to List Your Business on Google for Free (Step by Step)

    How to list your business on Google for free in 2026: set up your Google Business Profile step by step, get verified and manage it from Search or Maps.

    8 min read

  2. Google Business Profile: List Your Business on Google Free

    Claim, verify and optimise your free Google Business Profile so local customers find you: categories, photos, posts, reviews and the mistakes that sink rankings.

    8 min read

  3. Local SEO for Small Business: The Complete Guide

    Local SEO for small business explained: how the map pack works, Google's three ranking factors, suburb pages, reviews, Australian directories and tracking.

    10 min read

  4. Customer Reviews: How to Get Them and Handle Bad Ones

    The reviews playbook: how to ask so customers actually leave one, templates for handling bad reviews, and the ACCC rules that now carry $100m penalties.

    9 min read
04 06

Give people a reason to come back

Useful content and follow-up give existing customers another reason to hear from you. Start with what they need, then choose the format.

6 guides

  1. Content Marketing for Small Business: Blogging That Actually Works

    Content marketing for small business, minus the fluff: how to pick topics customers actually search, write one useful article a month and measure it.

    9 min read

  2. Email Marketing for Small Business: The Audience You Actually Own

    Build an email list from zero, stay legal under the Spam Act, and send emails customers actually read. A plain-English guide for Australian small business.

    9 min read

  3. 12 Months of Email Newsletter Ideas for Small Business

    Stuck on what to send? 12 monthly newsletter themes any Australian small business can use, plus subject line formulas and outlines for three business types.

    9 min read

  4. Customer Retention: How to Keep Customers Coming Back

    Customer retention strategies for Australian small businesses: the follow-up system, loyalty offers, reactivation emails and how to measure repeat rate.

    8 min read

  5. Referral Program Ideas That Work for Local Businesses

    Referral program ideas for Australian small businesses: what to reward, when to ask, how to track it without software, and the rules that catch people out.

    9 min read

  6. How to Get Free Media Coverage for Your Small Business

    How to get free media coverage for your small business in Australia: what journalists actually want, the one-paragraph pitch email, and where to find them.

    10 min read
05 06

Choose social channels and test advertising

Know the audience, offer and budget before launching a campaign. Keep the rules about claims and advertising alongside the channel guides.

4 guides

  1. Instagram for Small Business: A Practical Guide

    How to use Instagram for a small business in Australia: who it works for, profile setup, what to post, hashtags in 2026, DMs and a cadence you can keep.

    9 min read

  2. Google Ads for Small Business: When It's Worth It (and When Not)

    Is Google Ads worth it for a small business in Australia? Realistic cost per click, the cost-per-lead maths, minimum budget, setup basics and when SEO wins.

    10 min read

  3. Facebook and Instagram Ads for Small Business: A Beginner's Guide

    How to run Facebook and Instagram ads for a small business in Australia: real costs, minimum setup, audiences, creative, budgets and tracking real leads.

    10 min read

  4. False Advertising Penalties in Australia: Up to $100 Million

    Misleading or deceptive conduct under the Australian Consumer Law: current maximum penalties, what you can't claim, recent cases and a 10-point self-audit.

    8 min read
06 06

Measure results and choose outside help

Connect spending to customer results before deciding what to increase or outsource. Use the agency checklist when comparing proposals.

2 guides

  1. Customer Acquisition Cost vs ROAS: Track Marketing Profit

    Learn how to calculate customer acquisition cost and ROAS, reconcile ad reports with real sales, and set a marketing budget using contribution and cash flow.

    5 min read

  2. How to choose a digital marketing agency for small business

    Compare marketing agencies by scope, total cost, account ownership and useful results. Includes a briefing checklist and a worked example for comparing quotes.

    5 min read

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