helium

Strike a pose, there's nothing to it.

Mon, 30 Mar 2026 03:02:50 GMT

When Anna Wintour took the reins as editor of Vogue in 1988, she began what would become a hugely successful 30-year tenure.

At the time, the magazine had grown increasingly niche and was in decline. Her vision was to make it more relevant and approachable.

To revive circulation and by extension, advertising revenue, she wanted high fashion to reach working women, not just the wives of wealthy men. So she changed the images.

Gone were the static, highly controlled, indoor studio portraits. Models became idealised versions of the women Vogue wanted to reach with shots set in the real world. A woman hailing a cab. Carrying a coffee in heels. Briefcase in hand. Moving with purpose through the city.

There was energy and momentum. A sense of life beyond the page.

Whatever else is said about Anna Wintour, one thing is undeniable: she understands the power of an image. She knows it instantly signal who you are speaking to, and who you are for. In fact, high fashion mixed with street style is so standard now across the board, it is hard to imagine it was ever groundbreaking.

We apply this principle to clients’ work all the time.

I’ve lost count of the meetings where executive leaders say:

“We need to convey a global presence”
“We want more women on the team.”
“No one knows how closely we work with Indigenous communities.”
“We want the bigger projects we are capable of”

You could have fooled me from their website. The images tell a completely different story. They often reflect where the organisation has been, not where it is going.

If you want to attract a different audience, your visuals need to catch up. People decide in an instant whether something is meant for them.

I’ve watched businesses grind away for years with complex strategies. And I’ve seen others move forward fast, simply by sending the right signals.

Change the images.

Change the signal.

Change who you attract, both staff and clients.

Then watch what happens. It’s almost embarrassingly simple.

It worked for Vogue and it will work for you.

The Red Dress is Tight Now

Fri, 23 Jan 2026 03:12:38 GMT

You’re invited.

You head to your wardrobe and pull out the dress: the one reserved for fabulous occasions. You slip it on quickly, just to check shoes and earrings.

The zip sticks.

Then you realise.

It doesn’t quite fit.

How did that happen?! When did the weight creep up?

At this point, you have only a few choices; and which one you choose depends on three things: time, severity, and money.

This calculation takes seconds.

If you can’t even get the dress on and the event is getting close, you have no choice but to go up a size. You solve the problem with money. That is, go shopping for a new dress.

If it fits but looks tight, and you still have a couple of weeks, the solution is simple. Eat lighter, walk more, try it on again in a week, and you’ll probably be fine.

But if you’ve gone up a full size, AND the event is next week, AND you don’t have the budget to buy a great dress—now you have a real problem. You could pull in a favour from a friend, or you could not go at all.

There are always options.

But what you can’t do is crash-diet on the day of the event and expect to drop a size. And you also can’t walk into a boutique demanding help for a special new dress if you have no money to pay for it.

Unfortunately, this last couple of scenarios is where many businesses live.

They neglect their marketing for a year or more, leave it until they desperately need leads, and then discover they have no budget. Enter the agency or freelancer who hasn’t yet learned to qualify properly, making promises they can’t keep, hoping enthusiasm will make up for the lack of fundamentals.

It won’t. You cannot defy the laws of time and physics.

What you can do is make up for lost time with money—through ad spend or external help. But like buying a dress in the next size, this only covers up the problem. It’s a temporary fix.

In an ideal world, you do the right things consistently—so when opportunity comes, you’re not scrambling.

You’re ready.

And you’re dazzling.

Fishing For Herring in Lancelin.

Wed, 07 Jan 2026 04:12:31 GMT

Fishing for herring in Lancelin .

And why whiting was more important than work .

I was sitting across from him in his Malaga office. On paper, everything was going well… I passionately outlined what the next stage of growth would look like, and what we would need from him or his people to execute the strategy. He stared out the window and into the carpark, where his 4-wheel drive sat next to a 50-metre-high industrial shed.

“Not everyone wants to be a tycoon,” he suddenly said.

“Sorry, what was that, Rod?” I replied.

He looked me in the eye. “I just want to knock off on Thursday night and go fishing for herring in Lancelin.”

Fair enough.

I hadn’t understood what kind of business he wanted. I was marketing him like a maniac, driving what I thought was a performance business. Rod wanted a lifestyle business. The only thing he was firing up was the engine on the tinnie.

I was in my early 20s then, working for an agency that was at the top of its game. I assumed everyone was hungry. I no longer make that mistake, and hopefully I pick up better on cues now so clients don’t have to spell things out to me so plainly.

Of course, Rod (and anyone else) can do whatever he wants. There’s nothing wrong with a lifestyle business. But at Helium, our energy is limited and valuable.

We do our best work with clients who want momentum, not maintenance, and who are prepared to show up for the change they say they want.

If that’s you, talk to us about partnering for growth in 2026.

Kind regards,

Lessons From a Failed Campaign

Wed, 03 Dec 2025 02:00:53 GMT

Lessons from a failed campaign.

It was nomination time for the next year’s Head Students and Prefects at Churchlands Senior High School.

My sister Kylee had been Head Girl two years before me. No doubt assuming we were cut from the same cloth, a few teachers hinted that I should nominate too.

I wasn’t sure: Flagpole Duty in the quadrangle seemed like a bore, and I was more focused on studying to get into uni than organising the school ball. But I had watched Kylee use the Head Girl badge as a golden ticket to get out of anything unpleasant. Athletics carnival? Double Maths?

“Head Girl duties.”

A free pass. So I nominated.

Then, with a week of campaigning and voting left and before the official announcement at assembly, I overheard two teachers talking...

While eavesdropping, I learned that, as it stood, I wasn’t in the running.

Not Head Girl. Not even a mere prefect.

How embarrassing.

Did I ramp up my efforts in that last week? Did I develop a better pitch for the final stint? No. There was only one thing to do: Get ahead of the Story. For the next week, I casually told anyone within reach that I had “withdrawn.”

“I went down to the front office and told them I was out.”

“I really don’t know why I let them pressure me into it.”

“I just realised I didn’t want to do it.”

Bold faced lies. Pretending I hadn’t wanted the opportunity felt easier than admitting I’d put myself forward and not been chosen. These days, I am less fragile and able to move towards growth in those kinds of moments. But I do understand that marketing can feel like that.

You put your idea, your name, your business or service out there. And wait.

You can feel a little exposed. You hope the market responds well. And if not, it’s hard not to feel the sting of rejection.

The truth is, marketing requires a little courage.

You must put something into the market before you know how it will land. But unlike the 17-year-old me, you don’t need to protect your pride or rewrite the story. When the market speaks, we need to listen: and respond. We dust ourselves off, test, measure, adjust, and refine.

And get up again.

Kind regards,

Kindness and ethical business at Helium

Thu, 06 Nov 2025 06:41:45 GMT

Quarter Strength (Walls), Half Strength (Trim).

For years, when doing odd jobs around the house or for others, my dad has had a habit that I’ve always found moving.

He’ll leave a note, scribble on the back of a spare tile, or jot down the name of a wallpaper or paint shade: little bits of information to make life easier for the person who might come after him. He’ll also avoid shortcuts, like using glue instead of screws, simply so it’s easier “for the next guy”.

It moves me because it’s such a quiet form of kindness. A gentle consideration for a future hypothetical person he’ll probably never meet.

As a team, we try to apply this thinking to guide the work we do now.

Projects, branding, ad campaigns, websites… None of it is a worthwhile investment if its longevity does not extend beyond our involvement.

Henry Ford supposedly said he would give away new cars if all parts and repairs were done at Ford dealers. And there are plenty of websites built with unnecessary proprietary coding that have adapted the lucrative Ford model.

Ethical business may mean we leave money on the table. But we value building work that lasts, work that is understandable, maintainable, and genuinely useful long after we’re out of the picture.

I aspire to carry forward even a fraction of my dad's thoughtful care for others in everything I do. It's a work in progress.

Kind regards,

"Can you tell me how to get to the train station?"

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 06:24:55 GMT

Stand tall like Paul.

Paul is that guy.

Whether he’s unshaven at the weekend markets buying bread, or walking back to his office still in his robes after a morning in the Melbourne law courts — he’s the one people stop to ask for directions. Quiet and reserved, he gives off an air of “I know the way.” You could trust him with your life. I’ve called him myself in a crisis once or twice, when I needed calm, capable guidance. He just knows what to do.

Paul is my cousin’s husband. In his case, the label matches the product. People’s first impressions — that he’s capable and trustworthy — are entirely accurate. But how do strangers pick up on that?

“How can they tell?” my cousin and I once wondered.
“Maybe it’s because he’s tall,” I offered.
“It even happened in a village in Italy!” she replied.

First impressions aren’t superficial: they’re signals waiting to be noticed. And your brand is the same.

Paul never tries to convince anyone he knows what he’s doing. He just embodies it. Credibility comes from the confidence a track record brings. Paul’s composure makes him dependable in a crisis. Likewise, brands earn authority when they stay steady: the same tone, same values, same reliability. Leave the chopping and changing for new businesses who are still finding their place.

Does your brand stand tall like Paul? Do your clients sense they’re in capable hands? If you are unsure how to strengthen your brands’ trust signals,  let’s have a chat .

Kind regards,

It was brutal.

Tue, 14 Oct 2025 02:23:23 GMT

One of my friends owned an iconic Perth home with architectural significance.

While the brutalist design was an impeccable example of its kind, appreciating a modernist home and wanting to live in it are two different things.

When it came time to sell, my friend went big. She launched an all-out campaign. A PR agency was engaged, and soon the property was featured in national design publications, weekend newspapers, and lifestyle media. Home opens became full-blown productions: a vintage Jaguar on the lawn, a character actor weaving through guests, mid-century furniture staged to perfection, and timed presentations educating attendees on the architect’s legacy.

From a metrics perspective, it was a runaway success. Social reach was strong, earned media coverage was impressive, and foot traffic was in the hundreds.

Did it sell? Nope.

Not one offer came through. The audience it attracted loved the aesthetic, but they weren’t in the market to buy. They were architecture students, design hobbyists, curious neighbours.

After months of financial investment and energy burnout, she pulled it off the market. Five months later, she quietly relisted. No PR, no theatrics, just a well-crafted listing on the right real estate platforms, targeting the right buyer segment. It sold within a couple of months at the asking price.

Why? Awareness without alignment is wasted effort.

When you have a niche offering, the goal is not to broadcast to the widest possible audience. The goal is to speak to the right one, through the right channels, with the right message.

Get this right, and you will save yourself time, money and energy.

Kind regards,

Top 5 Childcare Marketing Mistakes

Wed, 01 Oct 2025 04:51:09 GMT

How to attract families and grow your centre.

Here are the most common mistakes we see childcare centres make, and how to avoid them:

Presenting basic offerings as unique selling points

Nutritious meals, qualified staff, and safe play areas are expected standards, not differentiators. Exceptional centres highlight what truly sets them apart: higher supervision ratios, consistently exceeding National Quality Standards (NQS), custom-designed playgrounds, or ample parking for convenient pick-up and drop-off.

Not understanding your audience

What appeals to families in Mount Helena — nature, art, and space — may differ from what attracts parents in Mount Hawthorn — convenience, long care hours, and community connections. Location-specific strategies outperform generic branding. For multi-site centres, avoid combining everything onto a single Facebook page or ad campaign: parents in Peppermint Grove aren’t concerned with updates from Wattle Grove, and vice versa.

Overlooking staff as a key audience

Attracting and retaining high-quality educators is vital for a centre’s success. Your online presence should showcase how you invest in staff through professional development, recognition, and career growth opportunities. Leading centres maintain a steady pipeline of talent, reducing recruitment pressure and supporting program continuity.

Relying solely on word of mouth

Word of mouth is no longer sufficient. Parents now begin their search online, reviewing websites, Google reviews, and social media before visiting a centre. A weak online presence can result in lost enrolments to competitors with stronger digital visibility, even if your offering and programs are superior.

Failing to plan for natural attrition

Children grow up, and enrolments naturally fluctuate. Centres that react only when spots become available risk gaps in programming and disruptions to the enrolment cycle. Strategic planning ensures a steady flow of children, smooth transitions, and a predictable, stable operation.

Avoiding these common mistakes and taking a strategic, audience-focused approach to marketing allows childcare centres to stand out, attract the right families, and retain top educators.

Running on an incline treadmill

Fri, 26 Sep 2025 03:08:16 GMT

Why make your campaigns harder than they need to be?

We were approached by a gym owner looking for a campaign that targeted overweight people who hadn’t exercised in years. To him, it seemed like a ripe market.

We had some concerns. A campaign like that would have four main challenges:

Find non-gym goers
Encourage them to enquire
Stand out from every other gym
Keep them coming back

We proposed a slightly different approach : what if we focused on people who already value fitness, even if they were already gym-goers? Then the campaign only needed to tackle one challenge: standing out.

It’s a bit like choosing between running on an incline treadmill or running downhill with momentum on your side. Both get you moving. One feels a lot easier.

We could see why he was drawn to the first idea. His mission was to help those who might benefit the most from fitness. And that passion is admirable. But in practice, connecting with people who already value your service often leads to better results and more satisfying partnerships.

The same principle shows up with websites. We find that a business with an outdated, clunky site is less likely to invest in improvements than a business that already has a pretty good site and wants to make it even better.

So, instead of trying to convince everyone, it can be more effective and more enjoyable to work with people who already “get it” and are ready to move forward together.

Let others chase rainbows: there’s value in attracting the audience that already appreciates what you offer.

Donna Lamont

Managing Director

Killing the Pig.

Wed, 04 Jun 2025 07:41:36 GMT

The communication failure I’ll never forget.

The livestock trucks arrived under the cover of night, but the stench of slaughter lingered long after I arrived at the office each morning.

The pigs became bacon for cafés, Cheese Kranskys for lunch bars, and hams and salamis for Coles and Woolies. I was working at Watsonia in Spearwood, an end-to-end smallgoods manufacturing site. The day the colour technician got me to choose the exact shade of pink of a new polony was, sadly, a rare highlight.

Second- and third-generation migrant workers were part of staff, with most living in the nearby streets. When someone in the community passed away, we had to discuss it in our weekly production meetings because so many workers would be attending the funeral, the schedule was out.

Watsonia, along with a few other smal l brands, had been folded into George Weston Foods, itself a subsidiary of Associated British Foods (ABF). One week, it was announced that there would be a visit from a couple of suits flying in from Heathrow. Site guests from the parent company were so rare so we trotted down to the factory floor to hear the speeches.

The two men from London stood stiffly at the front, microphones set up, addressing a couple of hundred workers in white dustcoats and caps. They rattled off the portfolio of brands in the Group, bragged about the size of their segment share, and reminded us all how, at under 4%, margins were tight and not a scrap was wasted.

I’m not sure whether it was the butchery around me, the treeless grey concrete, or the emotional wasteland that my marriage had become, but I remember it as one of the most joyless chapters of my life.

And one of the worst communication failures I’ve seen in my career.

Not just because the men read economic reports to factory workers, many of whom hadn’t finished school. Not just because boasting about ABF’s global billion-dollar revenue in that context was tone-deaf and vulgar.

But because 80% of the people on the floor didn’t speak English and had no idea what was being said.

It was a reminder that business communication is not just about what you say.

It’s about knowing your audience.

Donna Lamont

Managing Director

The time I was photobombed by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Mon, 12 May 2025 06:28:01 GMT

Standing at the Reflecting Pool in Washington DC, looking up at the Lincoln Memorial, four men in suits brushed past me.

One of them, walking a few steps ahead, moved quickly up the steps toward the plaza level.

I looked around. No one else had clocked him. But there he was: Arnold Schwarzenegger. One of the most recognisable movie stars on the planet, moving through the crowd. Unnoticed.

By the time he reached the chamber where Lincoln sits, a tourist called out “Terminator!” Phones flew up to take pictures, his minders closed in, and the moment of anonymity was gone.

But for a brief window, I stood just metres away, watching him undisturbed by the crowd doing whatever he came to do.

It was 2013, and this was the final stop of a US holiday.

Schwarzenegger’s autobiography, Total Recall: My Unbelievably True Life Story had come out in 2012. As it happened, I had been engrossed in the book from New York to Nashville. I had read it in planes, airports, hotel rooms, and cars.

Arnold had been in my head for weeks.

I didn’t notice him before anyone else because I’m a big fan or especially observant. I noticed him because I’d been primed. His story, his image, his voice — they’d been front of mind. And when he appeared in real life, I recognised him instantly.

That is exactly what smart marketing does.

Good marketing doesn’t just get you noticed: it builds familiarity. It keeps your brand, your voice, your story top of mind. So, when the moment comes, when someone needs what you offer, they see or think of you before anyone else.

Whether it’s a brand, a service, or a person, staying front of mind is how you get recognised in a crowd.

We probably can’t get you as famous as Schwarzenegger.

But we CAN help you keep in front of your target audience and in prime position.

Donna Lamont

Managing Director

Mrs. Wright was not wrong.

Thu, 01 May 2025 01:00:58 GMT

Mrs. Wright was not wrong

Mrs. Wright had those jangly chains attached to her glasses, so they stayed around her neck, and her short hair was dyed jet black.

She was my Year 10 maths teacher at Churchlands Senior High School. She smelt like she was wearing a good Estee Lauder perfume.

“If I am going too fast, class, come and see me before school to go through your work,” Mrs Wright would reiterate every lesson.

In the mornings before the siren, the benches my friends and I hung out on were outside Mrs Wright’s office.

“Have any students come to see me this morning?” I’d hear her ask hopefully as she arrived at the maths department. There never was, and I remember feeling quite disappointed for her. If only one person would have come with some questions, she would have felt so vital and validated.

By then, I was doing very badly at maths myself.

A couple of key concepts had escaped me, and I wasn’t keeping up. Did I take her up on her offer? Of course not. My social standing was hanging by a thread as it was: there was no need go out of my way to cut the thread entirely.

I never got back on track with maths. Yet for a whole year, for around half an hour every day, Mrs Wright was mere metres away, hoping to help a struggling student. For free.

I missed the opportunity to improve. In fact, Mrs. Wright was my last maths teacher, as, discouraged by my poor results, I skipped the subject from then onwards.

Looking back, I now realise how much I missed out on by not taking advantage of the support that was offered to me. Mrs. Wright was there, ready to help, but my reluctance to seek assistance held me back.

In business, this mirrors the opportunities we often overlook by failing to engage with mentors, colleagues, or resources that could accelerate our success.

35 years later, I’ve learned that no one succeeds in isolation . It’s essential to identify and utilise the right resources, whether it’s paying for an external provider, asking for guidance from your team, or tapping into resources within your community. Mrs. Wright’s offer of help, though unheeded, serves as a reminder: we must surround ourselves with people who can help us grow and stay on track .

We invite you to make the most of our expertise in marketing and communications and if we can’t help, we’ll connect you with someone who can.

But do not, under any circumstances, come to me with a maths problem.

Donna Lamont

Managing Director

An Anzac Tribute

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:45:54 GMT

Corporal Edmund Campion Parkinson served in the 48th Battalion

Pozieres was the battalion’s first major battle, where it suffered 598 casualties. They also fought at Ypres. In 1917 and 1918, Corporal Parkinson and the 48th fought in battles at Bullecourt and Passchendaele. The latter two were major engagements fought by the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) on the Western Front.

He was my Poppa.

As a little girl, I thought World War I seemed like a big laugh, as all I heard about the war were the funny stories. It sounded like a real hoot. Of course, as I grew older, I realised that those handfuls of stories on high rotation were what Poppa chose to share and focus on.

The rest was unspeakable.

In 2017, I went to the Canberra War Memorial for the first time. On the walls, it was written that the widely held view was that “The Western Front made Gallipoli seem like a picnic.” He had become a Christian at that time through the kindness shown to him by The Salvation Army in the war, and in doing so left another legacy to his family and me.

Tomorrow, I will remember my Dad’s father with love and empathy. And continue to hope and pray for peace.

Donna Lamont

Managing Director

It was the early 90's

Wed, 30 Apr 2025 06:21:00 GMT

It was the early 90's

I was 18, studying at Curtin, and my bright yellow 1979 Ford Escort 1100 was due for a service. I wasn’t sure what to do, but I found a place in Balcatta and booked it in. Then I told Dad.

“What you want to do is take in an empty ice cream container with you,” he said. “Tell them you want to keep any oil or parts they replace and put them in the container.”

He added, “And even if they tell you there’s a big problem, like with the brakes or the clutch, don’t agree to anything on the spot. Whatever it is, you might get another year out of it. Go by how the car runs, not what they say you need”.

The guys at the garage were decent and went along with it, and I took home an empty Peters Neapolitan of black oil. Although I only did it that the first time, because I found the idea of acting like I didn’t trust them deeply embarrassing.

But looking back, I see that Dad wasn’t just giving me practical advice. He was sending a clear message: “I know she’s a naïve young woman, but please don’t take advantage of her. Someone’s watching.”

That memory came back to me last week while I was working on an analytics report for Jason, a client who runs a small trades-based business. As I reviewed the hours and tasks completed by the team, I couldn’t help but feel like this time, I was the one throwing parts into the container, trying to prove work had been done. Yes, we worked for our money. Yes, we spent several hours each week on his account. Yes, we had a long list of tasks completed. But was that apparent enough?

Like the mechanic, I was wondering whether we were truly communicating the value we were delivering. Was it meaningful to Jason? Did the report just look impressive, or was it reflecting the results?

When I finally called Jason, he said, “My phone’s either ringing with inquiries or it’s not—that’s how I know if you’re doing your job.”

It was a poignant reminder that whilst, naturally, accountability and transparency are fundamental, we hope our clients can see the very real difference we make.

I invite you to call me any time you want the good oil.

Donna Lamont

Managing Director

Enrolment Boost: Top Tips for Schools, Colleges, and Childcare Centres

Tue, 29 Apr 2025 08:00:16 GMT

Enrolment Boost: Top Tips for Schools, Colleges, and Childcare Centres

Whether you are a school, college, or childcare centre, there will always be an enrolment challenge.

This is because of two truths that remain no matter what is happening in the economy:

Natural attrition

Every year, students leave, and you need to replace them

Age spread

Even prestigious colleges with waiting lists still have gaps to fill in certain years

As marketers, there are a few ways we support our clients through these seasonal swings.

Here are our top 5:

1. Plan ahead

A successful campaign takes work. Whether you have an in-house marketing manager or you outsource to an agency, the better the lead time, the better the result. This allows for creative concepts to be developed, split testing to be set up, and a landing page to be created for tracking. Think in weeks ahead, not days.

2. Optimise your website for enrolments

Your website probably contains a lot of content for your existing community – as it should. But make sure the home page is kept clean and inviting. It should be immediately clear where a new enquiry should go – whether that’s to fill out a form, book a tour, or call directly. Keep housekeeping information on internal pages so new visitors don’t feel overwhelmed. Clear, simple navigation is crucial.

3. Add a digital campaign

A well-run digital campaign can put your school or centre in front of the right families at the right time. Paid search ads help you show up when parents are actively looking for enrolment options, while social media ads allow you to reach families in your local area and build awareness. Make sure your ads are targeted, your budget is realistic, and your messaging speaks to what makes your centre special.

4. Use social proof

Parents trust other parents. Showcase testimonials, reviews, and success stories from your current families. Share photos or videos of events, student achievements, and happy classroom moments. Authentic content builds trust and helps prospective families picture themselves as part of your community.

5. Keep following up

Not every enquiry will enrol right away. Make sure you have a simple follow-up process – whether that’s through email, SMS, or a friendly call. Staying in touch shows that you care and helps families through their decision-making journey.

Need help with enrolments?

We’ve helped dozens of schools, childcare centres, and colleges create effective, enrolment-boosting campaigns. Contact us today to find out how we can help you grow.

How our One Day Website works.

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 03:01:03 GMT

A lot can change in a day.

A professional website is no longer a “nice to have” at the end of your business to-do list. In a competitive business environment, having a professional online presence is essential . Did you know 81% of consumers research online before making a purchase ? If your business isn’t online, potential customers probably won’t find you.

Okay, so you know you need a website. Perhaps it’s a rebuild, or maybe it’s your first one. Either way, the traditional web development process can be time-consuming and daunting , especially for small business owners juggling multiple responsibilities.

Our One Day Website package is exactly what it sounds like; a fresh, captivating, modern website in just one day (eight hours to be exact). These small-but-mighty websites include five pages and are perfect for small-medium businesses and start-ups.

Get a website fast. Like, really fast.

As a general life rule, the easy way isn’t always the right way. But it is in this case! Our One Day Websites are designed to take the hassle and unnecessary delays out of your website build . In collaboration with you (either in-person at our office or remotely) we dedicate a day to focus on your new website and handle all the heavy lifting.

So, how do we do it?

From concept to launch in a single day.

Our One Day Website process is a collaborative and efficient journey, ensuring that your vision is brought to life swiftly and effectively.

1. A friendly chat.

Before the scheduled build day, we engage in a detailed discussion to understand your business objectives, target audience, and design preferences. This ensures that our team is aligned with your vision from the outset .

We also provide guidance on the materials needed, such as logos, domain info, images, and any existing content . If you don't have any of these assets, don’t worry, we’ll discuss other options with you.

2. The build (AKA, the fun part).

On the day of the build, a Designer, Copywriter, and Project Manager exclusively work on your website. They’re your dedicated team and do not work on any other projects during the day. This focused approach allows for easy collaboration and rapid development.

Design & content creation: Our Designer crafts a visually appealing and user-friendly layout that reflects your brand identity. Simultaneously, the Copywriter develops engaging and SEO-optimised content tailored to your audience.
Real-time collaboration: Whether you choose to join us in person at our Leederville office or prefer to collaborate remotely, we’re constantly communicating with you the entire day. This ensures that your feedback is incorporated fast for a website that meets your expectations by 5pm.
Development & testing: When design and content are finalised, our team integrates all elements into a fully functional website. We ensure optimal performance across various devices and browsers.

3. Training, Launch & Handover.

By the end of the day, your new website is ready to go live, but we won’t officially launch until you give us the green light (e.g., you might like to finalise another area of your business before the website launches). We handle the technical aspects of deployment (like hosting) ensuring a smooth transition.

Instead of holding your website hostage, we want to empower you to manage your website independently . You have full access and we provide training on how to update content and utilise key features (like adding blogs or events, or accepting appointment bookings). And of course, our team remains available for ongoing support as needed!

Still wondering why you should get One Day Website?

Get a professional online presence without the stress, annoying hassles, and time delays . By focusing on a collaborative and efficient process, we deliver websites that not only look great but also serve as effective tools for your business growth.

Here are some other reasons our clients are loving Helium’s One Day Website process.

Super speedy: Your time is valuable! Our process eliminates unnecessary delays, delivering a high-quality website in a fraction of the time.
Amazing quality: Rapid, but never rushed. Our experienced team ensures that every website is aesthetically pleasing and functionally robust.
A dedicated team: Unlike other one-day builders, you get a whole team who specialise in their niches — not a jack of all trades.
Whatever works for you: Whether you're based in Perth or anywhere else, our process accommodates in-person and remote collaborations, ensuring convenience and accessibility.
A nice price: We offer competitive pricing without compromising on quality, making the One Day Website package accessible for small-medium businesses and start-ups.

Take your website from “someday” to “one day”.

Chat to us for more info on the One Day Website Process or easily book your build day online , right now.

We Love a Club: Key Priorities for Club and Association Websites

Thu, 20 Mar 2025 03:29:48 GMT

5 Key Priorities When Building a Website for Clubs and Associations

If your club or association is planning a website upgrade, keep these essentials in mind to ensure it’s functional, future-proof, and user-friendly:

1) Make it easy to update and maintain.

Don’t rely on a single tech-savvy volunteer to handle everything. When they move on, you’ll be left scrambling. Choose a platform that multiple people can manage with minimal training.

2) Prioritise intuitive navigation.

Before you rebuild, check which pages get the most traffic and place shortcuts on the home page. This helps users find key info fast without digging through menus.

3) Keep the home page clutter-free.

Avoid dumping housekeeping details (teams, rosters, uniforms, competitions, forms) on the front page. A clean layout is more inviting—especially for potential new members.

4) Showcase your sponsors.

New sponsors will check your website to assess value. If existing sponsors are buried with tiny logos, they won’t see the benefit. Give them visibility to strengthen relationships and attract new partners.

5) Use strong images, not cluttered grids.

A few well-placed, high-quality images are more effective than image overload. Keep it sleek—your website isn’t a photo album.

Wanneroo Districts Netball Association - Case Study

https://www.wdna.net.au/

Before

The WDNA website is a major online hub for Clubs in the area.

With multiple audiences such as coaches, players and umpires, the website was receiving a lot of traffic.

The key challenges of the old website were:

It was visually outdated and no longer represented the dynamic nature of WDNA
It was hard to update and maintain
It had become a dump of information over time and content was buried
There were no quick links to high traffic pages

After

Helium met with the WDNA and planned a new website that addressed each challenge.

The Association now has a website that:

Ties together their branding, using the kangaroo paw element through the site
Uses large images that take up the whole page, instead of small images in grids
Is easy to update and maintain
Has an intuitive navigation
Attracts Clubs, players, sponsors and the community

If we can help your local club or Association, get in touch with our friendly Leederville team.

We offer small, mid-tier and large packages to suit football, netball, soccer, dancing, cheer leading and more.

Investment ranges from $4,999 to $14,999 .

What you’ll love about your new website:

Save admin time managing content in other platforms
Reduce volunteers’ frustrations on updating information
Attract new members
Service existing members better
Showcase sponsors and attract new ones

How to Set Up a Remarketing Campaign in Google Ads

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Tue, 04 Jul 2023 03:13:52 GMT

Remarketing is a powerful and often underutilised tool available to anyone using Google Ads (previously called ‘Google Adwords’).

Remarketing campaigns are designed to re-engage people who have already visited your website or engaged with your app. The theory behind this is that these are people who have already shown an interest in the products or services you offer and are more likely to make a conversion if they’re reminded of your brand.

In this brief guide, we’ll outline the process of setting up a remarketing campaign in Google Ads, step by step.

What is Google Ads remarketing?

Google Ads remarketing is a valuable digital market tool which allows advertisers to target users who have previously interacted with their brand. Essentially, it works by displaying customised ads to users who have already expressed interest in a business' products or services.

Google Ads remarketing uses cookies to do this. By placing a cookie on the user’s browser when they visit your website or engage with your app, it can then be used to track the user's activity and display targeted ads to them as they browse the internet.

This type of advertising is highly effective because it concentrates on an audience that is already familiar with your brand. By targeting users who have already shown an interest in your business, Google Ads remarketing helps to increase brand recognition and drive more conversions.

Compared to Google Search Ads which target people searching for specific words and phrases, and Google Display Ads which show images to users based on interest, Google Remarketing Ads focus exclusively on targeting people who have visited your website but not yet become a customer. This allows for far more detailed ads to be shown to this specific user base. Additionally, since these users have already shown interest in your services or products, it can contribute to a far better overall return on investment for your campaign. Remarketing Ads work best by following-up with people who almost got in contact, or made a purchase, but didn’t quite finish the process.

How to create a remarketing campaign in Google Ads:

So, let’s get started. Follow these steps to reconnect with your potential customers and drive a successful Google Ads remarketing campaign.

Step 1: Set up campaign goals and types in Google Ads

Are you looking to drive conversions, boost brand awareness or simply increase website traffic?

Before you start building your remarketing campaign, it's important to define your goals and choose the right campaign type. Once you’ve established your goals, select the appropriate campaign type, such as a display campaign or a search campaign.

Step 2: Choose the parameters for your campaign.

Once you've chosen your campaign type, it's time to set the parameters for your campaign. This includes selecting the ad format, setting your budget and bid strategy, and defining your targeting options.

You'll want to consider where your ads will appear, e.g., specific websites or geographic regions. Careful consideration of these parameters will ensure that your remarketing campaign is optimised for success and effectively reaches your desired audience.

Step 3: Determine your audience.

Who are you targeting and how have they interacted with your website or ads in the past?

For an effective remarketing campaign on Google Ads, you’ll need to clearly define your audience. Google Ads allows you to create audiences based on a wide range of criteria, such as website visitors, YouTube viewers and app users. You can also create custom audiences based on specific actions users have taken on your website.

Step 4: Create your ads.

This is where you should spend the vast majority of your time. The ad is the final product that will ultimately be seen by your target audience. This is the element that will encourage (or discourage) them to click through to your website and ultimately convert into a sales lead or customer.

Depending on the nature of your business and the goals of your campaign, choose an appropriate ad format for your audience, e.g., display ads, video ads, responsive ads, etc. Whatever format you choose, make sure it's visually appealing and effectively communicates your message.

Your copy should be engaging, concise and informative. It should speak to the specific interests and pain points of your target audience. Be sure to include a clear call-to-action that prompts users to perform a desired action, such as "Buy now" or "Sign up today". Additionally, including a compelling offer, like a discount or a free trial, can help incentivise users to click through and convert.

Eye-catching visuals are perhaps more important. Effective ads use high-quality images, graphics and videos to capture the user’s attention. Make sure it’s consistent with your business’ branding (colours, logos etc.) to help trigger and strengthen familiarity with your brand.

Step 5: Test and refine.

A remarketing campaign isn’t over when you click publish. A hugely important part of the process is testing and refining your ads to improve their effectiveness.

This involves regularly monitoring your campaign metrics (e.g., click-through rates and conversion rates) and making adjustments as needed. You can also perform A/B testing using different ads and ad parameters to determine the more effective strategy.

By continuously optimising your ads, you’ll ensure your remarketing campaign is geared for success, driving the results you need to achieve your business goals.

Let us help you with effective remarketing.

Don’t let potential customers slip through the cracks! Creating a remarketing campaign in Google Ads can be complex, but with the right guidance and support, you can achieve great results.

If you're ready to take your business to the next level with a powerful remarketing campaign in Google Ads , contact our team of digital marketing pros. At Helium Marketing, we can help you create a custom campaign that will drive conversions and unlock your business’ full potential.

Google Search Ads vs Google Display Ads: Which Is Best For Your Business?

Mon, 29 May 2023 02:11:23 GMT

Search ads vs display ads: Which is right for your business?

Online advertising is the digital handshake to your business.

With the ever-increasing popularity of online shopping and e-commerce (and the ever-increasing screentime of consumers), more and more businesses have turned to online advertising to reach their target audience. It’s an integral part of any successful digital marketing campaign. Two of the most popular types of online advertisements are search ads and display ads.

If you're a business owner or marketer looking to maximise your advertising efforts, you’ll need to know the difference between search ads and display ads. By understanding their respective benefits, you’ll see greater returns from your advertising budget.

What are search ads?

Search ads are the advertisements at the top of a search engine results page (SERP) when someone enters a specific keyword or phrase. They are text-based ads (headline, URL and description) which appear on top of the organic search results.

Search ads work on a pay-per-click (PPC) model, meaning you only pay when someone clicks on your ad. The cost of the ad varies depending on the competition for the keyword and the bid you set for the ad.

What are display ads?

Display ads are visual ads which appear on websites across the internet. They can be in the form of banners, images or videos. Unlike search ads, display ads are not keyword-prompted. Instead, they appear based on specified demographics and interests.

Display ads can either work on a cost-per-impression (CPM) model or a cost-per-click (CPC) bidding model. For cost-per-impression, you pay for every 1,000 impressions or views your ad receives. The cost of the ad varies depending on the targeting options and the competition for ad space. Whereas for cost-per-click, you pay for every click on your ad and the cost will depend on how much you’re willing to bid for an ad click.

What are the benefits of search ads?

So, why use search ads? Prime visibility on a search engine results page can be a highly effective way to reach your target audience. With excellent copywriting, a search ad can offer the following benefits:

Targeted search
Find the people already looking for you. Search ads are highly targeted. By bidding on specific keywords or phrases, you can ensure that your ad appears to people who are actively searching for the products or services you offer. This makes search ads an effective way to reach people who are in the market for what you do.

Increase traffic and sales
Search ads can boost traffic and sales. Since the people who see your search ad are actively looking for what you offer, they’ll be more likely to convert. By appearing at the top of the search results page, you can drive more clicks and more traffic to your website. If your website is well-optimised , this increased traffic can translate into more sales and revenue.

Cost-effective
Search ads are relatively budget-friendly as far as online advertising goes because you can control advertising costs and are only required to pay when someone clicks on an ad. You can also set a budget for your campaign and adjust bids based on the performance of your ads.

What are the benefits of display ads?

Display ads take a more indirect approach than search ads. Less centred on the immediacy of conversions, display ads can be more beneficial for other advertising goals; consider the following:

Build brand awareness
Display ads are often used to build brand awareness. By displaying your ads on websites across the internet, you can reach a large audience and get your brand in front of more people. This can be especially helpful for businesses looking to boost their brand recognition.

Targeted search and retargeting
Display ads also offer targeted search and retargeting options. You can target specific demographics, interests and behaviours to ensure that your ads appear to people who are most likely to be interested in your products or services. You can use retargeting to display your ads to people who have visited your website but did not convert. This can breed familiarity with your brand and bring those people back to your site, which can potentially increase conversions.

Cost-effective
Like search ads, display ads are also fairly cost-effective. You only pay for impressions, so you can control your advertising costs. You can set a budget for your ad campaign and adjust your targeting options based on the performance of your ads.

So, which ad type is right for your business?

Well, it depends. What are your advertising goals and budget? If you're looking to reach people who are actively searching for the products or services you offer, search ads may be the best option. These ads are highly targeted and can increase website traffic and sales. However, they tend to be more expensive than display ads, depending on the competition for your keywords.

On the other hand, if you're looking to build brand awareness and reach a wider audience, display ads may be the better choice. These ads can be displayed across a variety of websites and can help boost your brand recognition. Additionally, they can be more cost-effective than search ads, as you only pay for impressions.

However, a well-executed digital marketing strategy will employ both. A combination of both search ads and display ads will cover all your bases and increase your ability to reach your target audience.

Grow your business with Helium Marketing’s Google advertising service

At Helium Marketing, we have a brilliant team of digital marketing who can demystify your online advertising strategy. We can help implement and manage your Google search ads and display ads to outperform your competitors and get your business in front of your new customers.

Get in touch and let’s get started.

Expert Tips for Building the Perfect Small Business Website | Helium Marketing

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 05:08:47 GMT

Tips from industry professionals.

Having a website as a small business is crucial to building brand awareness and generating leads. It lends instant credibility to your business, and also helps to showcase your services to potential customers. As your business grows, your website will probably become your biggest source of leads.

However, it can be hard to know where to start. As a business owner, it’s easy to become caught up in the day-to-day workings of your business and lose sight of everything else. That’s why we’ve put together a simple list of tips and tricks for creating a website as a small business owner.

Tips for Creating Your Website:

One of the best tips for creating a website for a small business in 2024 is to pick a good domain name. Your domain name is your digital address – what shows up in your URL when people search for your business. While it doesn’t have to be the same as your business name, it will be an important part of your brand – so it’s important to choose something relevant.
Your domain name is not only going to be a key aspect of your brand, but it will also be relevant to search engine optimisation – meaning that if you pick a name relevant to your services, you’ll be more likely to show up in Google searches.
Another tip is to keep the most relevant information above the fold. The fold on a website is the bottom of the screen, the point at which users have to scroll down to read more. You should have a clear description of what you do and your contact information visible when users first click on your website. If users don’t see the information they’re looking for as soon as they reach your website, they’ll probably bounce.
Finally, it’s important to feature reviews and testimonials prominently on your website – this helps to foster trust in your brand and services. Social proof is an important part of most people’s decision-making process. If you can prove that people trust your brand and enjoy your products, you’ll attract more buyers.

Dos and Don’ts for Creating Your Website:

✅ DO be careful to choose an appropriate content management system (CMS). If you want to be able to make edits to the website yourself, be sure to research and choose an option that is easy to use for beginners. If you’d rather go through a developer, you can choose a more complex CMS.

❌ DON’T forget about search engine optimisation (SEO) . Your website might look great, but you won’t get any customers if people don’t see it. If your website is not SEO optimised, it probably won’t show up on Google, even if people are searching for it.

✅ DO use consistent branding across the website. You want your brand to be instantly recognisable, and having consistent styling is a vital part of your brand. It also helps to lend credibility to your brand, and just looks more professional.

❌ DON’T use fonts that are hard to read or distracting. It might seem obvious, but need to make it as easy as possible for your potential customers to engage with your content.

✅ DO consider hiring a professional web designer . It might be a bit pricey, but hiring a professional to design your website will ensure that it looks professional and meets industry standards. Beyond just looking good, professional web designers usually include SEO best practices and can create a seamless user experience, which will drive traffic to your website.

Want a Hand With Your Website Design?

If you’re looking to create a website for your small business, we can help. Our services are priced affordably to help small businesses break into the market, and we can custom design a beautiful website to match your needs.

Get in touch to see how we can help your business grow.

Creating an eCommerce store with a Perth Digital Agency

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 01:48:27 GMT

How to create a successful eCommerce store with the help of a Perth digital agency.

Scott Ingram. Director, Helium Marketing.

What Is eCommerce?

An eCommerce website is a website where goods or services are sold to customers. The business can be purely online, or a brick and mortar shopfront or warehouse that sells in-person and online. From digital downloads to fertiliser, homewares, furniture, foods, online courses, and much more, the content of the store can be almost anything.

Is an eCommerce site the same as a transactional site or catalogue site?

A successful eCom website design is key to a successful product-based business. Aside from promoting your products online, it makes the website more purposeful, more practical, and is more effective than a transactional site or simple catalogue website.

Many people believe that an eCommerce website is the same as a regular, transactional site. However, there are some key differences between the two. For example, while both websites have products for sale, an eCommerce site will have more detailed product information and pricing than simple a transactional site would. In addition to this, an eCommerce site often includes customer reviews and ratings of products. This helps potential customers make informed decisions about what they want to buy.

A catalogue site is slightly different again. It looks very similar to an eCom site, but does not offer the option to purchase online. This can create a frustrating experience for website users who will happily browse products, then be annoyed when they realise they have to go in-store to actually buy something.

Catalogue Site Transactional Site

What to consider when it comes to eCom design.

Designing an eCommerce website is complicated one and needs a lot of effort and expertise. The Designer needs consider and balance many elements including user experience, backend use (how easy it is to regularly update stock or add new products?), aesthetics, brand alignment, and more.

Perhaps most importantly, choosing the correct platform or "CMS" for an eCommerce website is paramount. For example, while providers like Shopify have relatively simple backend functionality, the layouts are heavily templated and lack flexibility. While this isn't always a bad thing, in this instance, it means that your online store could end up looking like a lot of others, and you lose a bit of your brand's spark in the process. On the other hand, other platforms (such as WordPress ) offer WooCommerce integration and virtually unlimited flexibility, but require advanced website deign knowledge to make them look any good.

This is why it's essential to choose a digital Perth agency that knows their stuff when it comes to eCom sites. Not only can they advise on the best CMS for your store's needs, they also have the skills to bring it to life.

Understanding your target audience so you can maximise conversions.

It's so important to understand your target audience and not just rely on gut-feel. This ensures you're marketing the right products to the right people. In this section, we'll discuss how you can use customer profiling to identify the demographics of your target audience.

Customer profiling is a valuable way of understanding who your customers are, what they want, and what they need. It helps online stores in many ways, such as:

Identifying customer needs and product demand. Ask yourself, why does my customer need what I'm selling? If they don't "need" it, how can I turn their "want" into a "need"? How much demand is there for my product?
Understanding buying behaviours. This refers to the decision-making process and acts people go through to buy products. Factors include social trends, time of year (e.g. do your products make good Christmas gifts?), background influences, accessibility to your store, and more.
Creating buyer personas. A "buyer persona" is a semi-fictitious person — who represents your main audience — interested in your products, based on real data and research. As a bare minimum, this persona should include their age and sex, life stage (married, single, has children, retired), and financial situation. Detailed personas can be very in-depth and include suburb, job title, hobbies, and personal interests.

Choosing the best payment gateway for your online store.

Payment gateways are the most fundamental part of any eCommerce site — without one, you wouldn't have an online store at all! They're responsible for enabling online purchases as well as processing credit card transactions in a secure manner. However, choosing the right payment gateway for your online shop can be overwhelming and time-consuming. Here's the secret: as a merchant, all options are pretty good options and very similar for you...

In any case, here's a rundown of the three most popular payment options for Australian eCom stores — Stripe, PayPal, and Afterpay. Keep in mind that you actually don't need to choose just one option. Many online stores offer their customers multiple payment options so customers have more flexibility when it comes to payments and can choose the path that suits them best.

Stripe vs Paypal

The first thing to note is that Stripe is an online payment processor that primarily handles credit card transactions for online stores and businesses. PayPal is also an online payment processor, but it does more than just credit card transactions. PayPal also handles ACH (Automated Clearing House) payments, which are bank-to-bank transfers that allow money to move between your business accounts and your customers’ accounts.

Both platforms are easy to set up and you can start accepting payments almost immediately. Neither company requires a contract and you can cancel anytime. The main difference between PayPal and Stripe that Stripe offers slightly more flexibility with the ability to customise practically every process of the online payment experience.

Afterpay

Afterpay is a relatively new player to the scene. With interest-free instalments and no fees, it's not surprising they've quickly become one of the most popular ways to pay for goods with deferred payments over time. Afterpay lets your customers buy something they might otherwise not be able to afford, making your products much more accessible — particularly if they on the more expensive side.

Why would I need the help of a Perth digital agency to build my eCommerce website?

Building an eCommerce website (a good one, anyway) is a difficult task requiring multiple skillsets, which a digital agency — like Helium — can provide. As the business owner, it's unrealistic to expect you can do the job of an entire, trained marketing and design team as well as run your business and online store. When you partner with a digital agency, you're benefitting from experienced professionals who know how you build you an incredible, converting website from the ground up. This includes work from a:

Copywriter: who will create content for your eCom site, tell your business's story, craft engaging product descriptions, and weave purposeful SEO throughout your site.
Website Designer: who will design an intuitive, beautiful, user-friendly layout that highlights your products.
Website Developer: who will handle the complex parts of your website, including coding (if applicable), integration, and hosting.
Digital Marketer: who will maximise conversions through digital advertising and SEO initiatives.

Need help building an eCommerce website?

Hey, we're Helium, and we can help. Based in Leederville, we support businesses of all sizes with incredible eCommerce sites where products shine and your story is told. In fact, building incredible websites is one of the main digital marketing services we offer. Start the conversation here and check out our portfolio of recent eCom sites here .

E-commerce FAQ questions:

A guide to choosing the best content marketing agency

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Tue, 17 Jan 2023 01:34:15 GMT

Content marketing: what is it? And how can I choose the right content marketing agency?

Scott Ingram. Director, Helium Marketing.

Content marketing is the process of developing content and publishing it on a website with the intention of attracting new business. Content marketing almost always refers to written content (also called “copy”), but can also include visual elements likes graphic design or videography. This content should be insightful, valuable, and helpful. Depending on the type of business you are, the goal is to direct people to an online store, physical shop, or enquire about one of your services.

The difference between a content marketing agency and an in-house team is that the agency will typically have a wider range of skillsets, such as web development, graphic design, copywriting (content writing), video production, social media management, as well as SEO and analytics management. They also have access to more resources than in-house teams can provide.

More importantly, the role of “in-house team” often falls to professionals who are great at what they do, but don’t have any marketing knowledge. We often see content marketing become burdensome, and simply done poorly, because it’s been delegated to the manager, receptionist, intern, business owner's spouse, and so on. Without the right knowledge and experience, content marketing is almost certainly bound to fail…

Two primary types of content marketing

For many businesses, content marketing is their most powerful form of marketing and comes in two major forms: SEO and blog content — which go perfectly hand-in-hand. Both are, in a sense, free, but very time consuming and involve a lot of trial and error. These are “free” content marketing strategies when done in-house because the only expense is your staff’s time, unlike say, Google Ads, which requires a significant ad spend.

Of course, when outsourced, SEO and blog writing are no longer free. But, most business owners find content marketing pays for itself in the long run and is well worth any agency fees. This is because content marketing requires a huge time investment — time businesses often don’t have — to create quality content that will be shared with your target audience.

Best practices in content marketing: blogging

The type of content you create.

SEO encompasses many parts of your website, but a significant chunk of it is attributed to blogging. So, let’s talk about blog content. How can you know what to write about? It’s imperative that you conduct research and base your articles on trending and popular Google searches. This way, you know people are actively searching for the exact information you’re putting out. So, here are some best practices to implement.

Use free tools like Answer The Public to uncover what kind of content your audience is looking for.
Once you find a relevant topic, tailor a blog article to this specific content. Always tie it back to your business, products or services. Where relevant, you should include hyperlinks to other areas of your website (like when we link to our Perth SEO services !), as well as external links to helpful resources (like we did with Answer The Public) and research sources.
To ensure its optimised and has a higher chance of your audience finding it, you can use a free tool like this Keyword Density Checker . This makes sure your topic is mentioned enough times and gives Google a better chance of picking it up for key search terms.

How you promote your content.

Best practices in content marketing are not only what content you create, but how you promote that content. Google might display your article for relevant searches, but let’s not leave it to chance…

Share your article on Facebook, Linked In, and Instagram (if you have them).
If you have a database of client or customer email addresses, share your article with them in an eNewsletter that encourages them to click through to the website.

Finding a Perth content marketing agency that's right for your business

There are many things to take into consideration when choosing a content marketing agency. For example, some exclusively work with large organisations or specific industries (e.g. education or mining). Others, like Helium Marketing, mainly work with small-to-medium businesses, with a select few large ones when we feel like the fit is right.

The best way to work out whether an agency is right for you is to do a bit of research. Explore their website, get a feel for their work and services and pricing , and take a look at their team . When you’re ready, have a discussion with them to learn more about what their content marketing strategies could look like for you.

So, are you ready? Let’s chat.

Should I run a competitor campaign on Google Ads?

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 05:31:00 GMT

Let's talk about competitor ad campaigns. Are they a good idea?

By Scott Ingram. Director, Helium Marketing.

A competitor campaign is a Google Ads campaign that intentionally shows your Google Ads to your competitor's audience. This is done by strategically placing ads for your business in front of people who are searching for the name of your competitor . The idea is that if someone is searching for your competitor, they may be interested in your business too and "convert" to you.

We're often asked to do this by clients. After all, marketing is competitive and we're all competing for the same clicks anyway. However, as you'll read throughout this article, while we can run a campaign like this for your business, it is unlikely to work and we don't recommend it.

Ethical hesitations

There is a question around ethics with this type of approach. Is it considered a bit sneaky? Maybe. But at the end of the day, Google is an auctioning system and we're all bidding for the same users who need a service. It is also a widely known and used campaign tactic, so it seems a campaign like this is in keeping with the nature of the platform.

Effectiveness

Regardless of how you feel about the ethics of this, Helium would argue it really isn't an effective strategy at all. There are two main reasons for this.

First, we need to look at the search intent of the user. If a person directly types a competitors name, chances are they are committed to contacting that company. They may be loyal to that company already, or have received a personal recommendation to choose them. In this case, they're unlikely to swap to you. Instead, you'll get a lot of calls from people who think they have called your competitor, which creates a confusing dynamic. These calls usually these resemble,"Sorry I've called the wrong number" conversations more than genuine enquiries.

Second, although Google Ads is a paid ads platform that allows you to buy your way to the top, Google Ads has a built in quality check which penalises the advertiser for pursuing irrelevant words. This is referred to as a "quality score" and it's a rating from 1 to 10 that Google gives your campaign (more specifically, each keyword you target). Generally, you'll attract a low quality score for targeting a competitor, as Google knows you aren't that company and therefore not a good match. This means you will have to pay dearly for this type of strategy.

LeadsBridge sums it up nicely, "Not only does the result of this assessment affect where your advertisement is placed, it will also dictate your Google Ads’ cost. A high-quality score can lower the average CPC by up to 50%. However, a poor one can increase prices by up to a staggering 400%."

An alternative strategy

That being said, if you were really keen to try something like this one possibility is to go with an "Alternative" strategy. For example, targeting keywords with "<competitor name> alternative" so that you are appealing to people who are directly searching for a company like yours. This will deal with the objections raised above, however it will only work when there are enough people searching these terms. This strategy is particularly popular in the software and technology space.

Need help with Google Ads?

Unless you are wanting to pay top dollar for time-wasting calls, we'd suggest steering clear of this tactic unless you modify it with a "alternative" approach. Either way, we can help you with an effective Google Ads campaign — in fact, Google Ads is one of the main digital marketing services we offer. Start the conversation here .

Why can’t I see my own Google Ads?

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 05:43:57 GMT

All the reasons your Google Ads are invisible to you alone.

By Scott Ingram. Director, Helium Marketing.

You’re probably thinking, “Great, I’ve got a Google Ads campaign running! But where is it?”. So, you do what everyone else does and type your business name into Google, only to find your ad is nowhere to be seen…

Before we hit the panic button, here are a few things to note about the visibility of your ads.

Budget

First and foremost, you may not be seeing your Google Ads campaign because your business has already used up your daily budget. As a side note, clicking your own ad costs you money — this is the cost per click, or CPC — so if you do see your ad, don’t click it.

Let’s say you have a daily budget of $100 (ie $3k per month), and your CPC is $2. After you receive 50 clicks at $2 each, you’ve used your budget for the current day. Therefore, your ads will no longer show to you — or anyone — else searching relevant terms.

Rotation

Google Ads is an auctioning system, meaning that you and your digital competitors are all bidding on appearing for a single Google search. Like most auctions, a single bidder is unlikely to outbid every competitor on every item. In short, you will appear for some searches, but not all searches. Google Ads will rotate you with other competitors based on who is willing to pay the most.

Ad schedule

Sometimes we set ads to only show at certain times using Google Ads ad schedule feature. Common settings would be to only run the ads during (or near to) the standard hours of business. We do this to ensure you only get relevant traffic.

Let’s say you’re an accounting practice targeting professional works. We know that most professionals searching for “accountants perth” between 8:00am and 6:00pm are more likely to convert into an enquiry than someone searching at 2:30am. The 2:30am searches are more likely to be bots, international traffic, or a segment of insomnia visitors less serious about finding a new accountant for their business. This isn’t universally true, but we have a finite amount of advertising budget so we go after the traffic that has the highest chance of converting.

Spam protection

There are tonnes of robots and competitors out there trying to maliciously use up your advertising budget. This is to stop your ads from competing with theirs.

A part of our service is continuously monitoring for suspicious activity by observing repeat clicks from the same IP address. When we see the same “person” (could be a bot) clicking on your ads multiple times without enquiring, we know they’re up to no good. We block them so they can’t waste any more of your budget. You’ll be surprised how much this trick alone will save you, and we often will quantify this for you so you can see the difference we’re making.

So, if you’ve clicked on your own ad two or three times before — and you’re a Helium client — chances are we’ve blocked your IP address so you no longer see the ads.

So, how do you know if your ads are running?

The easiest way to see if your Google Ads are running is to login and check it out for yourself. Another even easier way is to ask your marketing provider. When our clients us ask how they’re ads are going, we send recent performance updates as well as screenshots based on the previews available in Google Ads.

We can do the same for you, too. Start here .

Traditional vs Digital Marketing: An Agency Perspective

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Thu, 09 Jun 2022 01:00:00 GMT

Digital marketing or traditional marketing. What's better?

By Scott Ingram. Director, Helium Marketing.

As a digital marketing agency based in Perth, we’re often asked by our clients, “Why do you just do digital marketing, and not traditional marketing, too?”. The truth is, we actually love traditional marketing (and we’re really good at it). It’s super effective and has unique perks like increasing credibility and brand perception.

You might be thinking, “So... Why aren’t you a traditional advertising agency then?”. That's a fair question, and here’s the low-down. My team and I are really passionate about serving the small business community, but traditional marketing is often financially (just) out of reach for pretty much all our clients. As a result, we rarely get to exercise this skillset and passion — that’s why we’re using this blog as an outlet for all this helpful info we’ve picked up the years!

But, traditional marketing lost it’s potency years ago, right? Wrong. People still listen to the radio, and no — Netflix hasn’t killed free-to-air TV. Although it’s true that listenership/viewership numbers have fallen, there is still heaps of untapped value and opportunity in these platforms. Let’s run through what these are, and how they compare to digital marketing.

What You Need to Know About Traditional Marketing

How much does Traditional Marketing cost in Perth?

The bad news is, it’s expensive. The great news is, it’s not as expensive as it used to be. With the fall in listenership/viewership, traditional mediums have become relatively affordable compared to what they were 10 years ago. They once cost an arm and a leg, now it’s just an arm.

Probably for the first time ever, a small business can consider being on TV. We’re a small business ourselves, and we take out spots with Channel 7 and Channel 9 on Sunrise and the Today Show (and yeah, it works!). Check out our ad below.

So, it’s an opportunity for sure and comes with a notable about of credibility and exposure. It also comes with a price tag. To give you some concrete numbers, we’re talking a minimum of $1-2k a month for an entry level community radio station and $7k per month for a larger radio or entry level TV station.

If your jaw just hit the floor, let me be the first to say that I realise this is not going to be a realistic budget for many reading this right now. However, I can attest to the fact that traditional marketing can generate far more than it costs. It’s worth considering not only the cost, but also the value these mediums can generate for your business.

I’d also like to say that rolling the dice on such a large amount might cause some stress-induced insomnia. Realistically, you don’t want to put all your eggs in one basket — make sure you have a few different marketing/advertising channels running at all times. If you can’t afford the cost or risk now, treat it as a long-term goal to work towards.

An Easy-to-Manage Form of Marketing

Traditional marketing doesn’t need managing and is incredibly time efficient.

Choose a station.
Create an ad.
Book a schedule.
Kick back and relax.

It really is that easy, and you can let it run for months on end without any time required. It's a brilliant marketing option for business owners who are time poor with a bit (or a lot) of cash on hand. Of course, the down side of traditional marketing is the lack of analytics. I'll probably write about how you can measure the return of your marketing in another article, so keep an eye out for that one.

Traditional Marketing is a Fast Way to Reach a lot of People

One of the main perks of traditional strategies is that you can very quickly broadcast a message to a whole lot of people. Keep in mind that it does take a while for the message to sink in. There will be a lot of people listening to your ad, thinking about giving you a call, but haven’t made the first step.

As an anecdotal example, one of our clients called us after a hearing our ad several times. The first time they heard the ad, they weren’t sure if they were ready — this is often the case — but we certainly piqued their interest. The second time, they were in a shopping centre and not in the right frame of mind. The third time, they actually wrote our number on their hand but accidentally washed it off later. Finally, they heard our ad again, and gave us a call on the spot. Success.

The point is, you’re kind of catching people off guard with your ad. Don’t be disappointed if you don’t get any calls on day one — because, you probably won’t. You’ll need to stick it out for a couple of months and really let that ad do the talking for a while before your prospective caller takes action.

The upside is, you have a cost-effective way to build a brand through reputation to a very large audience. To give you an idea, in Perth, a community radio station will help you reach 300,000 people in a single month. Some will be in your target audience, some won’t be. It’s a wide net, but hopefully you’ll catch more than a few fish.

In the meantime, I mentioned earlier traditional avenues weren’t right for everyone, so let’s check out the alternative — digital marketing.

What You Need to Know About Digital Marketing

Digital Marketing Has Lower Starting Costs

Okay... If traditional marketing is that crash hot, why even bother with digital marketing? Firstly, it’s not a “OR” situation, it’s an “AND” situation. For the best results, I highly suggest you engage in both traditional and digital marketing.

But, as we’ve talked about above, traditional marketing may be out of reach for you. Digital marketing can definitely support a higher spend, but it also has no minimum spend, making it attractive to the small business market. You can get started on Google ads or Facebook Ads (and others) for a couple hundred bucks. Even better, SEO marketing strategies are totally free.

Back to digital ads though, I would caution you against spending too little on the platforms, even though you technically can. We've seen plenty of digital advertising campaigns never get off the ground due to insufficient budget. Think about spending $500 to $1000 per month as a starting point and scaling it from there.

Digital Advertising Offers In-Depth Analytics

Unlike traditional marketing, digital comes with an abundance of data and information. Your digital advertising campaigns can be continually refined and improved, based on real data — not gut feel. Look at which ads are underperforming, which search terms are a waste of time, which campaigns are bringing in the big bucks.

Spend more on what’s working, spend less on what’s not. Before you know it, you have an effective, converting digital marketing campaign. The trouble is, this is an incredibly time-consuming process and requires an experienced digital skillset to manage it. Speaking of shameless plugs, have you met our clever team of digital professionals here in Perth?

Digital Marketing Can Reach the Right Target Market

We’ve looked at how traditional marketing is a fast way to reach the masses — some will be your target market, most won’t be. Digital efforts can reach lots of people too, but you can narrow in on the target markets that matter to you most. This is achieved through the digital platforms and their targeting tools.

For example, with Google Ads, you can target a specific audience looking to spend with a provider. Hypothetically (but also literally) for Helium, I might want reach anyone Googling “Digital Marketing Agency Perth” so I can specifically target them. Chances are, if someone types that phrase into Google and land on our website, they’re likely to reach out to discuss what we can do for them.

Another example — LinkedIn Ads let you target business professionals based on a range of criteria. Recently, we ran a campaign for ourselves targeting anyone who has “Director” in their title, runs a Perth-based business with 1-10 staff, and operates in the Accounting, Finance, Management, or Technology industries. While we work with all sorts of industries and professionals, we were able to target a campaign specific to this audience showing our successes in these areas.

A Summary of Traditional vs Digital Marketing

If you only remember one thing from this whole article, let it be this: the best marketing strategy incorporates a healthy budget for both traditional and digital marketing. I’ve seen, first-hand, the value this dual strategy creates for Perth businesses, including my own.

However, I realise that it may take time for a business to work up to this level of paid advertising spend, and there are also advantages and disadvantages to both.

To keep it simple, here’s a good way to consider about the differences:

Want to discuss the differences with us in more detail?

Get in touch here .

What Every Accounting Firm Needs To Know About Digital Marketing

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Thu, 02 Jun 2022 07:18:11 GMT

Digital marketing for Accountants & Financial Advisors.

At Helium, we specialise in helping small businesses grow into large ones through digital marketing. We do this across all industries, but particularly enjoy working with businesses in the finance sectors.

And it turns out, we’re pretty good at it.

In an industry saturated with tough competition, it’s essential for accountants to keep marketing efforts at the forefront of their business plan. While many Accountants and Finance Advisers have relied on word of mouth, there is a growing recognition that this can be supplemented with paid promotions (like Google Ads) to strengthen the stability and control of the revenue of the business. Leverage these digital marketing activities to stand out from the crowd, attract the attention of potential clients, and convert them into loyal, long-term clients.

How exactly can you do that? Here’s what every accounting firm needs to know.

Digital Marketing Beats Word of Mouth

As technology and software (like Xero) continue to evolve and become more accessible, it’s vital to stay at the digital forefront when it comes to marketing solutions, too. Digital advertising (like Google Ads or Facebook Ads), Search Engine Optimisation, and an optimised website are only some of the new-age elements that influence your accounting firm’s brand awareness and attraction-factor.

We’re not saying word of mouth marketing is inherently “bad”. It can be extremely powerful, but it’s something you have almost no control over. Even if you give your clients an outstanding experience, there’s no guarantee they’ll spread the word. And if they do, they may misrepresent your offerings or over-promise on your behalf. Word of mouth can be useful, but it shouldn’t be your focus.

From budget to audience reach, keyword selections, and a whole lot more, digital endeavours give you full control over. You can track and tailor it from day one. Then, with near real-time data, you can adjust and strengthen it depending on how your initiatives perform.

At Helium, we recommend accounting firms use a blend of long-term strategies and short-term ones to maximise the online impact and digital footprint.

Choose a Cost-Effective Long-Term Strategy

What is SEO?

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is the process of improving the quality and quantity of website traffic, to a website, from search engines. In other words, the goal is to get more of the “right” people to your website through internet searches, the majority of which come through Google. The results on the first page of a Google search get over 90% of traffic, so you really can’t afford not to be there. Especially when your accounting competitors are…

Without question, SEO is one of the most effective long-term strategies — a slow burn that yields powerful results when done correctly.

Pros of SEO

The biggest drawcard of SEO is obviously the potential to appear on the first page of a Google search, above other accounting firms. This will direct more traffic to your site, and likely means you can spend less on paid strategies, like Google Ads (because you’re already at the top).

SEO is considered an “organic” digital strategy. This means it doesn’t cost you anything (but time), unlike paid advertising. Aside from the digital agency you choose to pay to manage SEO, there are no costs. If you decided to take on SEO in-house, it would be free. Being a free initiative, successful SEO has a huge ROI.

When your site ranks high on search engine results pages, it’s considered high-quality and trustworthy by search engines. This boosts the credibility of your business. Plus, businesses that invest in SEO often outrank the competition in search engine results and gain a competitive advantage.

Cons of SEO

A drawback of SEO is the time commitment. On average, results take anywhere from six months to a year to show — the very earliest would be three to four months. If you’re looking for results quickly, SEO won’t be a priority for you. This time period is the same whether you manage SEO in-house or decide to outsource it. Be aware of any agencies promising quick results — it simply isn’t possible.

Another factor to consider is the learning curve. If your accounting firm never done SEO before, there is a lot to learn, and SEO is constantly evolving which means ongoing learning is also required. It’s extremely time-consuming to initially understand the numerous SEO strategies, as well as implement them. Additionally, SEO isn’t a “set and forget” strategy — it requires continual implementations and tweaks. This, along with the in-depth knowledge required, is why the majority of businesses choose to outsource it.

SEO Tips for Accountants

Build credibility with clients, prospects, and search engines with an online presence that demonstrates your accounting professionalism and capabilities.
Establish yourself as a thought leader by providing advice relevant to your clients, which can also get picked up by other businesses searching for that content in places like Google.
At least 33% of Internet users only use the web via smartphones , and this is expected to reach 75% by 2025 — ensure your site loads fast and is mobile-friendly.
Continually add content through blogs, and focus on providing an enjoyable user experience.
Spend time improving and adding relevant accounting content to your site, increasing your site speed and researching keywords to help your site rank higher.
Have your website professionally designed and written so the navigation, visual layout, and written content can be SEO-optimised during the build (or rebuild).
Regarding blogs, try to write about timely issues that will receive high traffic around certain periods. For example, throughout May and June, you might like exclusively write blogs about tax time, since many individuals and businesses will be searching for advice, steps, and tax tips.

What is Google Ads?

In a nutshell, Google Ads is a paid advertising initiative that brings your website to the top of search page results whenever relevant keywords are searched. These appear above organic search results and are recognisable by the small Ad text next to each ad that appears. Google Ads is a fast and effective way to drive qualified traffic, or good-fit customers, to your website — and hopefully, your business.

With billions of Google searches each day, implementing Google Ads might just be the best promo decision you make for your accounting firm.

Pros of Google Ads

Google Ads start working almost immediately, usually within a matter of minutes. If you’re looking for fast results, Google Ads is for you. These ads provide near real-time data, which you can use the improve your campaigns and attract even more of the ideal searchers. Plus, no matter how good or bad your website and SEO efforts are, Google Ads bypass any type of SEO-ranking requirements and place you straight at the top.

Ads can be tailored to your accounting services, drive traffic to specific pages of your website, promote offers, target audiences in particular geographical locations, and more. Rather than cast a wide net, you can have multiple campaigns at one time (as many as you like) so you can create different ads with specific intents. For example, an ad targeting people who search for a Tax Accountant in Perth, and an ad for people seeking tailored accounting SMSF advice.

Cons of Google Ads

Google Ads requires a solid financial commitment to be effective. In our experience, Google Ads isn’t really worth it unless you can invest at least $1,000 per month. For some accounting firms and financial advisors, this amount simply isn’t viable — in this case, we suggest focusing on SEO until Google Ads can be achieved.

Like SEO, Google Ads can be complex if you’ve never done them before. Although Google Ads suggest edits and updates you can make to your ads, there is still a lot of manual work required. Additionally, Google is constantly evolving, which means your ads must also evolve to keep up with the way people engage with Google searches. There’s also no point in implementing Google Ads if you have no intention (or time) to review the results and optimise your campaigns accordingly.

Google Ads Tips for Accountants

Know your audience. Google Ads has many targeting options beyond keywords. You should consider your website content, past website users with Google Analytics, similar audiences, in-market audiences, and remarketing audiences. Demographic targeting such as age, gender, income, and education, can also be considered. Your most dominant audiences may not be who you expect!
Use Google Keyword Planner to identify relevant keywords for each specific accountant and advisory service. This takes the guesswork out of identifying keywords — people may be searching for accounting services in ways you haven't noticed before.
Consider negative keywords — these are words you don’t want your ad to show for. For example, you can tell Google Ads not to show your ad when someone searches “accounting jobs Perth”, but still appear for “accounting Perth”.
Where possible, avoid competing with industry software companies like Xero. They have much larger budgets and are probably more well-known, meaning users are less likely to click on your ad if both options appear. Xero probably have ads targeting the search phrase “outsourced bookkeeping”, so try to create different a tangent with your ad if this is something you also offer. For example, “local outsourced bookkeeping” or “bookkeeping near me”.
Ensure the webpage you direct people to from your ad is relevant to the ad, and create landing pages if necessary. For example, if you have an ad for “business planning consulting”, don’t lead users to a generic home page or contact page. Take them to a page specifically about your Business Planning Consulting service with more information.
Implement conversion tracking so you can see how many people signed up / contacted you as a direct result of a Google Ad.
Check your stats and data weekly, if not daily. Make adjustments as required with the goal of optimising your campaigns and maximising your budget.

Other Digital Marketing Avenues

SEO and Google Ads are just two ways you can engage with digital marketing. There are also Facebook Ads and Linked in Ads, social media interactions (posts, stories, lives), email marketing, content marketing, mobile marketing (mass texts), and affiliate marketing (also called influencer marketing).

Many of these overlap. For example, content marketing mainly revolves around writing blog content, which is a huge part of SEO. However, it can also encompass social media posting, video content, and email marketing — but these can also be standalone strategies. Confused? Don't worry. It’s really about finding the best digital marketing mix for your business, audience, budget, and marketing goals — an experienced marketing agency can help you pinpoint and maximise the right blend.

ROI

Digital Marketing and ROI

Digital marketing yields an attractive return-on-investment across the board. Here are some stats you can get excited about:

Based on Litmus report , email marketing ROI stands at 4,200% — for every dollar businesses invest in email marketing, they receive $42 in return.
Companies who regularly blog high-quality content are 13 times more likely to get a positive ROI. Small businesses that have a blog, and regularly contribute to it, will see an average of 126% more lead growth than those that don’t.
Companies generate an average of $2 in earnings for every $1 they spend on Google Ads, doubling their investment.
According to HubSpot, at least 64% of individuals will buy an item or engage a service once they’ve watched a video explaining more of the details.
Videos incorporated on landing pages (which you can direct Google Ads to) boost the conversion rate by up to 86% .

Digital Marketing Metrics for Accountants

We’ve got the stats above, but it’s important not to rely on these as everyone’s ROI will look different. Determining your digital marketing ROI is important because without measuring this, you’re essentially marketing blind. This is easier said than done as different strategies have different goals. For example, not all accounting advertising campaigns are designed to convert — some might be just to spread brand awareness, which is more difficult to track.

In any case, there are three useful metrics we recommend following to determine ROI. When you engage Helium Marketing for digital services, we track these for you (and heaps more). Otherwise, you’re welcome to tackle these on your own:

Conversion Rate. This is how many people are converting from each channel. E.g. Google Ads, Facebook Ads, email campaigns, etc. You’ll probably discover that one or more of your channels convert better than others and want to invest more in these avenues to boost your ROI.
Cost Per Lead. To calculate the cost per lead, divide the total ad or campaign spend by the total number of leads attributed to that campaign. If the cost of each lead is more than what you can produce when closing the leads, you are not getting a positive return on investment and something about your campaign needs to change.
Customer Lifetime Value. This tells you what the average client is expected to spend over their lifetime with you. For example, if it costs you $100 to acquire a customer, and they spend $100 with you, you’re breaking even. However, if they spend $100 a month with you for three years, that’s a very positive ROI, and that initial $100 investment was well worth it.

Is Your Current Marketing Working?

If you have to ask whether your current efforts are working, they’re probably not. This could be because your initiatives aren’t diversified enough, you’re targeting the wrong people, you aren’t actively tracking and checking the data and insights available to you, or relying on guesswork and gut feel. Rather than continually taking a stab in the dark, work with an agency that’ll turn on the lights.

Need a Small Business Digital Marketing Agency to Help?

Accessible Marketing Essentials for Accountants and Finance Advisors

Based in Perth, we’re Helium Marketing. We’d love to start a conversation about how we can help you reach more people and increase your revenue with powerful, data-based digital campaigns. We’ve worked with a number of Accountants and Finance Advisers, and know the intricacies of your industry as well as the common challenges you’re up against.

With our Marketing Essentials service, we specialise in helping small businesses grow into large ones. As the name suggests, Marketing Essentials covers what we consider to be the essential marketing activities for a small business to generate quality enquiries — and revenue:

Analytics to Assess ROI.
Advertising (Google Ads, Facebook Ads, LinkedIn Ads, etc).
Search Engine Optimisation.
Website Optimisation.

We strive to keep our costs as low as possible and currently offer this service for just $1,199 + GST per month. We believe this is a negligible cost compared to the cost of a fulltime in-house marketing person, as well as the income we can generate for you!

Get Started with a 30-Day Free Trial

Our Marketing Essentials package comes with a 30-day free trial to make it viable for accounting firms and financial advisors to give us a shot. There’s no lock-in contract, minimum term, or anything legalistic like that. We’re aware a lot of businesses have had negative experiences with marketing agencies, so we’re putting our money where our mouth is with this unique offer.

If you are looking for an agency committed to caring for small businesses, then we’d love to hear from you. Get started here.

You’re a Small Business, But Not For Long Thanks to Marketing

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 03:54:04 GMT

We’re in the business of growing small businesses, with marketing.

That’s why today’s article is about offering three very simple marketing strategies for growing your small business.

1. Focus your budget on advertising.

Most business owners view a marketing budget as a line item in their profit and loss, and therefore, view marketing expenses as an annual expense. Instead, think about marketing cost in terms of client acquisition. In other words: “I'm paying $X for one new client”. This is a scalable and more accountable way of thinking about marketing. As long as that client spends enough with your business to justify the cost of acquiring them, you simple need to rinse and repeat.

So, where should the dollars be spent? Make sure the majority of your marketing spend is on advertising, such as Google Ads or Facebook Ads. Once you’ve established the cost of acquiring a profitable client, there is really no reason to not spend heavy on advertising. Two caveats to add to this though...

Firstly, if you don’t have a high performing website, this will reduce the percentage of enquiries you receive, and therefore may be worth getting sorted upfront.
Secondly, there are other long-term growth strategies (like Search Engine Optimisation) which can be achieved without ad spend. However this may be best left until after you’ve established short-term marketing strategies (like Google Ads). It really depends on how much of a rush you’re in.

2. Choose the right person to manage your ads.

Whether you manage your paid advertising yourself, have a staff member do it, or outsource to a marketing agency ( like us ), you need choose someone with the capacity to continually be check and optimise your campaigns. To maximise your campaign, they should be doing this every couple of days. Unlike more traditional forms of advertising, Digital Ads have an extraordinary amount of analytics, and with them, opportunities for optimisation.

You may have heard the phrase ‘set and forget’. This is the practise of creating ad campaigns without any ongoing review, and is the antithesis of great performing digital marketing. You want someone who is enthusiastic and motivated to get you best results — someone who isn’t going to get distracted by other competing priorities. Often, this level of attention and care produces better results than experience on a resume. Likewise, the accountability of outsourcing to an agency means the person working on your account is focused on improving the results, because they'll want to retain you as a client.

3. Utilise automation technologies.

It’s no secret that technology is changing the way we work. I’m sure it’s true of every industry and workplace, however it is definitely true when it comes to digital marketing! The tools being used are primarily digital (Google Ads, Microsoft Ads, Instagram Ads, Facebook Ads) and impressive technology in their own rights.

'Automation' is the latest category of technologies on top of these, which can help improve and safeguard the performance of digital advertising. There are literally hundreds of tools that can be leveraged, such as analytics, click fraud protection, campaign optimisation, search engine optimisation, screen recordings, heat maps, click funnels — the list goes on.

These tools can be setup to run seamlessly in the background and do the heavy lifting, so you don’t have to. You may be surprised to know a standard Helium client get’s access to almost $1,000 worth of marketing tech through our Marketing Essentials service. We're able to do because, as an agency, we get wholesale prices and pass the savings onto our clients. Marketing Essentials give you the tools that make your campaigns stand out from the crowd.

A Content Management System Comparison: Duda vs WordPress

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Mon, 15 Nov 2021 03:53:35 GMT

Which should you choose for your website?

When it comes to building a website, the first decision you need to make is what software to build it in. This is called a Content Management System, or CMS for short. It's important to make the right decision for your business, as it's not possible to change this later on without a complete rebuild.

There is much debate between IT and website professionals about which platform is better. In other words, it's actually quite subjective and perhaps comparable to the Apple vs Microsoft debate. There isn't a right and wrong answer, just personal preferences based on individual circumstances, industry needs, and business goals.

Let's start by looking at the G2.com rating website, which ranks Duda over WordPress in almost every category. Here's a breakdown of those ratings based on user reviews collected by G2 as of 2019 (you can view their website for real-time numbers).

So while the above list will give you an indication of the reasons some choose Duda, it's not case closed. In contrast to these rankings, Website Planet considers both platforms equal contenders and Green Geeeks summarises "the things you can accomplish with WordPress far outweigh the things you can accomplish by using the Duda platform." To expand on this statement with practical examples, WordPress may present more in-depth options for websites with advanced eCommerce, Membership Platforms, Virtual Tours, Accommodation Management, Online Directories, and other specific functional requests.

Helium's consensus

It's clear both platforms are effective solutions, however it seems that Duda is the "people's choice" based on how simple it is for the everyday person to manage and maintain it without code. On the other hand, WordPress is IT Developers' preference due its enhanced flexibility and functionality.

To sum things up:

If you're a small business looking for a simple solution, Duda is for you.
If you are a larger organisation with complex requirements or in-house technical capability, WordPress is most likely your best solution.

At Helium, we specialise in building websites in Duda and WordPress, so we can work with you regardless of your choice. The choice is yours, but we're happy to chat through each CMS with you in more detail so you can make an informed-decision. Give us a call if you'd like our opinion on the best fit for your business, or take a look below at some of the website's we've built in each platform.

PS: You may be interested to know you're on a Duda website right now. At Helium, we rebuilt our own website in Duda, after being frustrated by the inbuilt challenges that are inherent with WordPress.

How to Edit a Duda Website

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Fri, 10 Sep 2021 07:27:34 GMT

How to Login

How to Save and Undo

How to Edit Pictures and Text

How to Add Blocks

How to Add Blog Posts

How to Add Pages

Summary

Marketing and The Power of Video

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:48 GMT

If a picture is worth a thousand words, what’s a video worth?

According to Dr. James McQuivey’s predictive study, How Video Will Take Over The World , 1.8 million words.

While words and imagery can be extremely powerful, video captures action, expression, and emotion on a deeper level, making space for truer market connection.

So, why are we suddenly raving about videography? At the start of COVID-19, we quickly recognised the need to communicate more effectively online, not only for ourselves, but enabling our clients to do so with their markets as well. When offices — and businesses — around Australia shut down, this became even more critical.

Enter, Sachi Partners — Helium’s Client of the Month.

With a need to get online, fast, Sachi took advantage of our Remote One Day Website package. Although we’ve been offering One Day Websites remotely since 2017, they’ve proved invaluable in the current climate, with many businesses going online for the first time. We wanted to demonstrate the accessibility and efficiency of Remote One Day Websites, while also putting Sachi’s experience in the spotlight. The answer? Video.

Videography benefits & applications.

With thousands of streaming services and video platforms at our fingertips, it’s no surprise that the video medium tops the charts when it comes to audience engagement. We’re not even halfway through 2020, but already, 92% of marketers say video is a core part of their marketing mix. Building on this, 88% of video marketers reported that video gives them a positive ROI — a massive 55% increase from 2015. So, why is video marketing so powerful?

No matter what you’re selling, body language and tone are crucial in building rapport, credibility, and trust — not impossible to communicate on paper, but certainly more tedious. As a visual tool, video captures action, expression, and emotion on a deeper level. Your authenticity lays the foundation for conversions and sales.
You can communicate with new audiences who don’t engage with written content.
They’re SEO drivers — engaging videos can increase the amount of time visitors spend on your site. Longer exposure tells search engines that your site has quality content, positively impacting SEO efforts.
Videos are extremely versatile. They can be used to communicate new offerings, testimonials, case studies, as well as training, learning and development. They can also position people are Thought Leaders, share insights, create content for eNews and social platforms, and more.

For example, see how Classic Contractors engaged us to share how they’re responding to COVID-19.

Harness the power of this influential marketing tool.

A poorly-developed video will do significantly more harm than good. We’ve geared up with the latest equipment and hired a dedicated Videographer to make sure our videos make a lasting impression, for the right reasons.

Visually stunning footage that brings a heightened sense of reality to who you are and what you do is an influential marketing tool. Pair that with quick turnaround times and a team that can help it reach the right people, and you’re ready to share 1.8 million words in a little as 40 seconds. Let’s make it happen .

— Scott Ingram, Director

Should You Build Your New Website Using a Template?

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:46 GMT

Today, we’re looking at the pros and cons of building with website templates, as opposed to custom-coding from the ground up.

Think of website templates and custom code like this: many builders offer off-the-plan homes and custom homes. With off-the-plan, you can still make alterations and have your final say on the finishing touches. Although there will be limitations, you’ll still end up with a beautiful new home. A custom home will be considerably more expensive for obvious reasons — more creative control, layout modifications, luxury materials, designs tailored to the dynamics of your family, and so on.

The same principles apply to website builds.

As a technologically-agnostic company, we offer templated websites and custom coded websites, and choose the platform best-suited to each client’s needs. So, what’s the right option for you?

Using a template is advantageous when…

A) You want to reduce costs
Using a template results in a much faster build process, meaning your development costs will be significantly less. As a cost-conscious and ROI-focused company, we’re all about ensuring the money you spend will make a measurable difference. If there is not a clear reason to pay someone to develop your website line of code at a time, then don’t.

B) You want to manage the website yourself
Once upon a time, the website industry was comprised of developers building websites that only they could maintain and edit. Now, the market is more educated, and clients want to manage their website themselves — and rightfully so. However, sadly some web companies still insist on building unnecessarily complex websites only they can manage.

Custom code is advantageous when…

A) You have unique or complex technical requirements
Templates often come with certain limitations, so it’s important to understand what website functionality you need before the build begins. For example, do you need to integrate Australia Post so that you can customise shipping for different postcodes in your online store? Or, are you needing a login for wholesale customers so you can offer different prices to the general public?

B) You want your website to look truly bespoke
While templated websites are very customisable (there are literally hundreds of thousands of options available), they can’t do everything. If you have a firm idea of what you want your website to look like, a custom build will get you exactly what you want.

Unless there is an explicitly clear and specific reason to go custom, you’ll probably find yourself paying a premium unnecessarily (either upfront or in the long run).

We can show you just how quality-rich and cost-effective a templated website can be. However, if you have a truly innovative idea, we’d enjoy the opportunity to explore what a bespoke solution would look like for you. Contact us to start the conversation.

— Scott Ingram, Director

Signals Of Value

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:44 GMT

Do you ever find you’re over-qualified for a job, yet undercut by a cheaper, less experienced company?

Or, perhaps you are the one “buying the job” with no margin. Either way, you probably have a differentiation problem. It seems commonplace for excellent providers to struggle to win work, not able to communicate their marketing point of difference. This seems especially true for those in professional services (or anyone with an intangible offering).

Unless a buyer has significant experience with what they are purchasing, they may not understand the true value of what they are getting. This can even be true after they have bought and used it! So, how do you reveal this value upfront during the sales process?

Management strategist and author, Michael Porter, summarises this challenge in his book, The Competitive Advantage .

“Buyers often do not know what they should be looking for in a supplier. While buyers are likely to understand direct impacts, they fail to recognise indirect impacts or the ways other supplier activities other than the product affect them.”

He goes on to offer a solution…

“In the absence of fully understanding the value of your services, buyers look for ‘ Signals of Value ’. This is a reflection of any aspect or touchpoint a buyer has had with your company. This includes advertising, reputation, packaging, professionalism, appearance, facilities, personality of employees, and the information provided in the sales presentation to infer the value a firm will or may create. These are termed Signals of Value .

Buyers will not pay for something they do not perceive; no matter how real the value it may be. Therefore, the price premium a firm commands is a reflection of the value of the offering and the value to which it is perceived.”

This a helpful reminder that sometimes the challenge is not in how to improve marketing activities, but to recognise that every activity is marketing.

— Scott Ingram, Director

Client of the Month — SAFE Perth

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:43 GMT

SAFE Perth, a local not-for-profit, came to us with a desire for a refreshed website that could become the central hub of all their activities.

With 1,200 animals adopted each year, more than 300 volunteers and foster carers, and almost one million dollars in vet bills covered through donations, this was no easy feat!

Well-versed in working with not-for-profits, the Helium team knew SAFE Perth needed a multi-faceted site that could respond to a range of areas. We considered the five core elements many not-for-profits struggle to respond to in a single platform.

1. Build brand awareness.

Operating for over 15 years, SAFE Perth were already well-known and had a positive reputation in the online and offline communities. We showcased testimonials to reinforce this reputation. And, our Designer ensured the aesthetics were on-brand by utilising SAFE Perth’s logo and colours, creating familiarity with the site among existing audiences.

2. Promote the cause.

Copy was strategically written to reflect the fun-loving nature of animals without losing sight of the heart of the business — Saving Animals From Euthanasia. The work SAFE Perth do is continually reinforced through blog posts .

3. Encourage donations.

Like any not-for-profit, SAFE Perth rely on donations and fundraising. With significant vet bills (almost one million dollars over the past five years), donations are essential. Using an intuitive layout and dedicated Donate page , pathways to give are accessible throughout the site, including a button in the main banner as well as the primary navigation.

4. Engage volunteers.

SAFE Perth have over 300 volunteers across a multitude of roles — but they always need more. In particular, foster carers for sick or injured animals are in demand. A Get Involved page clearly outlines how people can contribute in a capacity that aligns with their passions and skillsets. There are also calls-to-action throughout the site.

5. Educate and drive social change.

A huge component of SAFE Perth is advocacy and education . They offer solutions to animal neglect through adoption, but also actively educate on responsible animal-ownership, promote the value of animals, and speak up for animals in need. This mission is made clear throughout the site, particularly on the About page.

Do you have a project you’d like to get off the ground?

Talk to us about how we can help. Call 1800 HELIUM or fill in our contact form .

Don’t Underestimate The Power Of Doorknocking

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:40 GMT

Why old-fashioned marketing strategies still work.

I recently joined 6PR’s Perth LIVE with Oliver Peterson to chat about where people should start when trying to get a new business off the ground. We talked all things marketing, like digital vs traditional and how to nurture your customers. And, we spontaneously gave away a free website on-air!

Listen to the podcast below.

For help launching your new business, contact us . We’ll chat about the right blend of traditional and digital marketing strategies and help you get off the ground.

Why should you choose Helium as your Digital Agency?

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:39 GMT

With so many choices available to build your website, it’s worth taking the time to compare developers. In fact, asking why you might choose us over anyone else is a question we’ve come to expect.

We’ve attempted to answer this openly and honestly, so you can determine if we’re the right fit for you. Here are six factors that will help determine whether Helium is the right agency to engage for your website project.

1. Our work speaks for itself.

Nothing speaks louder than execution. Our Designers and Writers think through what your objectives are, and translate that into intentional design and compelling copy. We build websites as marketers, and that means constantly ensuring functionality, design, and copy are strategic in serving your objectives. It shows in the work.

2. We have a type.

We want to have a good experience as much as you do, and don’t pursue every company that needs a website. Over time, we have found the best fit for us are businesses and organisations who share our values of strategic outcomes and rapid implementation. Having all of our team work under the same roof together, instead of outsourcing, allows us to fulfil that value.

3. You can ask our clients.

When a prospective client asks us why they should hire us, the most accountable and transparent approach is usually to put them in touch with our existing clients — when we are not in the room. Prospects are also encouraged to look over our Google Reviews .

4. You value what we offer.

There will always be a cheaper website option out there.

If you value quality work, excellent service, creative ideas and positive, open relationships, we are the team for you. Our expectations are mutual and reciprocal. You will meet our creative team in person, and your team will be a part of ours for the website development. This is because we want to know what you think along the way, so we can continue to deliver to your expectations.

5. We don’t build dependence in.

It was Henry Ford who famously said, “if you can get people to buy the parts for the life of the car, you could give away the car for free”. A lot of developers run to this philosophy; building sites from the start in an unnecessarily complex way so that clients need to return to make changes and updates (good to keep in mind as you compare developers). We do the exact opposite by building user-friendly sites that clients can control and manage in the platform best-suited to their needs. If fact, the final stage of any website build is training and coaching.

There are a lot of good agencies, but not all of them sync with a client’s culture. We want you to decide that we’re not only a great agency, but that we’re also a great fit.

How To Maximise Online Reviews From Your Customers

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:37 GMT

As a business owner or Marketing Manager, you care about what you do — and you want your customers to know it.

That’s why nothing hurts more than negative online reviews that unfairly represent you or your service. The worst part? It can hurt more than just your pride…

67% of consumers check Google Reviews before visiting a business.
94% of searchers will avoid businesses with negative reviews.
Businesses risk losing 22% of business when potential customers find only one negative review on the first page of their search results. This jumps up to 44% when two negative reviews are found.

When it comes to reputation management, being on top of your Google Reviews and Facebook Recommendations is absolutely essential. So, let’s look at two simple strategies that can help you do this.

Firstly, maximise your positive reviews.

One of the reasons positive reviews are so powerful is because they’re unbiased, genuine, and reliable. They’re the digital form of ‘word of mouth’ marketing, so maximising them is essential. Online reviews also grab Google’s attention and can organically boost search engine ranking, making your brand more visible. So, how can you get them?

While some customers don’t need to be prompted to leave a review, it’s helpful to start with an initial gentle push. Contact all your previous happy customers, and ask them to leave their review. You can make this easy for them by sending them a direct link to your review page.

Secondly, deal with the negatives.

If you don’t have many reviews and are not proactive in regularly requesting them from happy customers, you open yourself up to being unproportionately represented by a single negative review. Of course, a one-star rating is viewed differently if it is your only review, compared to one of 100. But, removing negative reviews? Easier said than done.

It is difficult to convince massive technology companies (like Google) that someone’s opinion isn’t a legitimate one. There is a very particular, and not so straight forward process which can be followed to remove a negative review. It involves highlighting the clash with either local law or the platform’s user guidelines. While you could embark on a long and drawn out journey of understanding Google’s terms and conditions, I’d suggest you simply search ‘online review removal service’. There are a handful of companies which specialise in doing just this. Often, they offer a full money-back guarantee if the review isn’t removed, so there’s very little downside to engaging them.

So, there you have it. Get these two simple principles sorted, and you have taken the first step to having a reputable online presence.

— Scott Ingram, Director

Of course, this is just the beginning of optimising your reputation (online and otherwise). For more guidance on putting your best foot forward, give us a call to discuss how we can help you navigate this ever-changing landscape.

Website Design Is Like Making a First Impression

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:36 GMT

My one-year-old is screaming.

I scrounge through her carry bag, looking for anything that might keep her temporarily full. At last — a packaged snack hiding in a side pocket. Victorious, I offer it to her, but she simply says, “no”, turning her head away in disgust. After opening the wrapper and giving her a taste, she loves it and the snack is quickly devoured. As it turns out, the packaging was the same colour as a different food brand she strongly dislikes.

We’re wired for colour.

It’s amazing how we attach meaning and expectations to colour from such an early age. This isn’t a new thought — it’s well known that “colour is considered to be extremely important in the marketing world” (Blackbird, Fox & Tornetta, 2013). This is largely because colour is the first thing we absorb before anything else — and it’s no secret that colour plays an integral role in branding and website design.

A part of me finds how we form opinions based on face value quite disheartening. Every day, I am introduced to at least one business owner who is exceptional at what they do, but simply doesn’t present the business well when it comes to marketing (usually due to a lack of resources or know-how). Unfortunately, the marketplace isn’t a forgiving one.

Consumers make decisions based on first impressions.

With consumers overwhelmed by choice, they have to make assumptions about a company based on a surface-level first glance. While a more thorough investigation may come later for those who have been shortlisted, without a credible first impression , you won’t even make it onto the list to begin with. So, how can you stand out?

A few sources have recently found that judgements on a company from online users (which is pretty much everyone) are 75% based on their website design. The first impression is no longer face-to-face — it’s almost exclusively online. Have you ever considered how many clients you are losing due to false perceptions before they even make contact?

— Scott Ingram, Director

What does your website design say about your business? Perhaps it’s time to consider what a half-baked online presence has really cost you. If you’re interested in a free, professional second opinion, why not pick up the phone ? We’ll find time for a coffee and discuss how you can take your website to the next level.

Are You Accidentally Engaging in False Advertising?

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:32 GMT

When businesses advertise, they’re trying to positively influence your perception of them.

We all know this is what they’re doing. In fact, exaggerating in advertising is a known and widely accepted technique called “Puffery” (think of the Pufferfish, which enlarges itself to appear more prominent). So, as a business, how do you draw the line between making a favourable impression and being misleading through false advertising?

Smart? Or sneaky?

Take a guess at which of the following are considered to be false advertising from a legal perspective:

The tagline, “Red Bull gives you wings”.
A commercial of a photoshopped model demonstrating an Olay skincare product.
Volkswagen’s statement that their diesel engines are “environmentally friendly”.

They all are! You may be surprised (or satisfied) to learn that these companies were fined billions of dollars. The below examples, however, are considered completely acceptable:

Apple claiming Siri was their “coolest feature” and an “intelligent personal assistant”.
PlayStation claimed its third console “Does Everything”.
Smirnoff’s tagline says it is “The world’s most-liked Vodka”.

These are within the boundaries of the law. So, what’s the difference?

False advertising vs puffery

False advertising (illegal) is making objective statements which are untrue, while puffery (a legal advertising technique) is making subjective statements which cannot be quantifiably disproven. It’s a fine, but clear, line of distinction.

While you may not be a multinational corporation with an excessive advertising budget, there are still risks for small business and not-for-profits alike. The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) takes false advertising very seriously. Organisations of every size need to take heed.

Be extra vigilant

Shockingly, you can even get in trouble for claims that other people make about your business on online review platforms (such as Facebook or Google). For example, if someone makes an untrue claim on your Facebook page, you’re deemed responsible for breaking the law, not the person who posted it! The same goes for false online reviews. The theory — online platforms are the responsibility of the organisation to maintain. Therefore, displaying (or not removing) a false statement is seen as an intention to mislead the public.

Fair advertising is good for business. It’s also a part of ethical marketing and required by law. As such, it’s important to ensure you — and your online communities — are not accidentally engaging in false advertising techniques. Make subjective claims, not objective; unless you’re prepared to back them up!

— Scott Ingram, Director

Make sure you review how you advertise before the ACCC does. For more information, visit Advertising and Promoting Your Business on the ACCC website. Or, engage an expert to ensure you’re above board.

A Marketing Strategy Straight from the Boxing Ring

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:26 GMT

Today’s marketing strategy inspiration comes from Floyd Mayweather Jr.

Mayweather is a professional boxer considered to be one of the most successful athletes of our time. He was undefeated over his 19-year career, and more recently, came out of retirement to fight Conor McGregor. That one match earnt him a hefty $300 million in winnings. So, how did he do it? Scientists have an answer.

Through comprehensive analysis, Mayweather was determined as the most accurate boxer in recorded history, with the highest percentage of punches landed in contrast to the ones received. He was also observed to be very reserved in his approach, allowing his opponent to hit him a few times at the start of a match while he worked out their tactics. Once Mayweather knew what he was working with, he’d strike only a few times, but with incredible energy.

The lesson? Land your hits and make them count. I believe this same boxing approach is also effective as a marketing strategy. Let’s take a look.

First, you’ve got to take a few hits.

I think most businesses are looking for the silver bullet — the one marketing trick that is going to solve all their problems. But before we can strike, we need to take a few hits. Initially, we want to take time to analyse our approach and experiment with a few different channels and methods.

When we consult with small businesses, we encourage them to build a diverse range of ongoing marketing activities. Precisely, seven different ones (if they wish to grow their business). This is an experimental process where we trial various mediums (Facebook Ads, Google Ads , radio, social media, free seminars, door knocking, etc) and measure the relative results.

Second, time to strike.

After an ongoing and simple evaluation, we can determine key metrics such as cost per lead, conversion rate, return on investment, and turn-around time. We can then assess which activities to double down on, which to fine-tune, and which to scrap. In our experience, effective marketing returns $3 for every $1 spent. The idea here is that if we can find a channel that generates $3,000 of income from a $1,000 investment, we can start adding 0s to the spend and the return.

Thoroughly experimenting with manageable spends on half a dozen different channels builds a predictability into your marketing. This turns a significant advertising investment from a high-risk venture to a no brainer. Let’s get confident about your marketing spend, so you can get that flood of leads you’ve been waiting for.

— Scott Ingram, Director

Need a hand working out where to start with your marketing strategy? Give us a call to see what we think.

Marketing — Art or Science?

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:25 GMT

As marketing consultants, we’re privileged to be meeting with a variety of different types of businesses and organisations every day.

One meeting will be with a law firm, the next with a plumber, the next with a national not-for-profit. Each of them operates in different industries, have different life stories and different approaches to marketing, yet they all ask the same question, “how do you know if a marketing campaign will work?”.

Many see marketing as an artform — something that requires gut feeling, intuition, and creative thinking. Others see it as a science — a logical thought process that can be followed to achieve definitive results. I believe marketing starts as an art and becomes a science. Let me explain.

If you’re new to marketing, it is near impossible to determine if a marketing campaign is going to work for you.

Anyone who tells you they can may suffer from a case of overconfidence. I believe successful marketing is when advertising generates enquiries at a cost that is manageable for the business. As a business owner, I’m often amazed at how advertising initiatives I expect to work don’t, and vice versa. Over the past five years, I’ve become convinced that marketing is about trial and error, and measurements. Nothing more, nothing less.

After comprehensive trial and error with different adverts through different mediums, you’ll start to get a clear picture of how your marketing works, enabling you to make data-driven decisions. As an example, at Helium, when advertising our One Day Website offering on radio, we can tell you:

Our ROI as an exact percentage.
How many days it will take a listener to take action.
The time it will take them to make a decision.
How many of those people will say “yes”.

While I can’t share the specific figures, I can tell you they are indeed precise. When you reach this level of specificity, you know your marketing has graduated to “Science Status”. It takes years of trial and error to get to this place, and sadly there are no shortcuts for bypassing the investment of time and money.

Unfortunately, it seems for most businesses to justify marketing science and advertising spend, they need to be in decline.

However, at this point it’s too late. The cash reserves have already been burnt, time is of the essence, and the client needs to hit a home run to revive the business. This includes the law firm who has relied on word of mouth for 20 years but is now doing it tough for the first time, the plumber who has enjoyed years of fruit from a preferred partnership which has come to a close, and the not-for-profit who has an ageing donor base.

— Scott Ingram, Director

At Helium, we believe in helping the underdogs who are exceptional at what they do, but need help to rise above the rest. If that’s you, we’re here to help . Just don’t wait until it’s too late.

Four Customer Survey Mistakes to Avoid

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:23 GMT

A customer survey is a questionnaire that assesses how a customer feels about a service, product, or experience.

Rather than waiting for customers to reach out to you or post an online review — which may actually harm your reputation — it’s best to communicate with them directly. The perfect way to do this is to ask for specific feedback in the form of a customer survey. Ideally, these are simple for your customers to fill out, provide opportunities for them to speak their mind, and can be analysed for insights about your company.

There are two ideas at play here. The first is to use this feedback to implement necessary changes to improve the customer experience. The second is to use any positive feedback received in the form of a testimonial, which can be applied to promotional material. In saying that, there are several mistakes that can make surveys unengaging and unreliable. To make sure yours is as effective as possible, lookout for the below four common mistakes.

1. Unbalanced question formats.

Generally speaking, feedback comes in two forms: qualitative (literacy-based) and quantitative (numeracy-based) — it’s important to avoid leaning too heavily either way. If you’re pushing 20 open-ended style questions at people, there’s a chance your customers will look the other way due to the time it would take. Plus, you could be caught reading an essay at the end. On the other hand, 10 scale-based questions don’t leave scope for people who may want to highlight a specific experience, or write a complaint. The solution is a good balance, which varies across industries and from business-to-business. A good rule of thumb is to put yourself in your customers’ shoes — ask yourself: “would I be happy to fill this out?”. If the answer is, “probably not”, you’ve got some editing to do.

Don’t: Stick to a single style of question.

Do: Find the right mix of question formats — usually a combination of open-ended questions, scale-ratings, number-ranking systems, and so on.

2. Vague questions.

Vague questions are excellent at drawing out vague answers — which are a waste of your time and your customers’ time. Each question you put forward should be intentional in gaining a specific, detailed response. When you design your feedback survey, be strategic about creating questions that will direct respondents in the way you want them to go. A practical step here is to write down the objectives you’re seeking, and tailor questions that will help reach those objectives.

For example, let’s say you’re a telecommunications business. You know your customer service team is lacking, and want some insights into why:

Don’t: How was your experience with us?

Do: What five words would you use to describe our customer service team?

3. Biased questions.

You want your customers to gush over your services or products, but it’s poor practice to use leading questions to get them there. Predisposed questioning is the biggest slip-up by companies, in that many business owners don’t even realise they’re doing it. Swaying peoples’ answers one way or another (whether intentional or not) leads to inaccurate data and dishonest testimonials. The customer must determine their response based on their genuine opinion and experience.

In this scenario, you’re following up a customer who has returned a garment to your store after buying it online:

Don’t: How would you rate our awesome FREE returns policy?

Do: Is a returns policy something you consider before making an online purchase? Why or why not?

4. Pressuring customers to provide feedback.

Post your customer satisfaction survey out via email, social media, or house it on your website, just don’t bombard your client-base with it. Repeatedly telling people to fill out your survey will make them feel uncomfortable. And, even if they have had a good experience, the pressure to say so might deter them from becoming a repeat customer. Fact is, a lot of people don’t give feedback, but you’ll have more success by being genuine in your initial request — tell people how this will help you improve your services, or that you’d like to use their words as a testimonial. You’ll have customers who speak honestly, rather than answering questions just to avoid another email.

Don’t: Flood your customers with requests for feedback.

Do: Be relational in your request and follow up once, if needed.

Don’t forget…

The point of conducting customer surveys is to uncover what people enjoy about your company, and what could be improved. Customer feedback is a powerful tool that can genuinely help you respond to certain areas of your business. The worst thing you can do is ignore the feedback you’re given. Make the most of the data you’ve acquired, and take action!

One way we glean feedback on an ongoing basis is by integrating a simple software into each internal team member’s email signatures. It’s a no-pressure channel which gives clients the option to choose from a three-point rating based on their experience with Helium. Ask us how we do it !

Not sure how to take action? We use tangible approaches that take organisations to the next level. Ask us about customer surveys, marketing strategies, websites, or one-on-one coaching.

Marketing Insights for Naming Your Business

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:22 GMT

Naming your business can rank among the most difficult tasks you face in the early days of a start-up or rebrand.

It’s not uncommon for the process of naming your business to take weeks, if not months. To accelerate the process and alleviate any headaches, we’ve put together three practical approaches that’ll help you arrive at a name which effectively represents your organisation.

Use the ‘What, How, Why’ framework

By starting with these overarching questions, you can develop a pool of words, phrases, and concepts that contribute to the overall idea behind your business.

What – What does your business do? What is the core product or service you offer, and what is it you’re hoping to achieve?
How – How do you deliver this product or service? Using adjectives, how would you describe your delivery?
Why – Why are you offering this product or service? Why do people need what you can provide?

Not only do these questions help frame the purpose of the business and provide language which communicates offerings, they also illuminate potential areas that could become a namesake.

Consider your customers

When it comes to promoting your business, there are a range of simple criteria to consider that will have a big impact on your marketing efforts. In marketing, we know customers are more likely to choose businesses that resonate with them on a surface level and a personal level. As such, it’s vital to consider the relevance of the name to your target market.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself so you can keep on track:

Can the name be easily spelt and remembered? Don’t lose leads because people are unsure of how to spell your business name or web address.
What imagery or feelings will your name evoke in the mind of your customer? What means something to you as a business owner, may mean something different to your customers. Positive emotions equate to happy customers.
Is the name long or wordy? Consider how this may impact your domain name and email address, as well as business cards and other design elements.
Does it sound good when said out loud? Think about saying it over and over to customers in person, or when answering the phone.

Get a second opinion

It’s easy to get bogged down in the naming phase. Sometimes, it takes a second person to break through a mental block and keep you moving in the right direction (or stop you from heading in the wrong one!). It’s better to measure twice and cut once, so talk to people who don’t have anything to lose by giving you honest feedback. Or better yet, get some marketing pros involved!

Here to help

If you’d like a hand naming your business, our creative juices are ready to flow. Say hey , and let’s brainstorm the possibilities together.

Your Introduction to File Formats

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:19 GMT

Digital files allow us to gather, share, and store information more efficiently than ever.

But, with so many different types out there, how are you supposed to know what does what? And when to use it? Here’s a breakdown of five graphic file formats you’re likely to encounter when working with a marketing agency.

JPG / JPEG

This is the most common format for storing and transferring images, and is best suited for showcasing photos on websites. JPGs are often used for logos as well. A large JPG file can be made smaller with almost no loss of detail, but the reverse will result in pixelation and blur. It’s best practice to use high-resolution images when it comes to marketing collateral.

PDF

Forms, presentations, and written documents often appear in PDF formats. They’re considered ‘secure’ files as they allow people to view information but not edit it (unless they have specialised software). PDFs also preserve the documents original formatting, so people can view everything as it was designed.

PNG

A newer file type, PNG files are excellent for website graphics as they support transparent backgrounds and capture a high level of detail. This ability means they’re often used in logo design, but as PNG files can be quite large, it’s best to use them on sites sparingly so they don’t slow everything down.

EPS

EPS files are encrypted with a mathematical equation that allows the image to expand, almost infinitely, without losing any detail or becoming blurred. As such, they’re used for large-scale printing like billboards, car wraps, or building signage.

PSD

Just as .doc is the native format for Microsoft Word, PSD files are the native format for Adobe Photoshop — the software most commonly used by professional graphic designers. PSD files support transparency and allow for comprehensive editing. They’re suitable for print materials, but aren’t appropriate for the web.

Still too hard?

We build great brands, design stunning websites, and map out next-level communication strategies. If you’re getting caught up in the small technical details of a project (like confusing file formats), perhaps it’s time to have a conversation about how you can leverage us to build your business.

Your Brand Flaws could be Your Biggest Marketing Tool

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:17 GMT

Wouldn’t it be great if you could take everything ‘wrong’ with your business, and turn it into a powerful marketing tool?

Well, you probably can. It isn’t right for every organisation, but for those with a sense of humour and an edgy approach to communications, marketing brand flaws can be incredibly effective.

When a brand’s offering aligns with the concept of being ‘intentionally flawed’, you’ll see some clues. It’s visual presentation is probably rough, its advertising simple, and its promises underwhelming. So, why would anyone deliberately draw attention to something strange about their own product or service?

It gives the brand a human-like quality.

Humans are terrible at being perfect — it’s an endearing characteristic we all share. When brands portray themselves as imperfect, they’re relatable. As such, they connect with consumers more effectively. The brand becomes more approachable, believable, and authentic.

There’s nothing like company dishonesty to rattle customers.

No one likes feeling cheated, mistreated, lied to, or like they haven’t got their money’s worth. By embracing (or even promoting) brand flaws, you’re telling consumers exactly what they can expect.

Hans Brinker , a hotel in Amsterdam, is a great example of this. Their website makes it clear that their accommodation isn’t fancy — or even above average.

“We are here, your bag is here, you will probably be somewhere else.”

“Welcome to Hans Brinker, quite honestly not the best.”

It’s unapologetic honest at it’s finest. They’ve turned their brand flaws into their biggest marketing tool, using wit and honesty to appeal to their market (and they’re nailing it).

It’s our oddities that make us stand out.

People like ‘different’. In his book, Non-Obvious, marketer and best-selling author, Rohit Bhargava , dissects this trend of ‘liking different’.

“Polarizing looks — people with unique features or lots of tattoos — get 10% more messages and dates than ‘conventionally attractive’ people. A lot of people are put off by them, but the people who like them, really like them. In other words, we are attracted to people who are more unique and stand out, even if they happen to be less perfect by traditional measures.”

It’s the same in business. Dieffenbach’s Potato Chips, Pennsylvania, expertly capitalised on being different with their chips, Uglies . They’re made with visually imperfect, perfectly edible potatoes that farmers would normally throw away. The company leveraged the product’s tagline, ‘Always Ugly, Always Delicious’, to put a positive spin on a negative notion. Brilliant.

Remember…

Promoting brand flaws isn’t about intentionally selling a bad product or providing poor service. It’s about standing out. With the right framing, what seems like a weakness (a young team , a small space, a limited supply) could be your strongest selling point. When done right, portraying your organisation as not-so-perfect and promoting quirks can prove invaluable.

Maximise Your Visibility with Google Ads

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:16 GMT

Google Ads can help you get the most out of your website.

Managing your site’s Google ranking can be overwhelming. For many, even figuring out where to start is difficult. However, there are some paid advertising initiatives that can help your site appear higher in Google searches, such as Google Ads (formally called Google AdWords).

Google Ads can drive traffic to your website by appealing to new or specific audiences.

They are seen by people specifically looking for your services, are measurable, and provide analysis after the first month. This includes data on cost per click, click through rates, quality scores, and cost per conversion. By keeping track of this data, you can measure the campaigns that are most effective for your business, and capitalise on those further. Of course, the ultimate goal of Google Ads is to increase incoming leads (and eventualy, sales) via your site’s contact form or phone calls. You should also record how leads hear about you to keep on top of this.

One of the biggest benefits of Google Ads is the amount of control you have.

You choose how you want to reach your customers — text-based search ads, graphic display ads, YouTube ads, or in-app mobile ads. You can then direct these ads to certain geographics, targeting the people in your local area, or broadcasting your business to entire cities (or even countries).

Don’t get bogged down with unpredictable budgeting. You decide what to spend, how to spend it, and can adjust your budget whenever you want. There are no lock-in contracts, so you can end your advertising campaign at any time (with no hidden cancellation fees!).

Google Ads are a little confusing. Helium would be happy to assist you through coaching if you need help in this area. Simply contact us if you would like to talk about ways we can help you boost your website visibility.

The Importance of Exceptional Website Copy

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:13 GMT

The written word is one of the most powerful tools we have available to us.

For thousands of years, we’ve recorded information, penned stories and poems, shared emotions, and told readers of our experiences through transcription. It’s really no different today; we’ve simply swapped our stone tablets for electronic ones.

Whilst a well-designed website for your business is vital, graphics are only half the story — website copy is just as important as a stunning design. We often come across beautiful sites that have been let down by poor copy, tarnishing the sites professionalism and credibility. So, why exactly is copy with the ‘wow’ factor so important?

Look the part

Would you let your staff sleep during a client-meeting? Wear thongs at the office? Probably not, because that would create a poor impression. Similarly, our use of language online is a representation of our professional standards.

The content on your site needs to accurately represent you. Good copywriters understand the image you’re trying to put forward and reinforce that image through intentional, planned, specific wording. Average content will reflect your company in a substandard manner. The same holds true for copy that is rushed, sloppy, or error-ridden, so be aware of poor spelling and grammar, and sentence structure. These faults make written content look messy and unreliable, and reflects badly on your brand.

Engage

Great copy will grab your reader’s attention, and keep it. Every sentence on your website should serve a purpose and be intentional in facilitating a genuine response. Ultimately, the aim is to create the perfect balance between information and relatability. Content that is too wordy, too long, too short, too vague, has too much jargon, or is ‘waffly’, is not engaging and generally deters users from reading on.

Communicate

Your website provides a channel for you to easily provide information. A lot of people skim-read online, so your content should be succinct and easy to read. The message you provide needs to be clear and get to the core of who you are, as well as tell people about your services or products.

In the vastness of the internet, you have to get your point across in a few sentences, while not overwhelming readings with info. It’s a fine line, but that is the essence of persuasive copy.

Do the write thing

Few in-house employees can write to the same standard as a qualified, professional copywriter, yet many businesses neglect this area of their sites. They spend thousands of dollars on amazing design, but not nearly enough on quality copy — if any.

A practised writer who specialises in content creation is highly adaptable and can write in multiple tones, styles, and perfectly capture the nuance of another person or business. This kind of experienced copywriter can produce content for remote niches, even though they have no personal experience in the area. They’re researched-focused and know that engaging copy requires an in-depth understanding of the business, industry, and target audience. Most importantly, they know how to build trust and credibility, and can effectively encourage users to take action.

Feeling a bit sheepish about your website copy? Don’t worry, our clever wordsmiths can revamp your online presence the write way. Contact us to get started !

Nail First Impressions with Visual Design

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:11 GMT

Web design is a major influencer in how audiences perceive your business.

According to recent eye-tracking research at Missouri University of Science and Technology, it takes users less than two-tenths of a second to form a first impression about a website.

You might not think the digital aspects of your company are crucial to the success of your business, but in many cases, your website is how customers ‘meet’ you. You can’t say hello, shake their hand, or ask them how you can help, so it’s up to your website to make a great first impression.

It’s pretty daunting to think that users will make a judgement about your business based on what they see online.

The reality is, your website offers a preview of what it will be like to engage with you. If your site is easy to navigate, concise, and informative, it suggests that you believe in clear communication and know what your customers want. Confusing navigation, broken links, outdated design, and blog articles from 2007 potentially show audiences that you’re unorganised and struggle to keep up in a busy marketplace.

This might not be the case, and it could seem like viewers are jumping to conclusions, but they’re likely not consciously thinking all these things — it’s just what a first impressions tells them.

Hey, good lookin’

A strong visual impact is crucial in nailing a positive first impression, but it’s about more than just looking good. With strategic design, you can communicate your services, build credibility, gain trust, promote yourself as an expert in your industry, and tell users who you are.

Be picky with the photos you use — only upload high-quality images, and make sure any infographics are neat and clear. Use a colour scheme that compliments your logo, and stick to around three colours so your site doesn’t look busy. PS: Check out our article on different types of logos .

Easy does it

Functionality also plays a huge role. How frustrating is it when you can’t find what you’re looking for? A user-friendly experience is a must. Most of the time, visitors know what they’re looking for, so your navigation needs to be structured in a clear, logical way that makes locating relevant information easy.

Send the right message

Copy is perhaps the most difficult thing to get right. It can’t be too wordy, too vague, or too lyrical, and having too much is just as bad as not having enough. Let’s not even get started on the damage poor spelling, grammar, or syntax can do! Exceptional website copy is just as important as strategic design.

Every sentence needs to add value and connect with the person reading it; it has to be fresh, relevant, and up-to-date. Once you’ve got the content down pat, use design elements to enhance it. Bold headings, eye-catching fonts, and a creative use of space makes your message stand out.

Need a hand with copy or web design? We can build a site from scratch, touch-up your existing one, or provide coaching if you’re confident in your design abilities. Contact us today to find out how we can help.

Tricks of the Tradies

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:09 GMT

Be seen, keep track, be heard.

Whether you’re a Brickie, Chippy, Plumber, or just spend a heck of a lot of time at Bunnings, managing your businesses’ marketing and sales can be a tough gig. That’s where we come in.

Our trade-skills are pretty poor, but we’ve got marketing covered. With these three tips in action, you’ll have time for the more important parts of your job, like telling that new apprentice to find a replacement bubble for the spirit level.

1. Be Seen

With online platforms

We can’t talk about marketing for tradies without mentioning websites and social media. These are incredibly useful tools (but they won’t fit on your toolbelt, sorry) when it comes to lead generation. This is how a lot of clients ‘meet you’, get a feel for you and your business, and compare you to other companies — so it’s well worth showcasing your experience, services, abilities, and projects, especially through a website.

hipages is another platform you should take full advantage of. Register your business with hipages, and instantly give thousands of Australians access to your services. You can receive enquiries, give quotes, and chat with customers about their needs. This doesn’t replace a stunning website, but it can be a great additional resource.

2. Keep Track

With spreadsheets

You probably get a lot of leads, and they can be a handful, especially if your bookkeeping skills aren’t up-to-scratch. Rather than leaving scraps of paper here and there, losing your notes all the time, or forgetting to write certain details, consider using a spreadsheet to keep all your data in one place.

Excel spreadsheets might seem overwhelming, but you don’t need to be a Microsoft Master to create a simple leads table and keep it updated — you can even go to a simple Excel Training Course to help you get started. We recommend these headings in your spreadsheet: Source, Name, Suburb, Date, Time, Mode, Enquiry, Notes.

This won’t only keep you organised, but it’s useful to track data, like how your leads are generated, what services are most popular, and how customers are contacting you. You can use this information to see what’s working, and fix what isn’t.

3. Be Heard

With well-crafted messages

When you receive a new enquiry, how do you respond? Writing personalised, powerful sales emails and phone scripts is tough. Perhaps you’ve never even thought about it, but the way you interact with a keen customer can have an impact on whether the lead becomes a sale or not. Write a professional, well-crafted message and save it as a template which you can alter on for each new enquiry. See our example below.

Hi <customer name>,

Thank you for your enquiry! We can certainly help you out with <service> and would welcome the opportunity to provide you with a quote. I’ll just need to come and have a look at your property. Would it be okay if I ring you to discuss a suitable time?

Thanks, <customer name>, I look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

A great ‘marketing for tradies’ secret is to write multiple messages, so you have one ready for any situation. How about the one below for those quotes you sent that never went anywhere?

Hi <customer name>,

I’m just emailing to follow up about the quote I sent you on <date> regarding <service>. I’ve attached it here again for your convenience.

If this doesn’t work for you, I’d be happy to go through some other options with you that would be better suited to your budget. We can also offer you a payment plan if that would be useful.

I’d love to discuss this further with you, let me know how I can help.

Kind regards,

People want to be helped, not hassled, so it’s important to keep these kinds of messages short, professional, casual, and genuinely helpful. If writing isn’t your forte, you can sign up with HubSpot and receive hundreds of templates. HubSpot offers a full stack of software for marketing, sales, and customer success, and have great resources, like this article on sales emails.

Pack ‘er Up, Boys

You’re a Tradesman, and you’re great at what you do, so build up your marketing expertise and become even greater. Be seen, keep track, be heard, and become a powerful force in the Tradie game. Almost as powerful as your trusty hammer.

Can we fix it? Yes, we can! We offer expert advice when it comes to marketing for tradies, including leads and sales, and addressing the biggest marketing challenges Tradesmen face. Chat to us to find out how Helium can take your business to the next level.

The Benefits of Custom Software

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:08 GMT

Custom software has the power to transform the way you operate.

Many businesses use ready-made software applications to accommodate the biggest organisational challenges. While there are times when these solutions come in handy, there’s one problem every off-the-shelf software has in common: a lack of adaptability. One size does not fit all! Pre-made, mass-marketed solutions rarely give you the competitive edge you deserve, even if the software is industry-specific.

Deciding whether or not your business needs custom software can be a daunting process, but it doesn’t have to be. We’ve streamlined that decision-making process by laying out four benefits.

Made for you

You’re probably used to using multiple applications to achieve a single purpose. You waste time swapping between windows and tabs, uploading and downloading, saving in each and every application — what should take five minutes takes twenty-five. It’s exhausting. It’s also common for businesses to purchase software and then discover it’s simply not suitable for their business. Custom application development is tailor-made to your specifications in order to best serve your needs.

Maintenance

Off-the-shelf software is typically inexpensive but unsuitable. Or, able to support businesses on a large scale, but very expensive to license. Since custom software developers operate on a contractual basis, they will continue to maintain the program as your business evolves and grows. Custom software development meets the needs of your company while allowing your business to grow without being limited by your software.

Integration

It is almost never the case that multiple off-the-shelf software packages interact with each other perfectly. Licensing standard software that is not tailor-made for your business runs on can lead to employee productivity dropping, as they experience continual errors and cannot effectively complete their work. Custom software development navigates this problem by perfectly fitting within your business’ ecosystem.

Invest in your organisation

Your decisions today will impact your business in the future. Don’t pay for what someone else has built — with custom software, you’re ultimately investing in your own infrastructure. It’s worth creating something that incorporates industry-specific solutions as well as company-specific solutions, and showing your clients you’re serious about what you do.

Custom software can certainly be the right choice for your business. It offers a number of benefits over off-the-shelf software, particularly in scalability and business expansion, maintenance and support, efficiency, and integration.

We build applications that address the biggest challenges faced by organisations. Speak to us to see how a custom application can take your company to the next level.

Why Use A Messaging Guide?

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 14 Jul 2021 05:31:06 GMT

Jim is flustered.

He needs a blurb for when he stands up at a networking breakfast, and is running out of time. Leanne is on the third draft of her email to all staff. Ben’s Board Report is due by COB, and he is grappling with how to align what he wants to say with the missions and values discussed last month.

On any given day, organisations are sending messages out to various stakeholders. But, how do you help your team frame their content, both to make their job easier, as well as stay on brand? With a Messaging Guide.

A Messaging Guide is different to a Style Guide.

A Style Guide is largely directive with fonts, colours, logos and the like. A Messaging Guide helps you speak in the voice of the brand and includes things like Elevator Pitches, Boiler Plate Pitches, as well as key phrases and supporting statements.

A well written Messaging Guide considers the nuances of writing for internal and external stakeholders, contexts, platforms, and topics. For example, today you might speak to your partner, your barista, your boss, your doctor, your child, and your neighbour. No doubt you will speak with them all in different ways, but there is not a lack of authenticity just because you speak with your partner in a more intimate tone than your neighbour. You are still you.

A Messaging Guide allows you to do the same for your workplace.

It’s a go-to document for every time you write or speak as a representative of your organisation. By giving your team pre-approved words and phrases to use, as well as guidelines on where and when to use them, communications can be streamlined. Your audience will also receive consistent messaging, no matter who they speak to within your organisation.

Has your organisation reached a size where managing messaging has become challenging? Would you like to support your team and boost internal efficiencies? Talk to us about developing a Messaging Guide for your organisation (it’s much more effective than a message in a bottle).

Optimising Your Website for SEO

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Thu, 12 Nov 2020 01:55:58 GMT

Reach the right audience by working with, not against, search engine algorithms

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is broadly defined as a set of techniques that helps potential clients find a website through search engines without paid promotion. More specifically, SEO involves strategically designing content that will help tools like Google analyse your site, compare it to other sites, and then rank it as more relevant to certain searches.

Over the past few decades, SEO has not only become a mainstream marketing activity, but has also become easier to implement in honest and effective ways. Some key elements of SEO to consider when building your online presence include:

1. Using keywords naturally

Using words relevant to your product or service throughout your content helps ensure that your business shows up on the first page of search results.

However, looking at articles on Business.gov.au and Search Engine Land , we can see that search engines like Google are increasingly prioritising organic phrasing over keyword “spamming.” Repeating the same keyword over and over again in the hope that the repetition will boost results can actually damage the SEO of a site.

Rather, current best practice suggests that each page of your site should have a good range of keywords directly related to the specific theme of that page, naturally worked into both the headlines of the page and the phrasing of the main content.

If you do include keywords in your headings, then you should also make sure to use header tags . In addition to providing structure to your site and improving readability, using header tags can also strengthen the impact of keywords on SEO. Tagging parts of your content as headings tells search engines like Google that that content should be given a higher-priority than other parts of your content.

2. Using meta-titles and meta-descriptions

The proper use of meta-titles and meta-descriptions doesn’t just give potential clients a sneak-peak of who you are and what you do – they can also boost SEO!

In terms of SEO, meta-titles and meta-descriptions validate keyword use in the content on the website, provide an opportunity to use more keywords in a way that reads as natural, and gives searchers an idea of what your site could contain. This combination of functions boosts SEO and improves your click-through rate .

Plus, meta-titles and meta-descriptions just look nice. If a potential customer searches for a term used in your meta-description, that word will show up as bolded. For example, if you search for “helium marketing agency” the term marketing is bolded in the meta-description:

3. Keeping content short and sweet

Optimal content length for SEO can be a tricky thing to determine. We can, for example, say quite confidently that good headlines should be under 55 characters ; we know that meta-descriptions should be about 150 characters in length .

In terms of content beyond headlines and meta-descriptions, there’s a lot more variation to consider. The word count of a home page and an about page are all going to differ radically, for example. A home page should come in at around 350 words ; longer pages like about pages or blogs can stretch up to 500 words at minimum . There’s a lot of room for variation, however – longer content has benefits in terms of giving more opportunities for other SEO tactics to be used, and shorter content can be more memorable and easier for Google to scan and rate.

Above all else, though, content should be unique, designed for your audience, and factual – length comes after these factors.

4. Including internal and external links

External links from reputable websites – that is, other websites including links to your site in their content – is the gold standard of SEO, as these links represent a vote of confidence in the accuracy and relevancy of your content.

That said, proper internal linking and a good site map can also boost your search engine position, as it makes it easier for Google to “crawl” your site and verify your content. Internal linking can also help potential client’s better find further information.

Including multiple pages on your site, under the same domain, with well-written URLs, that all point to one another, can drastically improve SEO results.

There are some fantastic resources out there that can help you better understand the basics of what SEO is and how to work best SEO practice into your content.

However, if you’d like in-person and personalised help, Helium offers a wide range of SEO services that align with these best-practice guidelines. For more information, reach out and say hello to us, and we’ll help you figure out which of our Marketing Essentials services is right for you.

The Five Types of Logos

administrator@heliummarketing.agency (Helium Marketing) — Wed, 28 Oct 2020 08:29:00 GMT

Ready to create (or recreate) a logo to build brand recognition for your business?

Here are the top five types of logos and how to use them.

Logos are often the first visual introduction people have of your business, and when designed and chosen well, create instant brand recognition.

Wordmark

Much as it sounds, this type of logo is simply made up of the name of your business. That said, there are hundreds or thousands of font types, custom typefaces and colour combinations that form part of the design and the impression your logo can make.

Examples? Think Google, Coca Cola and Canon.

And what are the tricks to making an effective Wordmark logo? Make sure your typeface doesn’t render your wording indecipherable and think about what different letterforms evoke – for example, Comic Sans, once super popular, will likely render your logo old fashioned and low budget looking. Likewise, exploring the psychology of colour could help better make your message (think greens and blue for calm, navy’s and grey for austerity, hot pinks for modern creativity.)

Pictorial Mark

Equally obvious from its name, this type of logo uses a graphic device to symbolise a company name or brand – fantastic for companies with long names or where a picture better sells the ethos or ‘brand’ of a business. For example, the Apple and the Twitter logos which are sleek, stylish and modern, befitting tech companies. The connection is also clear – Apple being an apple, Twitter using a bird, which ‘tweets’ – just as their users do!

Abstract Mark

Similar to the pictorial mark logo, the Abstract uses an image to identify it’s brand, however, it is a less literal rendition – where Apple uses a stylised but still clearly recognisable apple image, Pepsi uses a circle with the blue, red and white sectors. It is so recognisable that when they played around with the lines separating the colours, it was still instantly recognisable as Pepsi’s logo and both can be used interchangeably.

Other key examples? BP’s green, gold and white stylised sunflower and Xbox 360’s 3D globe with X mark.

Emblem

Utilising both Letter and Pictorial form elements, the emblem logo integrates a company name and lettering superimposed onto a pictorial shape – Harley Davidson being an excellent example of this type of logo. Often these brands utilise a suite of slightly different logo layouts and styles that can be interchanged depending on context and sizing e.g a tagline might be introduced to the design when used in a large format or the business name might be reduced to an acronym when printed at a very small size.

Letterform

Perhaps the best-recognised example of using single letters to create a logo is the ‘golden arches’ image symbolising McDonalds. As you can imagine, there’s a little more to it than simply picking which and how many letters to include in the logo – colour, font, and styling to the letter (almost creating a picture of the letter a possibility – for example, including a tiny electric plug at the end of a cursive ‘e’ for an electric brand logo or etching a face into the inside of a broad fonted ‘c’.)

This can also be a great choice for businesses with long names – think NASA, IBM or BHP.

When it comes to creating a logo for your business, there’s a delicate balance between a wide range of factors – different colours, typefaces, word lengths, sizes and backgrounds all play into the message a customer reads when they view it. This is where a marketing and design expert can ensure you get this first impression just right. Chat to us today about how we can work with you to create a branded logo worth recognising.

helium

Strike a pose, there's nothing to it.

When Anna Wintour took the reins as editor of Vogue in 1988, she began what would become a hugely successful 30-year tenure.

The Red Dress is Tight Now

You’re invited.

Unfortunately, this last couple of scenarios is where many businesses live.

Fishing For Herring in Lancelin.

Fishing for herring in Lancelin .

Fair enough.

Lessons From a Failed Campaign

﻿ Lessons from a failed campaign.

It was nomination time for the next year’s Head Students and Prefects at Churchlands Senior High School.

While eavesdropping, I learned that, as it stood, I wasn’t in the running.

Kindness and ethical business at Helium

Quarter Strength (Walls), Half Strength (Trim).

As a team, we try to apply this thinking to guide the work we do now.

"Can you tell me how to get to the train station?"

Stand tall like Paul.

“How can they tell?” my cousin and I once wondered. “Maybe it’s because he’s tall,” I offered. “It even happened in a village in Italy!” she replied.

First impressions aren’t superficial: they’re signals waiting to be noticed. And your brand is the same.

It was brutal.

One of my friends owned an iconic Perth home with architectural significance.

Did it sell? Nope.

Why? Awareness without alignment is wasted effort.

Top 5 Childcare Marketing Mistakes

How to attract families and grow your centre.

Presenting basic offerings as unique selling points

Not understanding your audience

Overlooking staff as a key audience

Relying solely on word of mouth

Failing to plan for natural attrition

Avoiding these common mistakes and taking a strategic, audience-focused approach to marketing allows childcare centres to stand out, attract the right families, and retain top educators. ﻿

Running on an incline treadmill

Why make your campaigns harder than they need to be?

We were approached by a gym owner looking for a campaign that targeted overweight people who hadn’t exercised in years. To him, it seemed like a ripe market.

Donna Lamont

Killing the Pig.

The communication failure I’ll never forget.

Donna Lamont

The time I was photobombed by Arnold Schwarzenegger

Donna Lamont

Mrs. Wright was not wrong.

Mrs. Wright was not wrong

Donna Lamont

An Anzac Tribute

Corporal Edmund Campion Parkinson served in the 48th Battalion

Donna Lamont

It was the early 90's

It was the early 90's

Donna Lamont

Enrolment Boost: Top Tips for Schools, Colleges, and Childcare Centres

Enrolment Boost: Top Tips for Schools, Colleges, and Childcare Centres

Natural attrition

Age spread

1. Plan ahead

2. Optimise your website for enrolments

3. Add a digital campaign

4. Use social proof

5. Keep following up

Need help with enrolments?

How our One Day Website works.

A lot can change in a day.

Get a website fast. Like, really fast.

From concept to launch in a single day.

1. A friendly chat.

2. The build (AKA, the fun part).

3. Training, Launch & Handover.

Still wondering why you should get One Day Website?

Take your website from “someday” to “one day”.

We Love a Club: Key Priorities for Club and Association Websites

5 Key Priorities When Building a Website for Clubs and Associations

1) Make it easy to update and maintain.

2) Prioritise intuitive navigation.

3) Keep the home page clutter-free.

4) Showcase your sponsors.

5) Use strong images, not cluttered grids.

Wanneroo Districts Netball Association - Case Study

Before ﻿

After

How to Set Up a Remarketing Campaign in Google Ads

Lessons from a failed campaign.

“How can they tell?” my cousin and I once wondered.
“Maybe it’s because he’s tall,” I offered.
“It even happened in a village in Italy!” she replied.

Avoiding these common mistakes and taking a strategic, audience-focused approach to marketing allows childcare centres to stand out, attract the right families, and retain top educators.

Before