Whether you’re a startup, small business or a large corporation, there are nine essential rules of engagement you must understand when working with the Australian media and securing coverage for your business, writes Kathryn Goater and Anthony Caruana, Co-CEO and Co-Founders of Media-Wize. If you’re not willing to accept all of these, then PR and earned media is not for you. It is best to stick with advertising, sponsored content and marketing.   1. Everything is on the record  The golden rule is if you don’t want it to appear in print, then don’t say it. PRs and compa ..read more

It is often said that small business is the engine room of the economy. We want to make sure that small and family business can fire on all cylinders – not have a cylinder taken out, explains Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson. We need to get the risk and reward balance right, make small business and entrepreneurship a really attractive option for people, then create a supportive ecosystem to give enterprising people the best chance to be successful. There’s a lot of things coming ‘at’ the small business community. We seem to be perpetually involved in ..read more

  For many small business owners, choosing a payment provider is like going to the mechanic with no knowledge of cars, writes Chris Dahl, Co-CEO, Pin Payments. The plethora of options, technical jargon, and pricing complexities can be overwhelming and difficult to understand. Likewise, payments can consist of differing fees, rates, and options, which people are often unaware of. Understanding these differences can have a significant impact on your business’s bottom line. So, how can you cut through the jargon and understand what’s important? Here’s a step-by-step guide to h ..read more

  Google isn’t just a big server farm funnelling queries from around the world back to users. They employ over 16,000 human Search Quality Raters to determine page quality and whether the needs of users are met, explains Tom Valcanis, copywriting expert from I Sell Words. These raters speak over 80 languages and 4,000 of them are based in the Asia-Pacific region. They will sort pages into types, purpose, intent, and then figure out if the page is deliberately spammy, harmful, or ideally, what a user is looking for when they type in a search query. “Websites and pages should be created to ..read more

  Four years ago, I would never have used the word ‘spiritual’ in an article for business owners. Then again, four years ago, Prince Harry was still a prince and Corona was a beer. The world has changed.  And we’ve known that fulfilling spiritual needs is important in customer service for centuries writes Jaquie Scammell the award-winning author of The Future of Service is 5D, Service Habits (2nd edn) and Service Mindset.  I always think of the quote from American philosopher John Dewey: ‘The deepest urge in human nature is the desire to be important’. Of course, with the satura ..read more

In today’s digital landscape, where competition is fierce and attention spans are shorter than ever, ensuring your website, landing pages and digital content are optimised for conversions is crucial, explains digital marketing expert Adam Stewart, founder of Digital Bond Marketing. However, numerous businesses fall into common pitfalls that can significantly hinder their conversion rates. But by understanding and addressing these errors, you can enhance user experience, boost engagement, and ultimately, increase conversions on your digital platforms. 7 conversion mistakes to avoid Ignoring mob ..read more

  “TikTok is for young people …TikTok is for lip-syncing and dancing… TikTok is not for ‘serious’ brands… TikTok is a fad!”   If you had asked me about TikTok just 10 months ago, I would have probably echoed these sentiments, says Madelene Ragno, Owner & Head Strategist of MADE. Marketing However, as of the beginning of 2024, my perspective has shifted. TikTok has not only changed my life but has also transformed my agency in ways I never imagined possible. In just a few months, it has nearly tripled my monthly turnover, brought in high-quality clients, and led to paid deals with ..read more

There’s been a surge in small and family business owners seeking support as economic conditions worsen. Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Bruce Billson writes that free financialadvice, business know-how, and mental health help is available. The latest economic report card will be no surprise to small business owners. Economic growth is barely limping along, with GDP rising by 0.2 per cent in the December quarter and running at just 1.5 per cent for the year. The combination of sluggish growth, persistently poor productivity, tight labour markets, supply chain challenge ..read more

  Imposter syndrome is commonly thought of as the feeling of being inadequate and a fraud despite a reputation for success at work, explains Charlotte Blair, but it doesn’t have to be that way. We all have moments when we think ‘I shouldn’t be here’, whereby your brain conspires against you, making you ‘feel’ like you are out of control, and you end up catastrophising things. Dr Gail Matthews, professor of psychology at Dominican University of California, conducted research on the prevalence of imposter syndrome and found that about seventy per cent of respondents experienced imposter fee ..read more

  Nick Brogden, the founder of Earned Media, shares advice on why building an engaged online community can help turn your brand from a simple startup into a household name.  Community building has always been one of the main factors determining a brand’s success. While the structure of a brand community has clearly evolved through the years, gatherings have only moved from face-to-face focus group discussions in boardrooms to Facebook groups and Telegram threads.  What are the benefits of building an online community?  Many of today’s businesses can attribute their success ..read more