About Angus Jones

Angus started his first small business in 1989 and has since gone on to have a successful career in marketing. He realised although there were many websites for small business none was addressing the question of how to. Angus has a passion to articulate benefits that add value to customers/readers.

Top five strategies for managing your online reputation

Imagine this. A potential customer searches for your small business online, but they are met with outdated contact details, mixed reviews or worse, no reviews at all. Within moments, they have moved on to a competitor. Managing your online reputation is about seizing every opportunity to build trust, credibility and a loyal customer base.  Here are my top five strategies every small business owner should use to keep their reputation shining.

1. Claim and update your online listings 

Consistency is key. Your small business information must be accurate across all platforms, including Google My Business, social media, and industry-specific directories. Inconsistent or outdated listings can confuse potential customers, damage your credibility, and negatively impact your search engine rankings. Regularly updating your small business name, address, phone number and other critical details ensures that customers can easily find and trust your small business.

When you take control of your online listings, you are creating opportunities which add value to your small business. Every accurate detail acts like a breadcrumb that leads customers directly to your door. Never underestimate the power of being easy to find.

2. Encourage and manage customer reviews 

Positive reviews are invaluable for establishing trust and attracting new customers. Actively encourage satisfied customers to leave reviews and make it easy for them to do so. When a negative review does appear, respond promptly and professionally, demonstrating that you value feedback and are committed to improving. This approach not only helps resolve customer issues but also shows potential clients that your small business cares.

Every review, positive or negative, is a chance to showcase your small business’s values. How you respond tells customers who you are. Think of reviews as conversations; they allow you to engage directly with your audience, fostering a stronger sense of trust and loyalty.

3. Monitor your online reputation regularly 

Staying on top of what is being said about your small business online allows you to respond quickly to any inaccuracies or complaints. Set up alerts for mentions of your small business and frequently check platforms like Google Reviews, Facebook and Yelp.

Waiting too long to address an issue online is like leaving your shopfront window cracked. Proactive monitoring is your first line of defence in maintaining a good reputation.

4. Optimise your website and listings for local search 

Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) is a game-changer for small businesses. Ensure your website and online listings are optimised with relevant keywords, accurate location details and customer-focused content. This boosts your visibility in local search results, helping your small business stand out to nearby customers who are ready to buy.

SEO is the new high street visibility. If your small business is not showing up in searches engines, it’s like locking your doors to potential customers who are actively looking to engage.

5. Consistently create engaging content 

SEO shouldn’t be the only motivator for content creation; it’s a powerful tool for managing your reputation. Regularly update your blog, social media channel, and other platforms with valuable content that showcases your expertise and connects with your audience. Engaging content not only attracts traffic but also helps establish your small business as a trusted voice in your industry.

Content is your opportunity to lead the conversation about your small business. When you share insights, solutions, and stories, you not only boost engagement but also create a narrative that draws customers in and sets you apart from competitors.

Managing your online reputation isn’t a set-and-forget task; it’s a process that requires consistency, attention and adaptability. Taking control of your digital presence can be the difference between attracting loyal customers and losing them to competitors. Remember, every review, listing and piece of content is an opportunity to shape how your small business is perceived. By embracing these strategies, you are not only maintaining a reputation, but you are also building a legacy of trust and excellence that will set your small business apart for years to come.

By Greg Nicolle, Head of Small Business Success, Thryv

Rally Board 65 All-in-one video solution

Logitech is Flipping the Script on Complex Meetings with Rally Board 65 All-in-one video solution packs advanced capabilities into a simple, mobile conferencing device.    

Logitech has announced Rally Board 65, an all-in-one portable video conference solution that combines intelligent audio and video with a 65” touchscreen display. Rally Board 65 is simple enough to roll on a cart into satellite offices, yet sophisticated enough to pack a suite of AI-powered features, occupancy and environmental detection into traditional meeting rooms. 

Businesses face this dilemma every day: they want to provide modern video conferencing tools for their hybrid workforces, but IT teams are grappling with increasing workloads as their tech environments become more complicated.      “Hybrid workers expect all spaces to be video-enabled and adaptable enough to collaborate on a moment’s notice, whether in an open space, traditional room, collaborative room or learning space,” said Prakash Arunkundrum, Chief Operating Officer and GM of Logitech for Business. “So we asked ourselves: how can we create a smart, supremely sophisticated conferencing system, while drastically simplifying set up? The answer is Rally Board 65, a flexible solution that breaks the pattern of tech complexity that overwhelms companies.” 

The powerful, all-in-one video conferencing solution can be up and running within minutes in Android, PC, or BYOD mode, whether teams use Microsoft Teams, Zoom, or Google Meet*. Simply roll Rally Board 65 on a cart into an open space and flip the device 180 degrees to orient the camera at eye level, or install it in a meeting room with the camera above or below the screen–all with very little IT support.     Building on its exceptionally sharp 4K video, Rally Board 65 comes loaded with AI-powered audio visual tech RightSight 2 and RightSound 2 that have become hallmarks of Logitech’s video bars. To further refine the experience, Camera Zone limits visual framing and Mic Zone minimises sound pickup within a designated area. The new Depth Blur technique obscures surroundings, an effect similar to background blur people are accustomed to using on their desktops during video calls.

“Think of this trio as a digital cocoon for meetings in open spaces,” said Henry Levak, VP of Product, Logitech for Business. “Rally Board 65 uses 3D spatial mapping technology to focus on the action in the meeting, not outside distractions.”     Sensors within Rally Board 65 detect the presence of people so that IT teams can get accurate readings of how and when employees are using video spaces. These sensors also analyse environmental data like humidity, temperature, and CO2 levels, assign a room health and later, will provide a room energy score, then deliver recommendations to increase ventilation, take breaks, or reduce the number of seats in a room.

Insights are fed into Logitech Sync, a centralised platform for IT teams to get a bird’s eye view of their organisation, drill down for details on specific room performance, and automatically book and release rooms.     Approach to Sustainability
Using our Design for Sustainability principles, Rally Board 65 was engineered to minimise its environmental impact, using up to 41%* next-life plastics, low-carbon aluminium, recycled fabrics, and FSC-certified packaging.

Environmental benefits go beyond physical design. The radar system in Rally Board 65 allows the device to automatically switch to a lower power state when no one is in the space–a function that can significantly reduce the power consumption of customers’ commercial buildings.

Pricing and availability
Rally Board 65 will be available from mid 2025 through authorised distributors and resellers, and on logitech.com.

New innovations in Adobe Premiere Pro (beta)

Adobe has announced new innovations in Adobe Premiere Pro (beta) designed to empower filmmakers at all levels, whether they’re an aspiring student, indie filmmaker, documentarian or industry veteran. Adobe also announced an additional $5M investment in the Adobe Film & TV Fund to support underrepresented creators and filmmakers in finding career opportunities on-screen and behind the camera. The Adobe Foundation is supporting the Los Angeles creative communities impacted by the recent wildfires with a $1 million charitable grant

The new media intelligence and search panel in Adobe Premiere Pro (beta) addresses a monumental pain point for video editors by letting them quickly locate the perfect film clip from massive libraries of files – a frequent inconvenience that previously meant sifting through gigabytes of files in search of a specific clip. Premiere Pro (beta) also now offers new AI-powered caption translation that automates the often expensive and inefficient process of multilingual caption generation, helping video pros effortlessly connect with audiences worldwide. 

“We’re passionate about empowering filmmakers to tell their stories and realise their creative vision,” said Ashley Still, Senior Vice President and General Manager, Adobe Creative Cloud. “These innovations will bring time savings and career support so they can focus on inspiring and captivating audiences worldwide.” 

Adobe and the Adobe Foundation announced its expansion of the Adobe Film & TV Fund, committing an additional $5M in 2025 along with research and product to support new opportunities in career advancement through fellowships, funding and in-kind donations. Group Effort Initiative (GEI) is also joining the Adobe Film & TV Fund, offering mentorship, training and career programs for the next generation of editors, marketers and creatives. 

New Premiere Pro, After Effects Enhancements and Frame.io Camera to Cloud Expansion Address Top Community Requests, Transforming Post-Production 

Premiere Pro’s latest updates help filmmakers accelerate post-production workflows by giving them the ability to easily identify content within shots, find footage faster and go global in seconds. The latest features include: 

  • Media Intelligence & Search Panel – For editors, the hunt for the right clip can be a daunting experience, especially in larger projects with a lot of footage. With the new AI-powered Media Intelligence and Search Panel in Premiere Pro (beta), editors can now find exactly what they need when they need it. Instead of painstakingly hunting through shots manually, Media Intelligence now automatically recognises clip content – including objects, locations, camera angles or metadata like shoot date or camera type. They can just type in the clip type needed into the new Search Panel and let Media Intelligence do the rest. 
  • Caption Translation – Captions are more important than ever as filmmakers scale their content for reach, engagement and accessibility globally – but until now, editors have been slowed down by manual translations, disrupting their workflow and often requiring additional expense. Now, Premiere Pro (beta) offers native caption translation in 17 languages, so customers can expand to new audiences quickly and accurately. 

New After Effects’ innovations provide motion professionals with highly requested performance improvements, including: 

  • Improved Caching – Play back an entire composition faster than ever before. All computers that meet the minimum specifications will be able to play back their entire composition the moment it’s cached. 
  • Improved HDR Support – Accurately import, monitor and export high dynamic range content, resulting in brighter and more vivid motion design work. 

Frame.io also expanded support for Camera to Cloud (C2C) support for Canon. Customers can now automatically upload and access high-quality footage directly from Canon EOS C80 and EOS C400 cameras in Frame.io, unlocking real-time collaboration, accelerated video workflows and a seamless experience between production and post. C2C revolutionises workflows by automatically uploading media as it’s captured, eliminating the need for manual file transfers. This seamless integration accelerates content creation by providing instant access to media and enabling real-time collaboration through Frame.io’s powerful creative management tools – solving the challenges of remote teamwork and minimising project delays. 

Read more about the new enhancements to Adobe’s pro video and audio tools here

Adobe Continues to Power Culture-Defining Storytelling 

Adobe’s creative tools are fundamental to the work of Sundance filmmakers. According to the annual Sundance Institute survey, nearly 85% of 2025’s entrants relied on Adobe Creative Cloud applications – including Premiere Pro, Frame.io, After Effects, Photoshop and the Substance 3D Collection – to bring their stories to life. Premiere Pro was yet again the most popular video editing software, used by over half (60%) year’s films. “Opus,” “By Design,” “Train Dreams,” “Bunnylovr,” “The Alabama Solution,” “Bucks County, USA”, “The Legend of Ochi” and “Perfect Neighbor” are just a few of the narrative features, documentaries and episodic series set to debut at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival that were cut on Premiere Pro. 

Why SME should declutter their workspaces

Every new year, people have ambitious resolutions for fresh beginnings, especially within businesses. Many businesses take the opportunity to declutter and optimise space in the workplace. Having an organised environment is the foundation for productivity, happy employees and workplace efficiency. Resetting the workplace often can be an overwhelming task, but it doesn’t have to be.

Declutter with purpose

The first step in workplace optimisation is addressing clutter. Many SMEs accumulate unnecessary items over time, from outdated files to surplus equipment. Taking a methodical approach to decluttering can help. Start by categorising items into essentials, non-essentials and disposables. Essential items should remain easily accessible, while non-essentials can be stored or donated. Dispose of what no longer serves a purpose.

While creating physical space, this process also helps with mental clarity. A decluttered environment is crucial in order for employees to focus and be less distracted. 

Reimagine the layout

An efficient layout is key to a productive workplace. Start by observing how employees move around the office and identify inefficiencies and areas for improvement. The design of the space should support your team’s workflows and collaboration.

For example, creating designated zones for different activities, such as quiet areas for focused work and open spaces for team collaboration, can ensure functionality. Flexible furniture and modular designs are also excellent choices for SMEs, as they allow for easy reconfiguration as the business evolves.

Incorporate smart storage solutions

Storage is vital in maintaining an organised workspace. Consider vertical shelving, under-desk storage and wall-mounted organisers. These are practical for space, especially in small offices. This helps keep the aesthetic while maximising utility. Labelling systems and digital inventory management tools can also help keep stock and office supplies in check.

Adopt a long-term mindset

Decluttering and reorganising are important. However, sustaining the system consistently is also one to remember and it requires a long-term commitment. Schedule regular decluttering sessions, assign responsibilities for shared spaces and involve employees in keeping the office tidy.

Additionally, integrating technology can streamline operations. Digital file management systems, automated scheduling tools and cloud storage solutions reduce paper clutter and improve accessibility.

Benefits of optimisation

The advantages of a well-organised workspace extend beyond aesthetics. A decluttered, thoughtfully designed environment can boost employee satisfaction and productivity. Workers are more likely to feel motivated in a space that feels open and welcoming. Furthermore, clients and partners visiting the office will be left with a positive impression of the business’ professionalism.

As 2025 unfolds, SMEs have a chance to embrace the transformative power of workspace optimisation. By decluttering, reimagining layouts and committing to long-term strategies, businesses can create environments that inspire success and  innovation. As a storage solutions provider, we at Super Easy Storage also try to maintain that level of commitment in our own workplace.

These practical guidelines can help an individual’s journey to a more organised and productive workspace.

By Jordana Thirlwall, Co-Founder of Super Easy Storage and Certified Interior Designer

Are small businesses thinking big in 2025?

Contributed by Rakesh Prabhakar, Head of Zoho Australia and New Zealand

Australia is a nation of entrepreneurs, go-getters, and big-thinkers. For 2.5 million Australians running a small business, the pursuit of independence, passion, and potential has always come with its share of challenges. The last few years have been particularly difficult for SMBs in the country, with closures hitting a four-year high, and insolvency rates currently 25% higher than they were pre-pandemic.

Last year was no different. The vast majority (89%) of Australian SMBs saw their operating costs increase in the last 18 months, according to Zoho’s Financial Health of Australian Small Businesses research. In response, three in four (78%) have been forced to increase their costs, passing the burden onto customers. However, that too has had unforeseen problems, with a further three quarters (73.9%) saying their revenue slowed; and ‘significantly’, for four in ten.

But as we step into 2025, the stakes feel higher than ever. But so too does the optimism, according to our research. Almost half (46.6%) of our SMB community anticipate stronger cash flow in the months ahead, and many see growth opportunities beyond 2024. Nearly one in three (29.3%) “see a lot of growth opportunity” in the next 12-18 months, while 33.7% believe they’re “recovering nicely”.

But as small businesses begin to think big in 2025, how can they turn their optimism into growth?

Build relationships, enhance experiences

Australians are renowned for their strong support of local business, which has only increased in recent years. Consumers are still feeling the pressures of high interest rates and inflation, so they are being cautious and considered in the businesses they engage with. They will, however, gravitate to those who build relationships and enhance the customer experience. For many Aussies, customer experience is one of the most influential factors when choosing who to engage with. Consumers would be willing to spend more for enhanced customer service, further cementing its influence on acquisition, retention and ROI.

In 2025, SMBs should think about how they can turn customer experience into a competitive advantage. Start with seeking feedback, whether through surveys, casual conversations, or social media polls. Not only does it show their experience and opinion matters, but the insights can be turned into personalised strategies. An investment in a customer relationship management (CRM) system is an investment in customers, as it allows an SMB to track preferences and purchase history, enabling personalised offers, targeted email campaigns or loyalty rewards.

Beyond that, simple gestures like promptly replying to messages, responding to reviews or recognising a customer when they enter an SMB’s store or office can go a long way.

Embracing and optimising tech, data, and automation

Of course, it’s far easier today to provide stellar customer service when it’s built on a foundation of technology. Not only embracing technology – but optimising it – should be another big focus for SMBs in 2025. Thankfully, that’s the case for many SMBs. Our research found that the biggest priority for SMBs in 2025 is staying afloat, followed closely by automating or digitising their business.

SMBs should start by analysing their technology stack. Are platforms integrated, or are silos – for example between particular platforms, processes, or departments – increasing manual handling and reducing transparency and efficiency? Can metrics like cash flow, customer retention and acquisition rates and employee productivity be tracked in real time? Is technology providing an ROI or an added burden?

Integrated technology stacks that consolidate crucial tools – from sales and marketing to collaboration, finance and more – can provide real-time insights that are essential for making smarter, growth-focused decisions. When SMBs rely on fewer vendors, it keeps their costs down, and improves the business-wide operations. Just as critical as integrating technology is automating it.

Time is a priceless commodity for SMBs, so automating repetitive, time-consuming tasks like invoicing, data entry or sending follow-up emails frees up time for more strategic work. With all technology adoption, it should be careful and planned, rather than rushed. SMBs should start by automating specific tasks – like setting up payment reminders or data entry – then build from there.

On that foundation, SMBs can then benefit from more sophisticated forms of automation, for example related to Business Intelligence (BI). BI helps SMBs analyse their data to both understand performance and identify opportunities for growth. For example, BI platforms like Zoho Analytics can visualise, in real-time, which products or services generate the most revenue, which marketing channels are the most profitable or which employees are the most productive.

By identifying patterns and trends, SMBs can make strategic, proactive adjustments – whether stocking up on a popular item, prioritising certain demographics or providing more training for an underperforming team member. BI is ‘predictive’ too, which means SMBs can use historic data to forecast and predict performance. For example, what do sales from 2024 mean for 2025, and how can SMBs use that insight to proactively mitigate risks or maximise growth opportunities?

In 2025, SMBs should focus on being tech-powered and customer-focused. By prioritising customer relationships and experience, and investing in integrated, automated and insight-driven technology, small businesses could be justified in their big thinking in the months ahead.

Rally Camera Streamline tracks presenter

Logitech has introduced Rally Camera Streamline Kit, a comprehensive USB Pan Tilt Zoom (PTZ) video solution designed for hyflex learning environments and modern workspaces. As higher education institutions strive to meet the evolving needs of their audiences, the demand for lecture capture content has never been greater. Whether engaging with content in-person, online or asynchronously, audiences require seamless experiences tailored for their preferences. Built around Logitech’s flagship Rally Camera, the kit enables easy switching between preset camera views, installation and troubleshooting.
“PTZ cameras with speaker tracking for lecture capture are often overly complex and expensive, adding unnecessary hardware to standard USB AV setups while creating unpredictable and distracting user experiences,” said Michele Hermann, vice president and general manager of Logitech for Education. “The Rally Camera Streamline Kit is an accessible and easy-to-install solution that minimises setup complexity while enhancing both user experience and content delivery.” The Rally Camera Streamline Kit enables presenters to stay in the flow and control their narrative, delivering an engaging experience for their audience. Presenters can easily switch preset PTZ views on the camera using intuitive, contextually-placed buttons, simplifying the setup for AV teams while eliminating the need for presenter training required in these spaces. 
The solution uses Rally Camera and an Extension Kit, comprised of a camera side base which can be connected and powered up to 100 metres away via category cable to a control box that interfaces directly with USB-based AV equipment. The simplified mounting options for wall, inverted National Pipe Thread (NPT) mounting and tripods along with discreet cable routing enable efficient and professional looking installations. The solution leveraging Rally Camera, and its USB based technology, seamlessly works with most operating systems, as well as the most popular video collaboration and lecture capture platforms making it a versatile addition to any presentation environment.

Top-selling items from the holidays

The latest monthly product trends update from Shopify is in, and we’ve also pulled out the top-selling items from Boxing Day specifically. 

As with previous versions, Shopify analysed first-party platform data to reveal Australia’s top trending products for December and Australia’s favourite Boxing Day purchases. Shopify powers 25% of all online commerce in Australia, for reference.

Diving into Boxing Day sales, Shopify discovered that Apparel and Beauty products dominated the top-selling product categories. The full list is below, based on the total volume of items sold. 

10 top-selling items from Boxing Day by total volume:

  1. Shorts 
  2. Lotions & Moisturisers 
  3. Nail Polishes 
  4. Eye Makeup 
  5. Body Makeup 
  6. Face Makeup 
  7. Boxer Briefs 
  8. Temporary Tattoos
  9. Trunks 
  10. Sunscreen 

Across the whole of December, Aussies embraced creativity, celebration, and self-improvement. The data below is based on trending products, which are those that have seen the biggest month-on-month spikes. 

Arts and crafts 

  • Aussies found themselves flexing their creative muscles over the holiday season, with the highest trending product category in December being Colouring Books & Pads, which went up by 1345.1%.
  • With the new year upon us, it’s the time to prepare the vision boards and take up journaling as a resolution. Bulletin Board Accessories (80.7%), Bulletin Boards (17.6%), Journals (12.5%) and Pens & Pencils (11%) all saw significant spikes MoM.

Holiday happenings

  • The holiday season brought a surge in festive favourites, with Note Cards skyrocketing by 224.1% and Greeting Cards up 144.7% as people spread cheer far and wide.
  • Shopify data proved that indulging in seafood remains a beloved holiday tradition with Fresh & Frozen Seafood sales jumping 64.4% in December. Sweet treats like Cherries (28.5%) and Chocolate-Covered Fruit (27.7%) also made their way onto holiday tables. 
  •  Outside of mealtimes, Aussies kept safety top of mind, with Breathalyser sales soaring 77% as drivers stayed mindful of holiday double demerits.
  • However, not all festive traditions endured during the Christmas season with advent calendars seeing a 90.6% MoM decline. 

Waiting for boxing day to stock up on essentials

  • Boxing Day was all about stocking up on our fashion, health and beauty essentials.  Shorts took the highly anticipated top spot, followed by a range of skincare favourites,
  • with Lotions & Moisturisers, Nail polishes, Eye Makeup and Sunscreen all landing in the top 10 products purchased. 
  • Boxer Briefs ranked as the 7th most purchased item despite overall sales dropping by 67.1% MoM in December, while Trunks ranked 9th, continuing with the trend of shopping for bottoms.
  • But it wasn’t all about stocking up on everyday essentials. Surprisingly, Temporary Tattoos ranked 8th on our shopping lists on Boxing Day as Aussies got festival-ready or sought to adorn themselves with something fun during summer. 

New year, new me, new hobby

  • As the year wrapped up, Aussies set their sights on cultivating new hobbies and deepening existing passions. Many tuned into their musical side, with Electronic Musical Instruments soaring by 85.8%, while others aimed to capture memories with Instant Film Cameras up 72.2%. 
  • Gamers freshened up their favourite consoles with Portable Game Console Skins seeing a 132.8% spike, while green thumbs emerged as Greenhouse purchases grew.
  • This year might be the one where Aussies finally invest in their dream ride, with Motorcycles & Scooters sales soaring by 102.2%. They’re also gearing up to ride the waves, as Bodyboards sales rose by 47.8% and Wakeboard Parts by 40.2% MoM in December.
  • Aussies are unleashing their inner kitchen wiz, and are taking on new kitchen ventures with Yogurt Makers (41.9%.), French Presses (30.6%), and Barbecue Briquettes (26.7%) coming in hot in December. 
  • But while many Aussies opened their wallets for their hobbies, spending on everyday essentials remained important with the rise in Toilet Paper (79.3%) to purchases of Electric Toothbrushes which grew by 69.6%.

Please see other key figures below:

Top-selling items in December:

  1. Colouring books & pads 1345.1%
  2. Underwater Camera Housings 531.1%
  3. Sound Synthesisers 263.9%
  4. Note Cards 224.1%
  5. Greeting & Note Cards 144.7%
  6. Electric Traps 141.9%
  7. Portable Game Console Skins 132.8%
  8. Motorcycles & Scooters 102.2%
  9. Water Sport Tow Cables 98.7%
  10. Electronic Musical Instruments 85.8%

Top trending tech products:

  1. Portable Game Console Skins – 132.8%
  2. Tablet Computer Parts – 43.7%
  3. Game Racing Wheels –  42%
  4. Turntables & Record Players – 39.5%
  5. Radios – 38.5%
  6. Satellite Receivers – 36.3%
  7. Game Controller Accessories – 32.1%
  8. Hard Drive Carrying Cases – 29%
  9. Portable Game Console Cases – 28.9%
  10. DJ Systems – 28.7%

Top trending food and beverage products:

  1. Oat Drinks – 75.4%
  2. Fresh & Frozen Seafood – 64.4%
  3. Seafood – 57.7%
  4. Cheese – 33.2%
  5. Cherries – 28.5%
  6. Chocolate Covered Fruit – 27.7%
  7. Stone Fruits – 24.8%
  8. Pastries & Scones – 24.4%
  9. Donuts – 24.3%
  10. Garlic – 22.9%

Top trending apparel products:

  1. Satchel Bags – 65.7%
  2. Wig Accessories – 56.3%
  3. Card Cases – 49.1%
  4. Track Jackets – 42.9%
  5. Bucket Bags – 25.9%
  6. Cowboy Hats – 16.3%
  7. Sweatpants – 14.8%
  8. Snow Pants & Suits – 14.8%
  9. Bucket Hats – 14.5%
  10. Watch Winders – 14.4%

Methodology: 

  • December sales by Shopify merchants in Australia are based on data from December 2024, compared to data from November 2024.
  • Boxing Day sales by Shopify merchants in Australia are based on the volume of sales per category on December 26, 2024. 

Five reasons your Australia Day sales strategy should include digital signage

The sales period around Australia Day is one of the most lucrative retail opportunities of the year. It’s a peak time for outdoor activities, social gatherings, and leisure, with many Australians taking advantage of the public holiday or long weekend, increasing spending on food, entertainment, and travel-related purchases.

With fierce competition for customers, businesses need every advantage to stand out and succeed. If you’re looking for a powerful way to boost your strategy, digital signage should be top of your list. This innovative tool can drive foot traffic, increase sales, and enhance customer engagement in ways traditional methods simply can’t match.

Here are five reasons why digital signage should be a cornerstone of your Australia Day sales strategy.

Drive immediate customer action

Australia Day sales are a prime time for shoppers looking for the best deals—and it’s essential to capture their attention. Whether you’re promoting a specific product or a storewide discount, eye-catching digital displays can motivate customers to act fast, helping you maximise sales during the holiday period.

Unlike static signage, digital displays can be updated in real-time to reflect new deals or inventory changes, ensuring your messaging stays fresh and relevant. You can also use data-driven insights to adapt your content to customer behaviour and market trends, making your campaigns more effective.

Maximise your marketing budget

Digital signage offers a cost-effective and highly targeted way to convert customer interest into purchases. Advanced platforms equipped with AI make it simple to design and schedule content for your Australia Day promotions, reducing the need for expensive graphic designers or hours spent creating signage manually.

With AI tools, you can customise high-quality designs in minutes, set your schedule, and let the screens do the rest. Beyond Australia Day, the insights gained from your campaigns can help you refine your marketing strategies for future events, making digital signage a smart, long-term investment.

Reach customers around the clock

Australia Day isn’t limited to a single day—many shoppers expect extended sales, which can be a logistical challenge for businesses. Digital signage simplifies this process by enabling you to promote your sales 24/7.

For stores located in busy shopping centres or along high-traffic streets, digital displays can capture attention even after closing hours. By scheduling your content strategically, you can build anticipation for your Australia Day deals and attract customers when your doors reopen. This around-the-clock visibility ensures your sales remain top-of-mind.

Strategically promote additional purchases

Impulse buying is a key driver of sales during events like Australia Day. By placing digital displays near your point-of-sale (POS) or checkout areas, you can encourage customers to make last-minute purchases, cross-sell complementary items, or take advantage of “buy more, save more” offers.

Thanks to the flexibility of AI-driven platforms, you can easily update your displays to reflect stock levels or changing customer interests. For instance, a screen highlighting accessories that complement a shopper’s purchase can boost transaction values and enhance their overall experience.

Australia Day sales are also an important opportunity to create a memorable shopping experience that keeps customers coming back. Digital signage can play a crucial role in elevating the in-store experience by engaging shoppers and guiding their journey.

Strategically placed screens can highlight featured products, suggest complementary items, or promote social media engagement. For example, a display near your outdoor gear section could showcase camping essentials, inspiring customers to stock up for their long weekend. Digital signage can also encourage shoppers to follow your brand on social media or share user-generated content, increasing your visibility and engagement.

Incorporating digital signage into your Australia Day sales strategy is a smart, cost-effective way to engage customers, drive sales, and stand out from the competition. Whether you’re aiming to maximise holiday sales or enhance the overall shopping experience, there’s no better time to explore how this technology can transform your business.

Contributed by Steven Baxter, CEO at Mandoe Media

Live Co-Editing to Photoshop

Adobe has announced Live Co-Editing to Photoshop and invite you to sign up for beta testing in the Photoshop desktop (beta) and web apps. 

Now, multiple creators can simultaneously access and edit documents from different computers — unlocking shared creativity and collaboration. This game-changing advancement, informed by community input, accelerates content creation, streamlines communication and improves creative collaboration for creators, teams and educators. 

  • Multiple designers can simultaneously work on a Photoshop document, splitting tasks to tackle and complete projects more efficiently, together. 
  • Creative teams at large enterprises can collaborate on highly matrixed projects, solicit stakeholder input and address feedback all in a single file. 
  • Creators can collect client feedback more intuitively by inviting them to directly collaborate on a file, view edits and make comments. 
  • Students can follow along live as educators demonstrate workflows and teach techniques in Photoshop. Comments and edits can be made directly in a student’s document by teachers to help enhance learning and contextualise feedback. 

Popular community-driven innovations 

Photoshop launched dozens of innovative features and capabilities in 2024 that improved adjustments, compositing, selecting and typography workflows, all informed by community feedback. Try out these popular capabilities if you haven’t already by updating your Photoshop app to the latest version. 

  1. Remove Tool with Distraction Removal 

The Distraction Removal capability in the Remove Tool automatically detects and removes wires and people from the background and replaces them with generated content while preserving image integrity, depth, and complex details. You can remove multiple unwanted elements from a photo, like tourists in the background of your travel photos or pesky power lines disrupting your beautiful landscape image, which significantly simplifies your workflows and saves effort on tedious editing tasks. 

Check out real world examples from Photoshop Influencer Partners: 

  • @Marinawphoto perfects her portrait photography in busy and public places. 
  • @mylesesmind declutters her scenes so she can focus on her creativity. 
  1. Improved Font browser 

For projects focused on typography, use the improved Font browser to search, filter, live preview, and use 25,000+ free and licensed fonts from the cloud without leaving the Photoshop app. Search fonts by name, explore different dialects, and find the perfect typeface for any aesthetic without interrupting your workflows. Once a new font is added from the cloud, it will automatically sync across all your Photoshop devices and Adobe Creative Cloud desktop apps for a continuous editing experience. 

See this capability come to life on Instagram, and how Photoshop partner Emma Orhun uses it as a source of design inspiration! 

  1. Selection Brush 

The Selection Brush enables you to easily and more intuitively select and adjust specific areas of an image. With a brush, you can change the settings for opacity and hardness and create selections with varying transparency, feathered edges, and more realistic and nuanced effects. The Selection Brush provides more control, flexibility, and intuitiveness whether you are selecting, compositing, adjusting, and generating content. 

Check out this example on Instagram, as well as others made by @iamprestonluke and @onadventurewithdad to composite elements together more seamlessly. 

  1. Generative AI with the latest Adobe Firefly Image Model 

Generative Fill, Generative Expand, and Generate Similar are now powered by the latest Adobe Firefly Image Model, which yields greatly improved photographic quality, better prompt comprehension to understand complex descriptions, and generation variety to explore different results. 

  1. Adjustment Brush Tool 

With the Adjustment Brush Tool, you can now paint on adjustments to brightness, saturation, exposure, and more when you want to change a specific part of your image. 

  1. Custom Adjustment Presets 

Use over 30 Adjustment Presets to change images in one click. Create and save custom presets, export them to share, and import new favorites. 

  1. Enhance Detail 

Use Enhance Detail to boost sharpness and detail on your Generative Fill creations. Get results with greater clarity that blend more seamlessly with the existing image. 

  1. Bullets and Numbering Support for the Type Tool 

When using the Type Tool, you can now create bulleted and numbered lists in Photoshop with a single click, saving you from repetitive manual formatting. 

  1. Improved Contextual Task Bar (for Shapes and Transform workflows) 

The improved Contextual Task Bar now includes popular settings that help you work with Shapes or Transform and rotate objects, so you can avoid menu-diving and work more efficiently. 

  1. OpenColorIO (OCIO) support and 32-bit HDR workflows 

OCIO support is now available in Photoshop on desktop, allowing you to control, convert, and preserve color workflows at higher quality across programs. An expanded set of Photoshop tools is now compatible with 32-bit HDR images, enabling you to complete common workflows without converting images to 16-bit or 8-bit, which reduces image fidelity and color accuracy. 

  1. Language support for Vietnamese & Indonesian 

Photoshop now offers new language support for Indonesian and Vietnamese. 

 Sign up now to join the waitlist for Live Co-Editing to Photoshop

Long Range MaxRanger4K securtity camera

 Swann, a global leader in do-it-yourself security, announces the expansion of the award winning long range MaxRanger Camera, a CES Innovation Award Honoree last year, with a suite of compatible products including the MaxRanger4K Mini, MaxRanger4K Solar, MaxRanger4K Pro and MaxRanger4K Video Doorbell.

In addition, Swann is broadening its groundbreaking, first of its kind AI SwannShield™ technology to be available with its SwannBuddy4K  Video Doorbell, Swann EVO Video Doorbell, and the MaxRanger4K Video Doorbell. Swann is also debuting the new Xtreem4K™ with SwannShield AIDefender™ Security Guard.

“After the unprecedented success of our long range MaxRanger4K camera and AI SwannShield™ technology, Swann has embraced the mandate of our consumers and is providing a wider range of products that are in line with our long history of trusted security and are ground-breaking in their use of future tech,” said Alex Talevski, CEO of Swann Communications.  “Our focus is on creating innovative products that fulfill the ever-changing lifestyle needs of our diverse consumers- from the most reliable Wi-Fi for urban living, to the longest range for more expansive properties and rural areas, to the ability for technology to handle daily interactions through AI. Our commitment is to be at the forefront of the newest security technology that protects and elevates your home.” 

This year, Swann is introducing the expanded MaxRanger4K line with all offerings connecting to the same hub, making the range cross-compatible and flexible for users.

MaxRanger4K line will include:

  • MaxRanger4K Mini – the entry level offering in the MaxRanger family with cameras that are small yet powerful, with a wireless range up to 300m (in the open air) and 100m in typical use. They offer a reliable signal that runs rings around typical Wi-Fi and can transmit through walls, ceilings, floors, trees and other obstacles. The product comes with a hub and the cameras are truly wireless with battery power that needs recharging after some months of use.
  • MaxRanger4K Solar – the 2025 update of the award-winning MaxRanger4K Wireless Security System. The solar powered cameras are ideal for positioning at the perimeter of any property, including inner suburban, regional and rural locations. Like the 2024 variant the wireless range is up to 600m (in the open air) and 200m in typical use. It’s a more reliable wireless signal capable of going where normal Wi-Fi can’t and has a powerful signal that transmits through obstacles. The systems come with a hub and the solar panels are built-in to each camera, making them truly a “set and forget” solution.
  • MaxRanger4K Pro – the top of the line Pro version goes where security has never been before, with solar powered cameras capable of transmitting back to the hub from up to (amazingly) 1000m away (in the open air) and 400m in typical use. The Pro is perfect for larger s,all businesses and commercial properties in both urban or regional areas. It’s the ideal system to see those ‘blind spots’ and vulnerable locations far away and also closer to home.
  • MaxRanger4K Video Doorbell with SwannShield™ AI Voice Assistant – The video doorbell in the MaxRanger family uses the same hub and can be positioned in doorways, entrances and gates up to 300m away (in the open air) and 100m in typical use. Once again, the Wi-Fi HaLow™ transmission is perfect to transmit through the surfaces you are likely to mount the Doorbell on – brick, wood, concrete, masonry etc. The Doorbell also has SwannShield, the award-winning AI Voice Assistant that can answer the door for you! 

In addition, as part of the expanded use of the AI SwannShield™ technology, Swann is debuting theXtreem4K™ with SwannShield AI Defender™ Security Guard.

  • Xtreem4K™ with SwannShield AI Defender™ Security Guard – A wireless security camera with long battery life that is able to proactively protect you from crime and defend your property. The camera can be set up in minutes and see every detail in 4K, detecting heat, motion, people, and vehicles using smart AI technology to trigger sirens, spotlights, mobile alerts, and video recording. The Camera features SwannShield AI Defender to sense activity and realistically interact with visitors on your behalf. Using generative AI, it acts like your friend to automatically talk to visitors, delivery people and intruders, dynamically answering their questions, and instructing them appropriately, escalating if there is a security concern. It’s not just about seeing what’s happening- the SwannShield Defender AI Security Guard voice software detects activity and responds on your behalf.

To learn more about their product offerings visit https://swann.com/