Gudu

What’s a Digital Marketing Strategy? (And Why You Need One)

gudu-au — Sat, 27 Jun 2026 10:26:58 +0000

Ideas

What’s a Digital Marketing Strategy? (And Why You Need One)

Bianca Hoare

Digital Media Lead

June 27, 2026

If you’ve ever launched a few social media posts, run a couple of Google Ads campaigns or sent out an email newsletter without a clear plan on tying them together, you’re not alone. A lot of businesses dive into digital marketing activities without stepping back to ask: what are we trying to achieve, and how does all this fit together?

When it comes to the internet, it’s basically a massive, crowded, and highly competitive marketplace. To cut through the noise and scale effectively, you don’t just need digital tactics; you need an overarching digital marketing strategy.

So, what does that actually mean? We’ll take you back to the start…

What is a digital marketing strategy?

A digital marketing strategy is a documented plan that outlines how your business will use online channels (think websites, search engines like Google, social media, email, paid advertising, and content) to achieve specific business goals.

But when it comes to a digital marketing strategy, it’s not a list of tactics. It’s the thinking behind the tactics. It covers questions and scenarios like:

who you’re trying to reach
what you want them to do
which channels make sense for your audience
how much you’re going to invest
how you’ll measure whether it’s working.

To put simply: tactics are the “what,” but a strategy is the “why” and “how” that ties everything together – helping set you up for true success.

So, why does your business need one?

Many businesses fall into the trap of being reactive when it comes to working online. They post on social media because “everyone else is doing it,” or they bid on keywords without analysing the overall return on investment (ROI).

But operating digitally without a unified strategy can lead to fragmented, expensive, and ultimately disappointing results. A dedicated digital marketing strategy can help change the game in a few ways:

1. Stops you from wasting money on the wrong things

Without a strategy, it’s easy to burn through marketing budgets by chasing whatever channel feels trendy at the time – TikTok this month, LinkedIn ads the next – without knowing whether you’re reaching your audience. A strategy makes sure that every dollar spent and every hour worked is directed towards platforms and campaigns that are backed by real data, insights and thinking.

2. Provides a deep understanding of your digital audience

The online space moves fast, and customer behaviours change. A strategy forces you to build detailed buyer personas, so you can develop an understanding not just who your audience is, but their online habits, pain points, and how they navigate the buying journey (which is forever changing thanks to AI platforms).

3. Creates consistency across every channel

The way your audience interacts with your brand across multiple touchpoints may be different but it’s important to make sure there’s consistent messaging, branding and value props across all your channels like your website, social media, email and search marketing. A digital marketing strategy makes sure all these channels feel cohesive while reinforcing the value of your business and the why they must engage with you.

4. Gives you something to measure against

Without defined goals, how do you know if a campaign has been successfully or a complete failure? A strategy sets benchmarks and KPIs from the very start, so every dollar spent and every piece of content produced can be evaluated against a clear target. This also gives you clear insight on what to do again, and what to avoid.

5. Builds agility and a competitor advantage

It’s important to remember – your competitors are actively optimising their digital assets. And a clear strategy should always include a competitive analysis so you can identify gaps in their approach and position your brand as the obvious choice. It also gives you a baseline framework so that when digital trends pivot, you can adapt without losing your core focus.

6. Keeps everyone aligned

When everyone – internal staff, freelancers, agencies – is working from the same strategic document, there’s far less friction. Decisions are also made faster because there’s a shared understanding of priorities.

How to connect your digital strategy to your business strategy

A lot of businesses fall short here and treat their digital strategy as its own separate thing, disconnected from broader business objectives. But it should never exist in a silo. It should be a direct extension of your business strategy.

For example:

If your business goal is to expand into a new market, your digital strategy should reflect that – targeting new audience segments, adjusting messaging, and setting KPIs around awareness and lead generation in that market.
If your business goal is to increase customer retention, your digital strategy may lean more heavily into email marketing, loyalty content, and remarketing campaigns.

When business and digital metrics are disconnected, marketing becomes an isolated cost centre rather than a growth driver. So, when designed properly, your digital efforts should directly map to your high-level business goals and key performance indicators (KPIs).

Business Goal	Digital Objective	Digital KPIs to Track
Increase total annual revenue	Drive high-intent traffic to product or landing pages	Conversion rate, customer acquisition cost (CAC), return on ad spend (ROAS)
Expand market share and/or brand presence	Build top-of-funnel brand awareness and reach	Impressions, social share of voice, organic search traffic
Improve customer retention and lifetime value	Nurture existing buyers and build brand loyalty	Email open and/or click rates, repeat purchase rate, customer lifetime value (LTV)

The ultimate benefit: clarity

A digital marketing strategy isn’t a nice-to-have document that sits in a folder on your computer. It’s the foundation that makes every marketing decision more deliberate, every dollar more accountable, and every result more measurable against what your business actually cares about.

Ultimately, it gives you clarity and control. Instead of guessing what works, you possess a structured path forward, backed by data, and designed to scale alongside your organisation’s ambitions.

If you’re running digital activities without a clear strategy underpinning them, now’s a good time to step back and build one.

SEO myths vs truths in the age of AI

gudu-au — Fri, 29 May 2026 11:15:04 +0000

Ideas

SEO myths vs truths in the age of AI

Bianca Hoare

Digital Media Lead

May 29, 2026

With the rise of AI-driven search experiences like Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode, a wave of new ‘SEO for AI’ tactics has flooded the market. From ‘content chunking’ to ‘LLMs.txt files’, businesses have been told they need entirely new playbooks to stay visible.

But last month (May 2026), Google’s official AI optimisation guide cut through the noise, and in many ways, reassured marketers that good SEO hasn’t changed nearly as much as we all think.

Instead, the search engine’s official guide focuses on debunking myths and reinforcing what actually works – so businesses know exactly what to focus on (and what to officially put to the side).

In this article, we breakdown the biggest SEO myths vs truths in the AI era, and what it means for your content strategy.

The big truth: AI search is still powered by SEO

The most important point to remember – optimising for AI search is still just SEO (despite what many marketers try to tell you).

Google is explicit: its generative AI features are built on the same core ranking systems as traditional search.That means:

if your content isn’t strong enough to rank in search, it’s unlikely to appear in AI answers.
there’s no separate ‘AI index’ or shortcut to visibility.
foundations like crawlability, structure, and content quality still matter most.

So in short, AI hasn’t replaced SEO, it’s amplified the importance of doing it well.

Myth 1: You need AI-specific technical files like LLMs.txt

Myth: Creating special files or markup helps AI understand your site better.
Truth: Google treats these like any other file; there’s no ranking advantage.

Google states there’s no requirement for LLM-specific files or AI-focused markup, and they don’t receive preferential treatment in search. So instead of overinvesting in AI-specific technical hacks, focus on crawlability and indexing and maintain a clean, logical site architecture.

Technical SEO still matters, but not in a new or AI-specific way.

Myth 2: You should ‘chunk’ content for AI

Myth: Breaking content into small sections helps AI parse it.
Truth: Google can extract relevant passages from long-form content.

Google confirmed there’s no need to fragment content into smaller pieces because its systems can understand full, multi-topic pages and pull key information. This means business should continue to:

write for humans, not machines.
maintain logical structure with headings, but don’t over-optimise formatting.

Clarity beats artificial formatting.

Myth 3: You need to rewrite content specifically for AI

Myth: Content must be rewritten to match AI language patterns.
Truth: AI already understands meaning, context, and synonyms.

Google explicitly says not to write differently for AI systems, as LLMs can interpret natural language effectively. Instead, it’s important to avoid keyword stuffing or unnatural phrasing, while also focusing on clear, helpful, human-centric language.

If it reads well to a person, it works for AI.

Myth 4: Schema is an AI ranking lever

Myth: Structured data is key for visibility in AI answers.
Truth: Schema still matters, but not specifically for AI.

Google advises against overfocusing on structured data as an AI tactic and insist that businesses should instead use Schema for rich results and clarity. They also advise to not treat it as a shortcut into AI responses.

Schema supports SEO, but doesn’t unlock AI rankings on its own.

Myth 5: AI requires a new SEO strategy

Myth: You need a separate AI optimisation framework.
Truth: AEO/GEO are just SEO under a different name.

Many businesses have fallen for the trap of building out separate strategies to focus on SEO and AEO/GEO. In the May report, Google clarifies that optimising for generative AI is simply optimising for search overall.

This means businesses should:

avoid splitting teams or strategies across SEO vs AI.
integrate AI visibility into your existing SEO program.

There is no parallel strategy, just better execution.

What matters now more than ever

While Google debunks many tactics, it strongly reinforces what does matter.

Unique, non-commodity content

AI systems prioritise:

original insights.
first-hand experience.
content that can’t be easily replicated.

If anyone could write it, it’s less likely to be surfaced.

Strong SEO fundamentals

Core best practices, such as below, still drives visibility:

technical health and crawlability.
clear structure and organisation.
good page experience.

AI search runs on the same infrastructure as traditional search.

People-first content

Google continues to prioritise:

helpful, reliable content.
content created for users, not algorithms.

“People-first” isn’t just guidance, it’s a ranking necessity.

Authority, trust, and accuracy

In an AI-driven environment, content must be:

credible.
verifiable.
consistent across the web.

This is important as AI systems synthesise answers from multiple sources.

Search is shifting from ranking pages to validating information.

Conclusion

While AI is changing how content is surfaced, it’s not changing what makes it valuable. So if your strategy is built on real expertise, useful, well-structured content and strong SEO fundamentals, you’re already optimised for the future of search.

What’s content marketing and why it’s important to your business

gudu-au — Fri, 17 Apr 2026 09:45:42 +0000

Ideas

What’s content marketing and why it’s important to your business

Bianca Hoare

Digital Media Lead

April 17, 2026

Content marketing has evolved from a ‘nice-to-have’ digital tactic into the heartbeat of modern business growth. It’s the (not-so-secret) tool that allows businesses to be seen within an environment where the user can simply skip, block, or ignore content that’s put directly in front of them.

But what exactly is content marketing, and why should businesses, like yourself, invest in it instead of just buying more ads?

What is content marketing?

Content marketing is a strategic approach focused on creating and distributing valuable, relevant, and consistent content to attract and retain a clearly defined audience – an audience that’s relevant to your business, brand and values.

But unlike traditional advertising, which interrupts your audience to sell a product, content marketing solves problems in a bid to earn trust.

Why content marketing is important to your business

These days, the digital landscape is filled with AI-generated noise, making trust between an audience and a brand harder to come by. But this is where content marketing fills the gap.

Content marketing allows you to build high-quality, human-led content, which is more valuable than ever – making it one of the highest ROI activity for most businesses,

1. Content marketing builds authority

Paid ads stop working the second you stop paying. Content marketing is an asset. A well-written article or a helpful video can drive traffic and leads for years after it is published.

Companies with active blogs generate 68% more leads than those without.

Source: Hubspot

2. It fuels your SEO and discoverability

Search engines (and new AI search engines like ChatGPT, Claude or Gemini) crave fresh, authoritative information. By answering the questions your audience is asking, you increase your chances of appearing at the top of search results or being cited or mentioned within AI extracts, which is exactly when a customer is looking for a solution.

3. It helps establish trust

In 2026, Google and consumers alike look for Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-E-A-T). When you provide helpful, authoritative content, you position your business as the ‘helpful expert’. By the time a customer is ready to buy, invest or sign up, they simply don’t need to be sold as the trust between your brand and themselves has already been established.

But trust is built in a number of ways:

Prioritise E-E-A-T:

1. 1. Show, don’t just tell. Use real-world examples and case studies.
  2. Use author bylines and don’t publish “by Admin“. Use real names of experts in your company with links to their LinkedIn profiles or professional bios.

Lead with transparency:

1. 1. Disclosure everything. Clearly label sponsored content or affiliate links.
  2. Own your mistakes. If you publish a stat that changes or makes an error, issue a visible correction. It shows you value accuracy over ego.

Use data and primary research:

1. 1. Cite sources by linking to reputable studies, government data, or academic journals.
  2. Use original data. Conduct your own surveys where you can, or analyse your own internal data to provide insights.

Focus on education over promotion:

1. 1. 80% educational content that solves problems, teaches a skill, or provides value with no strings attached.
  2. 20% promotional content that explains your product or service.

Leverage social proof:

1. Utilise User-Generated Content (UGC) that features photos or videos of real customers using your product or service.
2. Embed third-party reviews (like Trustpilot or Google Reviews) that showcase testimonials and reviews directly into your content.
3. Have certifications, awards, security badges, or professional memberships on display.

4. Content supports the entire journey

It’s important to always remember that not everyone is ready to buy immediately. And these days, everyone goes through different steps and avenues before they make a decision. This is why content is a powerful tool, especially in the digital landscape because it allows you to meet customers where they are.

Awareness: Helping them identify a problem.
Consideration: Showing them different ways to solve that problem.

Decision: Proving why your product or service is the best choice to solve that problem with the use of case studies and testimonials.

Content marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2026

Starting off in content marketing doesn’t need to feel daunting. If you’re kicking off your content marketing journey, keep these ‘new rules’ in mind:

Trend	What it means	Why it matters
Personalised AI	Using AI to tailor content to specific user personas.	Increases engagement by making content feel personal and tailored to individual needs, wants and desires.
Video-first	Prioritising short-form video for social discovery.	Video is currently the number 1 way Gen Z and Millennials discover brands, especially across social media.
The human moat	Double down on original research and unique opinions.	AI can summarise facts, but it can’t replicate your unique business insights, brand tone of voice, values and personality.

How to get started

You don’t need a big media content team to begin. You can simply start by identifying the top 10 questions your customers ask your sales or support team. Answer those questions in depth through a blog or a short video series.

And remember, the goal is simple: stop being a company that sells, and start being a resource that truly helps solve problems.

How to improve your SEO

gudu-au — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 10:41:10 +0000

Ideas

How to improve your SEO

Bianca Hoare

Digital Media Lead

March 12, 2026

Your website is your modern day business card and most influential brand ambassador. However, as search engines continue to evolve into AI-driven answer engines, simply having a website is no longer enough to remain competitive.

With AI now handling around 25% of global queries, and with Google’s AI Overviews dominating the top of search results, the goal of SEO is to now become the primary source for these AI-generated summaries.

To capture high-value traffic, it’s important to transition your SEO efforts from basic keyword placement to a holistic strategy based around authority, technical precision, and user intent.

Here’s how to improve your SEO to help safeguard your website from the noise of the second page.

1. Optimise for AI overviews and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

Search behaviour has shifted from query and click to ask and answer. That’s why it’s important to continue to optimise your search strategy, especially for AI overviews and GEO.

So, how do you do that?

The strategy: Transition your content into a structured data format to help AI models and search engines instantly identify key entities like services, locations, and credentials from your website. To do this, use clear, definitive headers and concise “what is” or “how to” sections as it allows AI models to easily scan, grab content and credit when cited or mentioned.
The value: Being cited or mentioned by an AI overview or within an LLM environment helps establish instant industry leadership and builds mental availability before a user even scrolls. It helps keep you relevant and increases your chances of receiving a click-through to your site, within a zero-click environment.

Read our latest article on the difference between SEO and GEO here.

2. Double down on E-E-A-T

We’re now living in an era of mass-produced AI content. Despite this, Google has pivoted their strategy and rewards businesses that provide the optimal human experience.

Why? Because recent studies have found that 88% of customers look for reviews and authentic proof before choosing a service. So, showing off your thought-leadership and authority is your best defence against generic AI competition.

The strategy: Showcase the work your business has achieved through engaging case studies, utilise unique data (if appropriate) and implement verified author bios with credentials. If you’re developing long form content, remember, don’t just give advice; tell your visitor a story, paint the overarching picture for them and include original photos or videos to help bring it to life.
The value: High E-E-A-T scores are your best defense against algorithm updates, ensuring your rankings remain stable while thin content sites drop off. By adding each little authority contribution across your site, it goes on to build a deep trust between your business, your website visitors (and the bots). One that makes it hard for competitors to compete against.

3. Master hyperlocal SEO

For service-based businesses, your local visibility is the highest-converting form of SEO. With 46% of all Google searches having local intent and 78% of local mobile searches ending in an offline purchase, your Google Business Profile (GBP) is often more important than your website’s homepage. So, it deserves the same love, attention and optimisation opportunities as your website.

The strategy: Make sure your GBP is active with weekly updates, geo-tagged images, and a consistent strategy for responding to client reviews. And when it comes to creating long form content, go beyond city level; build out a library of content that’s tailored for specific suburbs or landmarks.
The value: Dominating the local map pack delivers some of the highest ROIs, turning nearby searchers into immediate customers. This is because focusing on keywords with local intent will place you in front of high-value users, who are closer to converting than those searching for broader, non-specific terms.

4. Technical health importance

User experience is a quantifiable ranking factor and site speed isn’t just a nice to have; it’s a direct ranking factor. As of this year (2026), Interaction to Next Paint (INP) – a metric measuring how fast your page feels once someone starts engaging with it – is the gold standard for technical health.

If your site takes more than 200 milliseconds to respond to a click, Google may flag it as poor, which can actively push your rankings down in favour of a faster competitor.

The strategy: You don’t need to be a developer to see where you stand from a technical health point-of-view. You can use free tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Google Search Console to audit your site’s Core Web Vitals to ensure your mobile load time is under 2.5 seconds. If your INP score is in the red (over 500ms), your website is likely invisible to a significant portion of your target audience. It’s recommended that you complete a monthly technical audit to stay on top of any movement across your site.
The value: 62% of consumers will disregard a business if they can’t find them easily or if the site is a liability to use, while a delay of even 100 milliseconds can lead to a drop in conversions. A fast, responsive site reduces bounce rates and signals to search engines that your business is professional.

Key benchmarks and thresholds:
Good (<200ms)	The site feels responsive and snappy.
Needs improvement (200ms – 500ms)	The user may notice a slight delay.
Poor (>500ms)	The site feels sluggish, causing frustration.

5. Build topical authority with content clusters

Google now prefers depth over volume, as it no longer ranks isolated pages; it ranks authorities. Google wants to see that you’re an expert on a whole topic, not just a single keyword. So, if you want to rank for a specific service, you need to prove you understand the entire ecosystem surrounding it.

The strategy: Move away from one-off blog posts and develop pillar pages that are supported by a cluster of 10 to 15 related articles that interlink to each other to create a web of expertise.
The value: This structure guides both users and search bots through your site, increasing dwell time and lead quality. It also helps search engines crawl your site more efficiently and signals that you’re the go-to expert in your niche.

6. Implement strategic Schema markup

Schema (JSON-LD) is the behind-the-scenes language that tells LLM models exactly what your page is about. Schema is the invisible code that translates your website’s content into a language search engines understand perfectly and increases your chances of your site appearing in rich snippets like star ratings, pricing, and FAQ dropdowns within search results.

The strategy: Implement specific (and relevant) JSON-LD schemas for your services, professional credentials, and physical locations. For the full list of Schema markups available, visit schema.org/. The core schema types include:
- Organisation: Defines your brand, logo, social profiles, and contact info. It helps you claim your “Knowledge Panel” on the right side of search results.
- Person: Used for author bios and founder pages. It links creators to their expertise, which is critical for ranking in niche topics.
- LocalBusiness: Vital for any business with a physical footprint. It feeds data (hours, address, price range) into Google Maps and local “map pack” results.

Some additional, common schemas that are used across sites also include product, FAQ, breadcrumb and article.

The value: Pages with Schema are 36% more likely to appear in voice search results. Rich snippets can increase your click-through rate (CTR) by up to 30%, by providing users with more information before they even visit your site.

7. Shift from keywords to user intent

Modern SEO is about solving problems, not just matching words. Search engines now use semantic understanding to identify the “why” behind every search that’s made. This is where the shift from generic keywords to user intent has come into play.

The 4 main types of user intent keywords include:

Intent	Explanation	Keyword examples	Prompt example
Information	The user is looking for a solution to a problem but aren’t ready to buy yet; they want to be educated.	how to, what is, tips for, examples of.	What is a smart contract?
Navigational intent	The user knows the brand they want but they’re using search as a shortcut.	[Brand Name], [Product Name] features.	Nike official store
Commercial intent	The user has decided to buy a category of product but hasn’t chosen the specific brand.	best, top, reviews, alternatives	Best cold storage wallets 2026
Transactional intent	The user is looking for the right place to click purchase.	buy, order, discount, price, for sale	Buy Ledger Nano X online.

So how do you execute this effectively?

The strategy: Analyse the People Also Ask sections within search and tailor your content to answer the specific pain points your visitors face during different stages of the buying journey.
The value: High-intent traffic is significantly more likely to convert. Capturing these leads results in a 14.6% conversion rate, compared to just 1.7% for outbound leads like cold calling.

SEO is a compounding asset

SEO isn’t a one-time fix; it’s a long-term investment that builds equity over time. While the current technical landscape is complex, the objective remains simple: providing the best possible answer to your customer’s needs.

AGL

gudu-au — Mon, 02 Mar 2026 17:20:09 +0000

AGL is one of Australia's leading energy companies with electricity, gas, solar and renewable energy services, plus nbn and mobile plans.

Services

Search Engine Optimisation

Client

AGL

Year

Ongoing

Website

Adam Hanczuk | Senior Optimisation and SEO Lead

“Working with Gudu has been an absolute pleasure. They’re true professionals, consistently courteous and possessing exceptional stakeholder management skills. They haven’t just consulted for us, they’ve perfectly integrated into our ways of working, feeling like a natural, extended member of the team. Their deep knowledge and proactive approach make them invaluable. I couldn’t recommend them more highly for anyone seeking top-tier expertise.”

Challenge

As a leader in the energy sector, AGL found itself at a complex digital crossroads. Despite investing in high-end, enterprise-grade SEO software, they faced a common hurdle; the tools were vastly under-utilised.

A gap in internal staffing and specialised expertise meant that their technology was sitting idle, preventing the brand from achieving the online visibility its market position deserved.

But the stakes were raised further by a rapidly shifting search landscape (that still continues to shake things up every month). By late 2024, competitors were gaining traction in organic search, and the emergence of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO) and AI-driven search started to reshape how users find information.

With traditional search volumes beginning to fluctuate, AGL faced pressure to make sure their digital presence didn’t just survive the move towards an AI-environment, but thrived in it.

The challenge was twofold; AGL needed to continue capturing organic traffic within an increasingly zero-click environment (where users get answers directly on the search page), while also securing their spot in the ever-changing world of AI search within Large Language Models (LLMs).

Solution

Recognising that the primary hurdle was a lack of dedicated resources, we embedded our own SEO team directly into AGL’s internal digital optimisation team. This approach allowed us to provide AGL with immediate access to high-level expertise at a fraction of the cost of a full-scale internal hire, while also ensuring their enterprise-grade tools were being leveraged to their full potential.

Our approach with AGL’s search strategy was bucketted into 3 areas:

Technical foundations: We conducted ongoing on-page and technical audits to make sure the site’s architecture was optimised for both traditional crawlers and the emerging requirements of AI-driven search engines.
Content and on-page excellence: We focused on high-impact optimisations that addressed user intent, making sure AGL remained the authoritative voice in an increasingly competitive energy market.
Future-proofing for AI: We pivoted our SEO strategy to also focus on the GEO landscape (as we truly believe they work hand-in-hand). We made sure AGL’s brand wasn’t just visible on Google, but that it was actively, and appropriately, cited and mentioned by LLMs.

Result

Within the first 6-months of our partnership with AGL, we saw a powerful shift in their digital performance because it allowed us to move fast; turning data into actionable tasks and transparent reporting.

By focusing on high-intent organic growth, we were able to transform how AGL appeared to its customers within the search environment. The strategy didn’t just improve rankings; it created a more cost-effective ecosystem where organic authority reduced the need for heavy bidding on competitive generic terms, significantly lowering the overall cost of customer acquisition.

This also allowed us to see sustained growth in a highly competitive sector:

Increased digital market share: We achieved a 58% increase in average search position, which directly fuelled a 22% increase in clicks and a 6% rise in total impressions (H1 vs H2).
AI and feature dominance: AGL secured 14.5k features in Google’s AI Overviews (AIOs), ensuring the brand remained a primary source of truth in the zero-click environment.
Keyword authority: We saw a 40% increase in keywords sitting in the top 3 positions, alongside a 24% growth in the total number of keywords AGL ranks for.

By successfully bridging the gap between traditional search and the AI-driven landscape, AGL has solidified its digital leadership. The project proved that when enterprise-grade tools are matched with specialised human expertise, the result is a massive leap in both visibility and commercial efficiency.

m|devices

gudu-au — Sun, 25 Jan 2026 00:20:04 +0000

An Australian manufacturer of high-quality medical devices for clinical and home use.

Services

Advertising, Search Engine Optimisation, Strategy

Client

m|devices

Year

2024-25

Website

Rebbecca Stewart | Marketing Manager

“Gudu is more like a part of my team, than an external agency – my KPIs are their focus. They deliver results and are an absolute delight to work with.”

Challenge

For years, m|device’s online presence has been exclusive to a B2B audience, made up of healthcare professionals who prioritise technical specs and bulk procurement for their line of duty. To futureproof themselves and grow the brand beyond B2B, m|devices launched a Direct-to-Consumer (DTC) experience. Not only did this open the door to a brand new audience, but it also required a complete shift in how they structured their user journeys, and built trust with consumers.

But the hurdle wasn’t just technical; it was a matter of brand translation because every digital touchpoint was originally created for a professional clinical audience, leaving the tone and messaging ill-equipped for the nuances of consumer engagement.

So, m|devices needed a solution – one that would resonate with everyday Australians while continuing to meet the strict regulations and clinical authority that the brand is known for.

Though compounding this shift in market positioning was a history of missed opportunities. A previous agency partnership had resulted in months of ineffective planning and a total lack of transparency. With no clear metrics to show for their investment and significant budget already spent, m|devices needed a partner they could trust; someone who could collaborate with their internal developers and turn their DTC vision into a reality.

Solution

To navigate the transition, m|devices engaged Gudu to lead the strategy, design, and project management of the new DTC experience. The thing that set us apart, was that we didn’t just treat this as a visual refresh; we stepped in as a strategic partner to bridge the gap between their established B2B authority and the new consumer market.

Working in lockstep with the m|devices internal technology team, we made sure the digital experience remained technically seamless while pivoting the brand’s soul toward the new target consumer.

Our approach began with a deep dive into discovery and research, mapping out how consumer behaviour differs from clinical procurement and translated these insights into high-conversion user journeys and design concepts. We made sure each step balanced the compliance requirements with a modern, approachable feel. Through iterative prototyping and interaction design, we were able to provide the team with a clear, refined roadmap that prioritised trust, clarity, and commercial results.

With the foundation built, we turned our focus to a multi-channel growth strategy, which was designed to meet customers wherever they were in the buying cycle through a range of digital avenues, such as:

Google Ads where we deployed targeted search campaigns to capture high-intent traffic, driving immediate conversions from consumers.
LinkedIn Ads as we knew it was important to continue to build a strong presence within the professional community with top-of-funnel activities, making sure that even as the brand expanded into DTC, it remained a household name for healthcare experts.
Meta Ads because we wanted to reach those not yet searching with the use of engaging social campaigns on Facebook and Instagram. This also allowed us to build brand awareness and capture the interest of potential consumers through visual storytelling.

Result

By delivering a digital experience specifically tailored for consumers, we effectively doubled the brand’s digital capability and authority. The transition was seamless, not just for the users, but also the m|devices’ team as the new platform integrated perfectly with existing systems throughout the business.

The impact of our multi-channel strategy was also immediate and measurable, proving the value of a balanced approach to the sales funnel. This was shown via:

High-intent conversion: Our Google Ads campaigns generated 1.36k clicks from 13.8k impressions in just 3 months, driving a surge in sample request forms and meeting the brand’s primary DTC objectives.
Dominant market awareness: On the professional side, our LinkedIn top-of-funnel activities were a huge success, achieving over 220k impressions in a month, keeping the brand top-of-mind for healthcare experts.
Social engagement: By leveraging Meta Ads, we were able to successfully capture the attention of the consumer market, ensuring visibility across the entire buying cycle.

The transparency and results delivered by our team has since paved the way for long-term investment in m|devices’ digital strategy. By proving that a medical brand can thrive in both the B2B and DTC worlds, we’ve helped establish a digital foundation that’ll continue to drive growth and engagement for years to come.

Novus Glass

gudu-au — Tue, 13 Jan 2026 18:37:35 +0000

NOVUS Glass is part of Fix Network, the global leader in the automotive aftermarket services sector. NOVUS Glass can repair more windshields with greater optical clarity and structural integrity than any other system in the industry.

Services

Advertsing, Strategy

Client

Novus Glass

Year

2024 - Present

Website

Armin Aojani | Franchisee

“My time with Gudu,Jordan & adam has been nothing but exceptional. They’re very professional, courteous and knowledgable about their work”

Challenge

Novus Glass, a leading auto glass repair and replacement company, was facing significant challenges with their digital advertising efforts. Despite investing heavily in Google Ads, they were seeing poor returns on their ad spend. The company’s click-through rate (CTR) was a mere 0.82%, indicating that their ads were failing to resonate with their target audience. With a high cost per click (CPC) of $2.96 and a conversion rate of only 1.94%, Novus Glass was spending for the sake of it, resulting in an unsustainable cost per conversion of $58.48. This inefficient use of resources was hindering the company’s growth and profitability.

Solution

To address these issues, we undertook a comprehensive overhaul of Novus Glass’s Google Ads account. Our approach focused on creating highly targeted ad campaigns that spoke directly to the specific needs of auto glass repair and replacement customers. We conducted in-depth keyword research to identify the most relevant and high-intent search terms in this niche market. The ad copy was rewritten to emphasise Novus Glass’s unique selling propositions and to address common pain points of potential customers. We also implemented advanced targeting techniques, including geo-targeting and ad scheduling, to ensure the ads were shown to the right people at the right time. Additionally, we optimised the landing pages to improve relevance and conversion rates.

Result

The results of our strategy were remarkable. By December, we had achieved a significant improvement across all key metrics. The click-through rate more than doubled to 1.84%, indicating that our ads were now much more relevant and appealing to the target audience. Despite a higher CPC of $4.94, which reflected increased competition for quality keywords, we managed to reduce overall spend by 25%.

Most importantly, conversions increased from 72 to 114, representing a 58% improvement.

The conversion rate skyrocketed by 274% to 7.27%, demonstrating that we were not just attracting more clicks, but higher-quality leads.

This efficiency gain resulted in a 52% decrease in cost per conversion, from $58.48 to just $27.54.

These improvements allowed Novus Glass to achieve better results with less ad spend, significantly enhancing their return on investment and positioning them for sustainable growth in their niche market.

Revolve Partners

gudu-au — Wed, 03 Dec 2025 10:26:51 +0000

An executive search firm who specialise in succession planning, workforce intelligence, and diversity consulting.

Services

Web design

Client

Revolve Partners

Year

2025

Website

Challenge

Despite operating within the industry for decades, the Revolve Partners brand was invisible online as they had no digital footprint, resulting in potential clients partnering with competitors to find their next dream job.

After struggling to market themselves within an ever-growing competitive industry, Revolve Partners realised they had to bridge the gap between their offline authority and their online presence. And to do that, they needed to build a digital identity that didn’t just look modern, but also communicated their premium positioning and high-level expertise.

To do this successfully, they needed more than just a vendor; they needed a trusted digital partner who understood the nuances of the digital landscape, including best practice methodologies, search requirements and overall digital user experience.

Solution

In comes Gudu… We partnered with Revolve Partners to help them build their digital presence from the ground up. The mission was clear; we needed to create a platform that didn’t just look the part, but functioned as a high-performance engine for their future growth.

To do this, our team focused on a ‘credibility-first’ approach by making sure the website acted as a digital handshake. We needed high-level executives to see it as sophisticated, professional, and instantly trustworthy.

But we knew that success depended on a seamless blend of brand and functionality. That’s why we developed a strong collaborating relationship with the creative team at Marilyn & Sons. This allowed us to ensure that Revolve’s premium positioning came to life through a clean, intuitive user experience that prioritised clarity and authority via the way it looked and read.

Result

Custom WordPress architecture: The successful launch of a bespoke, high-performing website that was built for speed, security, and effortless internal management.
Seamless design integration: By working hand-in-hand with Marilyn & Sons, we delivered a final product that truly reflected the Revolve Partners vision, brand personality and overall objectives.
Immediate market impact: We took the business from zero digital footprint to 100% online visibility, giving Revolve Partners an immediate presence in the executive search market.

SEO vs GEO. What’s the difference?

gudu-au — Mon, 15 Sep 2025 19:29:17 +0000

Ideas

SEO vs GEO. What's The Difference?

Jordan Parrello

Advertising director

September 16, 2025

The integration of Generative AI within search results represents a structural shift in how users access information. This evolution directly impacts the traditional value exchange of digital marketing, where visibility on a search engine results page (SERP) was designed to generate clicks.

With AI-powered summaries often serving as the destination, the strategic focus must expand. It’s no longer just about ranking in a list of links; it’s about becoming an authoritative source within the generated answer itself.

This requires a strategy that pairs established Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) with the emerging discipline of Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO). Understanding how these two work together is now essential for building a resilient and forward-thinking digital strategy.

The Essential Foundation

Search Engine Optimisation remains the critical foundation of digital visibility. Its primary function is to align a website’s content and technical structure with search engine ranking algorithms, all with the goal of earning organic traffic from relevant user queries.

The core activities of SEO are well-established. They involve developing sophisticated keyword and topical strategies, building domain authority through backlinks, creating high-value content, and ensuring flawless technical performance. For years, these efforts have been focused on one primary outcome: winning the click.

These foundational elements are not diminished by the rise of AI. In fact, they now serve as the crucial signals of trust and credibility that Large Language Models (LLMs) rely on to form their answers. However, a strategy that ends with ranking on the SERP is no longer sufficient to guarantee visibility.

Unpacking GEO – The New Frontier

If SEO is about getting the algorithm to rank your website, GEO is about getting the AI to quote you. Generative Engine Optimisation is the practice of structuring and refining your content so that it’s not only discoverable but also easily understood, processed, and referenced by LLMs.

The goal of GEO isn’t to generate a click, but to achieve a citation. It’s about having your brand’s data, insights, and key messages woven directly into the AI-generated answer, positioning you as the authority in that moment of user need.

The tactics for GEO are more nuanced and focus on clarity and context:

Answering Questions Directly: Structuring content in a clear, logical way that provides direct answers to specific user questions.
Conversational Language: Aligning content with the natural, conversational queries users submit to AI interfaces.
Structured Data and Schema: Using markup to explicitly label information, making it unambiguous for machines to interpret.

Demonstrating E-E-A-T: Heavily signalling your Experience, Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness through author bios, cited sources, and original data.

The Key Differences

While SEO and GEO are deeply connected, their operational focus differs significantly. Here is a simple breakdown of their distinctions:

Factor	SEO	GEO
Primary Goal	Earn high rankings to generate clicks and website traffic.	Achieve inclusion and citation within AI-generated answers.
Target Audience	Search engine ranking algorithms and the end-user.	Large Language Models (LLMs) and their AI systems.
Core Metric	Keyword rankings, organic traffic, Click-Through Rate (CTR).	Brand mentions, citations, share of voice in AI answers.
Key Signals	Backlinks, keyword density, technical site performance.	Content clarity, structured data, demonstrated E-E-A-T.

Better Together

GEO does not replace SEO; it builds directly on top of it. Attempting to optimise for generative AI without a strong SEO foundation is like trying to build a house with no slab. The two are symbiotic.

A strong SEO program is what gets your content noticed by LLMs in the first place. High rankings, a strong backlink profile, and a technically sound website are powerful indicators to an AI that your content is credible and authoritative. Google has already spent two decades determining which sites to trust; AI models will naturally leverage those same signals.

Once SEO has established that authority, GEO takes over. It refines and structures your content so the AI can easily parse and use it. For example, your SEO efforts might rank your article on “Best Cloud Storage for Australian Businesses.” Your GEO efforts would then structure that article with a clear comparison table, concise definitions, and an FAQ section that an AI can lift directly to answer a user’s query, citing you as the source.

A robust digital strategy integrates both. SEO builds the authority, and GEO makes that authority useful to AI.

This principle of strategic adaptation extends directly to paid search. In a world where AI-generated answers can satisfy user intent without a click, a sole reliance on traditional keyword bidding in the SERP becomes a riskier proposition. As AI absorbs more top-of-funnel queries, the landscape for classic text ads will inevitably change. This necessitates a thoughtful diversification of paid media strategies. A resilient approach involves rebalancing budgets to include full-funnel campaigns across channels like paid social, video, and programmatic display. It also means fully leveraging AI-driven campaign types, such as Performance Max, to engage customers across a broader digital ecosystem, ensuring your brand is present wherever the user’s journey takes them, well beyond the traditional search page.

The emergence of generative AI in search is the most significant change to our industry in years. It demands an evolution in our thinking, moving beyond a pure focus on ranking to a more holistic view of digital authority and visibility.

Ignoring GEO is a risk that can lead to being rendered invisible as user behaviour continues to shift. The businesses that will win in this new era are those that understand the deep connection between their traditional SEO efforts and a forward-thinking GEO strategy. It’s about ensuring your brand is not only discoverable but is also the definitive answer to your customers’ most important questions, no matter how they ask them.

Behind Digital Ad Delivery

gudu-au — Sun, 08 Dec 2024 03:01:57 +0000

Ideas

Behind Digital Ad Delivery

Jordan Parrello

Advertising director

December 8, 2024

Ad delivery algorithms act as the invisible strings guiding marketing messages to their intended audiences with surgical precision. For marketing leaders, mastering these forces is paramount to crafting resonant campaigns that drive conversions and maximise return on investment.

The Evolutionary Path of Ad Delivery Algorithms

While serving ads online dates back to the internet’s early days, modern ad delivery algorithms have undergone a transformative evolution. Initially relying on basic rules like location and browsing history, they have advanced into sophisticated, machine-learning-driven systems.

As the online advertising landscape grew increasingly complex, algorithms incorporated real-time bidding, audience segmentation, and predictive analytics to optimise ad placements. Today’s ad delivery is a finely tuned dance between cutting-edge technologies and vast data sets, continuously analysing user behavior, context, and campaign performance to serve the most relevant ads at the opportune moment – a level of personalisation and efficiency previously unimaginable.

Deconstructing the Ad Serving Process

At the core of digital ad delivery lies the ad server, a powerful software orchestrating the entire process. Ad servers seamlessly integrate with websites, mobile apps, and ad exchanges to manage, track, and optimise campaigns in real-time.

When a user visits a site or opens an app, the ad server evaluates a multitude of factors – user data, context, campaign settings, bid prices – to select the most relevant ad from available inventory in milliseconds, thanks to lightning-fast algorithms and robust infrastructure. Its role extends further, continuously monitoring engagement metrics, click-through rates, and conversion data to refine targeting and optimise ad placements, ensuring consistent campaign improvement and better results over time.

Meta’s New Sequential Model Released to the public November 20th, 2024.

At the forefront of ad delivery innovation, industry giant Meta has unveiled a groundbreaking new approach – the sequence learning recommendation model. This advancement represents a paradigm shift from traditional deep learning methods, promising to revolutionise ad personalisation and effectiveness.

Historically, Meta’s ad recommendation system relied heavily on human-engineered features and intuition. While effective, this approach inherently led to information loss and required significant manual intervention. The new sequence learning model circumvents these limitations by analysing user actions chronologically, leveraging timestamps to capture the sequential context of each interaction.

This sequential understanding allows the model to identify intricate patterns in user behaviour, enabling highly accurate predictions of future actions and interests. By recognising the nuances of how individuals engage with content, ads, and brands over time, the system can anticipate their evolving needs and serve hyper-relevant recommendations at the optimal moment.

For instance, if a user watches a product video, researches reviews, and visits the brand’s website, the sequence learning model can infer their intent to purchase and strategically surface ads for that product or complementary offerings. This level of contextual personalisation was previously unattainable.

Underpinning this innovation is the rapid advancement of machine learning and artificial intelligence technologies. By harnessing the power of sequential data modelling and predictive algorithms, Meta’s approach represents a significant leap forward in the field of ad delivery optimisation.

As this technology continues to evolve and scale, it holds the potential to redefine user experiences and drive unprecedented results for advertisers operating within Meta’s ecosystem. The implications are far-reaching, as the ability to accurately anticipate user needs and deliver truly personalised ad experiences will become a crucial competitive differentiator.

For marketing leaders, staying ahead of such groundbreaking developments is imperative. Embracing cutting-edge technologies like sequence learning will be key to delivering impactful, resonant ad campaigns that captivate audiences and drive meaningful business outcomes.

The Influence of Social Media Algorithms

Social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok have emerged as advertising powerhouses, offering unparalleled targeting capabilities and engaged audiences. However, navigating the algorithms governing ad delivery on these platforms presents a unique challenge.

These algorithms prioritise content sparking engagement and interaction, favouring posts and ads resonating with users’ interests and behaviors. To succeed, marketers must deeply understand their target audiences and craft campaigns aligning with each platform’s values and user experience.

For instance, Facebook’s algorithm rewards ads generating meaningful interactions like comments and shares, while Instagram favors visually captivating content. TikTok emphasises authenticity and trends, necessitating ads that feel native to the platform’s culture. Mastering these nuances unlocks powerful targeting capabilities and access to highly engaged audiences.

Navigating Privacy and Tracking Concerns

As ad delivery algorithms grow increasingly sophisticated, consumer privacy and data protection concerns have rightfully taken center stage. Regulations like GDPR and CCPA have forced advertisers to reevaluate tracking practices and prioritise transparency.

At the crux of this issue lies the delicate balance between personalisation and privacy. While targeted ads can provide more relevant, valuable user experiences, the collection and use of personal data raise valid privacy rights concerns.

Responsible marketers must navigate this landscape carefully, implementing robust data governance policies, obtaining proper consent, and offering clear choices about information usage. Ad platforms and ad tech companies are also adapting, developing privacy-centric solutions like differential privacy and on-device processing to protect user data while maintaining ad relevance.

Prioritising transparency and respecting consumer privacy not only ensures compliance but also builds crucial audience trust – a key factor for long-term marketing success.

Data-Driven Strategies for Impactful Ad Campaigns

While algorithms drive ad delivery, data fuels them. Leveraging the right data sources and employing strategic optimisation techniques is essential for maximising campaign impact.

First-party data from websites, apps, and customer interactions provides invaluable insights into audience preferences, behaviors, and purchase journeys. Combining this proprietary data with third-party demographic and psychographic sources allows for highly targeted audience segmentation and personalised ad experiences.

However, data alone is insufficient – a solid optimisation strategy is crucial. A/B testing ad creatives, copy, and targeting parameters enables continuous campaign refinement and improvement. Multivariate testing takes this a step further, simultaneously testing multiple variables for even more granular optimisation.

Robust analytics tools and attribution models are also critical for measuring campaign success and understanding which touchpoints drive conversions. Closely monitoring metrics like click-through rates, cost per acquisition, and return on ad spend empowers data-driven budget allocation and ROI maximisation.

Future Trends and Adaptability

The digital advertising realm is in constant flux, propelled by technological advancements and shifting consumer behaviors. As a marketing leader, staying ahead of these trends and adapting strategies is essential for maintaining a competitive edge.

One major upcoming development is the deprecation of third-party cookies, long a staple for ad tracking and targeting. While aimed at enhancing user privacy, this change presents challenges for advertisers reliant on cookie-based data. However, new solutions like Unified ID 2.0 and Google’s Privacy Sandbox are emerging to facilitate targeted advertising while respecting privacy preferences.

Additionally, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning into ad delivery algorithms is poised to revolutionise the industry. AI-powered systems can analyse vast data sets, identify complex patterns, and make real-time optimisation decisions at a scale far surpassing human capabilities. Embracing these technologies will be crucial for delivering highly personalised ad experiences and maintaining a competitive edge.

Lastly, as consumer behaviours and preferences continue evolving, marketers must remain agile and adaptable. Emerging platforms, changing regulations, and societal shifts will all impact ad delivery approaches. Regularly reevaluating strategies, testing new channels, and staying informed about industry developments will ensure campaigns remain effective and relevant.

Mastering the forces behind digital ad delivery is a formidable challenge, but the rewards for those who embrace this knowledge are immense. By understanding the intricate algorithms, leveraging data-driven strategies, and adapting to emerging trends, you can unlock the full potential of your marketing campaigns and drive exceptional business results.

Success lies in striking the perfect balance between technology and human ingenuity. While algorithms power the mechanics of ad delivery, it’s your creativity, strategic thinking, and deep audience understanding that will truly set your campaigns apart.

Embrace the challenge, stay curious, and never stop learning. The digital advertising canvas is constantly evolving, and those who can harness the forces behind ad delivery will be the true masters of this dynamic art form.

Gudu

What’s a Digital Marketing Strategy? (And Why You Need One)

What’s a Digital Marketing Strategy? (And Why You Need One)

Bianca Hoare

What is a digital marketing strategy?

So, why does your business need one?

1. Stops you from wasting money on the wrong things​

2. Provides a deep understanding of your digital audience

3. Creates consistency across every channel

4. Gives you something to measure against

5. Builds agility and a competitor advantage

6. Keeps everyone aligned

How to connect your digital strategy to your business strategy

The ultimate benefit: clarity

SEO myths vs truths in the age of AI

SEO myths vs truths in the age of AI

Bianca Hoare

The big truth: AI search is still powered by SEO

Myth 1: You need AI-specific technical files like LLMs.txt

Myth 2: You should ‘chunk’ content for AI

Myth 3: You need to rewrite content specifically for AI

Myth 4: Schema is an AI ranking lever

Myth 5: AI requires a new SEO strategy

What matters now more than ever

Conclusion

What’s content marketing and why it’s important to your business

What’s content marketing and why it’s important to your business

Bianca Hoare

What is content marketing?

Why content marketing is important to your business

1. Content marketing builds authority

2. It fuels your SEO and discoverability

3. It helps establish trust

4. Content supports the entire journey

Content marketing trends to keep an eye on in 2026

How to get started

How to improve your SEO

How to improve your SEO

Bianca Hoare

1. Optimise for AI overviews and GEO (Generative Engine Optimisation)

2. Double down on E-E-A-T

3. Master hyperlocal SEO

4. Technical health importance

5. Build topical authority with content clusters

6. Implement strategic Schema markup

7. Shift from keywords to user intent

SEO is a compounding asset

AGL

AGL is one of Australia's leading energy companies with electricity, gas, solar and renewable energy services, plus nbn and mobile plans.

Services

Client

Year

Website

Challenge

Solution

Result

m|devices

An Australian manufacturer of high-quality medical devices for clinical and home use.

Services

Client

Year

Website

Challenge

Solution

Result

Novus Glass

NOVUS Glass is part of Fix Network, the global leader in the automotive aftermarket services sector. NOVUS Glass can repair more windshields with greater optical clarity and structural integrity than any other system in the industry.

Services

Client

Year

Website

Challenge

Solution

Result

Revolve Partners

An executive search firm who specialise in succession planning, workforce intelligence, and diversity consulting.

Services

Client

Year

Website

1. Stops you from wasting money on the wrong things