Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 12.01.2026 If you look up online what digital marketing is, it refers to ‘a company that uses online channels like social media, search engines and email to help businesses promote their products and services, increase brand awareness and drive sales’. Now, we know it’s not an easy job, and there are a lot of nuances to the role, with results not always guaranteed.
However, digital marketing provider, Digital Surfer, has taken a different approach to working with businesses, which has paid off significantly. They’re not only a 7-figure business that’s worked with some of Australia’s biggest names, including SUNS Hospitality and People First Stadium, but also a 7 x APAC Search Award Finalist, with 13 finalist positions in the 2026 APAC Search Awards.
They say it all comes down to their innovative approach, integrating themselves with businesses to solve problems rather than just being a service provider.
How Digital Surfer is Changing the Way Businesses Think of Digital Marketing Agencies in Australia
When you look at the data revealing almost a third of Australian businesses end up in a formal dispute with their digital marketing agency and another 70% leave their agency within the first 12 months, there is a problem in the industry. And it doesn’t just come down to results, but transparency and trust also. It’s gotten so bad that many agencies no longer go by the name, preferring to be called a service provider in fear of being seen as ‘one of them’.
Digital Surfer is challenging the perception, seeing themselves not only as the provider of award-winning SEO, paid ads and website services, but as a solution solver for a business’s bigger problems.
“I think a lot of agencies see themselves as the expert in the room as far as what they specialise in goes, but don’t go that one step further to actually solve the real problem for their clients and be upfront about the reality,” said Peter Curran, Digital Surfer’s founder and owner.
“When we have that initial conversation with business owners, we don’t just look at their marketing results, and what they’re doing wrong. We take it a step further, looking at their sales process, goals, and what is not only stopping them from achieving them, but pet hates that frustrate them currently. It not only gives them a better experience, but our team a better understanding so we can get higher quality results, too.”
The Results Built By Innovation
You don’t become a 13 x finalist in the 2026 APAC Search Awards for nothing. Digital Surfer’s commitment to innovation and thinking outside of the box generates results that go beyond just improving click-through rates and leads. Take their award nomination for Stop Thief Security.
The family run security screen and door company of more than 30 years had 6-figure revenue goals for their peak season and to hire a new installer by the end of the year. The problem wasn’t running a successful campaign. That would be the easy part for their team. What was holding them back was the inability to track their leads, with many showing multiple times for one conversion, poor quality leads wasting the business’s time, and a lack of trust created by the poor transparency in the past.
By taking the time to rebuild the funnel and establish tracking, implementing transparent reporting and month strategy calls, they were not only able to achieve a 1,225% return on investment, but was 16% above their revenue goal and were able to hire that installer months early. It also gave real insight into the leads coming in, allowing the team to adjust the campaign to different seasons to get rid of ‘time wasters’, reducing the business’s admin costs. The campaign was actually so successful, the team had to scale the campaign back temporarily so Stop Thief Security could get the extra hands on deck.
Digital Surfer didn’t just ‘do their job’ getting results, but established trust and solved multiple problems the business was having in their pipelines, admin and sales.
Why Digital Surfer is a 7 x APAC Search Awards Winner & Now 13 x Finalist in 2026
Digital Surfer is a finalist for 13 awards in the 2026 APAC Search Awards, including:
- Best Use of Search — B2B (SEO) — Dredge Robotics
- Best Use of Search — Health — CosMediGroup
- Best Local Campaign (SEO) — Arborsafe Tree Services
- Best Local Campaign (PPC) — Stop Thief Security
- Best Integrated Campaign — Plus One Vet
- Most Innovative Campaign — Offshore MVP
- Best PPC Campaign — Queensland Traffic Offenders
- Best Pan Asian Campaign — CosMediTour
- Emerging Talent Award — Caden Schmidt
- Emerging Talent Award — Ryan Chilton
- Best Small PPC Agency (25 and under employees)
- Best Small SEO Agency (25 or under employees)
- Best Small Integrated Agency (25 or under employees)
Their commitment to not just doing their job, but using innovative digital marketing solutions for businesses, and getting quality leads & sales, is why they’re able to put their name to so many awards.
