Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia. Newy, as it is affectionately known by locals, is known for lots of wonderful things. Our gorgeous beaches. Birth place of Miss Universe 2004 Jennifer Hawkins (not a relation though we do share our good looks as well as surname). Even the Queen herself is responsible for our giant phallic tower. Newcastle is also home to a growing and enthusiastic digital community. We bring balance to the tanned beach side bodies with our pasty screen tans. Newcastle offers the opportunity for a relaxed, beachside lifestyle while enjoying a progressive digital culture. It is home to some of the nations most impressive digital agencies, a few of which I thought I would introduce you to.
Firstly there are Inbound marketing specialists and SEO extraordinaires Sticky. Full disclosure, this is my day job. I am the lead designer in a small team who specialises in online marketing, offering holistic solutions to your businesses online presence and making people come to you without you having to spend a fortune on marketing or AdWords.
Now, for me to help you with all that would be like a KFC worker taking the 11 secret herbs and spices home and cooking chicken for someone else. While I can definitely apply some of what I have learned in my day job to help your site, if you’re in need of specialist SEO or online marketing advice you cannot go past Sticky. Director Craig Wilson has a nationally recognised reputation as one of the most forward thinking digital leaders and works with large companies Australia wide consulting on various digital marketing strategies.
Then there are the boys at Newism. They can toot their own horn better than I can so head over to their gorgeous site and read more about them there and be blown away by their great work and impressive stable of clients. For a small Newcastle company they’re doing BIG things. I happened to go to university with Leevi Graham, one of Newisms founders, and have met with many of the boys at the monthly local pixel pushers meet up they put on called Bits and Pixels (though admittedly I haven’t been for a while).
Village of Useful are another Newcastle based agency doing great work Australia wide. These guys are top notch creative talents working with companies such as Telstra and Coca Cola. I first met the charismatic Andy Howard, one of the Villages co-founders, years ago when we were young, fresh faced kids but even then I knew this dashing lad was going places.
On a different note, Growth Wise aren’t a web design company but a very forward thinking accountancy firm led by the always chipper Steph Hinds. They help a lot of the burgeoning web businesses and start ups in Newcastle move their accounts into the cloud and their business plans into the 21st century. They offer great insight into how to run a business (their L-plater classes are incredibly helpful) so if you’re not maybe in a position to afford a website right now, see these guys and see if they can help you get your accounts in order so you can afford it sooner. I don’t think they would disagree with me saying that a website is a must have marketing tool for any business.
There are so many other people doing great things in the digital community here in Newcastle including The Lunaticks Society, Hunter DIGIT and of course the 2 day DiG Festival (more on that another time) so finding someone to help you with your online presence isn’t hard. It is hard however to find the RIGHT person to help you with the right solution for you. The people I’ve mentioned above are great for larger jobs but if you’re in need of something a bit smaller, a bit simpler, perhaps I am a better fit. Why not read more about me and if you’re interested in a chat, give me a yell.
