So you’re in the market for a new website for your business. What exactly are your options? You could hire a pro web developer to build you a well-designed, speedy, SEO-optimised site from scratch. What a dream! But wouldn’t it be even easier if you could do it yourself? If you were a pro web […]

Social media is a great way to reach your target audience. But getting them to your social channels doesn’t mean your work is done. Posting interesting and relevant content is what will make them stick around and forge a connection with your business, and perhaps make that all-important purchase. No two social media platforms are alike. […]

Following on from last month’s post about the difference between a logo and a brand, we thought we’d take you through the pros (no con’s here) of rebranding and why it could be the right time for you to evolve. The centerpiece of your business branding is generally a logo, yes, but a brand encompasses […]

It’s important to understand the fundamental differences between the logo and brand identity. Generally, people are familiar with the term logo. They understand it as an icon or visual representation of the business name as their identity. An identifying mark or graphic. But on occasion, the term brand, or branding, is either misunderstood or misrepresented. […]

So, you’ve built an amazing website for your business, and you’ve spent countless hours making sure it looks right. You’re thrilled with how it looks and feels. But there’s one major problem. Your website isn’t coming up on Google. You’re frustrated because no one can find your business, and as a result, you’re not getting […]

Making headlines recently is the Australia Government proposed new laws that would see tech giants Google and Facebook pay local news publishers to receive the rights to list news articles on their search engine and social platforms. Stemming from the discovery that both platforms appear to not be paying adequate taxes in Australia, profiting their bottom […]

Goodbye 63 Yarra Street. It is with a heavy heart that we prepare to say goodbye to our beautiful building here in Yarra Street. This beautiful building, full of character and history is not ageing well, and no matter how many times we repaint her interior, there is a lot letting her down. She’s been […]

The team at Evolution Design Agency are super excited to be partnering with BayFM to offer one lucky Geelong business a complete branding and website overhaul, to give them a much needed boost into 2021 valued at $30,000! We decided to provide this opportunity as another way we can give back to the Geelong business […]

Now, more than ever we are diving deep into our hearts this Christmas and supporting local businesses. This year has been tough for many, and while we have all felt the effects of covid19, the impact on retail, and event companies have certainly been hit the hardest. So, we’ve put together a list (in no […]

Creativity is our service, our commodity, our value. Although the product we as designers are offering is essentially creativity, it is also the service we provide. It’s like paying $5 for a side of sliced tomato with your brekkie (outrageous, I know). But if you think about it, you’re not just paying for tomato on […]

News Flash: The world is divided. I can confidently say that it’s unlikely anyone reading this post hasn’t: been impacted by Covid19, witnessed division among fellow humans on Facebook, or chosen to nod politely when someone has tried to present their opposing views on the demands, political and otherwise, on us as a society during […]

Humans search for connection and a sense of belonging their entire lives. Particularly in the world of social media, there are more opportunities for us to fulfil our sense of belonging and find our tribe far and wide around the globe, opening up our minds to connections never before possible. This year more than ever, […]

Obtaining positive Google or Facebook reviews is a great way to demonstrate to potential customers that you’re a great business and easy to work with, as well as providing prospects with the reassurance that they seek in making the right decision to do business with you. Unfortunately, negative reviews can be detrimental to local businesses. This is […]

Your business will likely re-emerge from this, don’t regret how you spent this time.   What is everyone else doing? Right now, every single business is entering the unknown. Not only is it an unknown of what the future holds, but also the unknown of what to do now. There is no one size fits […]

This month, as web designer here at Evolution Design Agency, I thought I could take you through Evolution’s unique approach to designing custom website themes. We design custom WordPress website themes, not by using an off-the-shelf purchased theme, but by creating it pixel by pixel. And this is how we do it: Once the on-boarding […]

Let’s talk about WordPress themes. WordPress is (by far) the most popular platform to build a website on. We love it and every site we build uses it. WordPress is a powerful and flexible website system. WordPress is great, unless you chock it up with a heap of unnecessary crap! What makes WordPress so flexible […]

SEO and ranking organically in Google can be a tricky task to accomplish and can be quite overwhelming. If you do a quick search on how to increase your ranking in Google, you’ll be sure to stumble across some articles and tutorials that tell you what you SHOULD be doing, however, there are actually a […]

The world of Social Media Management and Digital Marketing is continuously growing and changing, now becoming one of the most effective ways to grow a business, no matter what industry or size. What is Digital Marketing you may ask? It’s simple really, the act of driving brand awareness and lead generation through all digital channels […]

In our industry we talk about copywriting a lot! But when we talk about it there’s often some confusion. If you’re wanting to make the most of your marketing, it’s crucial to know that copyWRITING is not the same thing as copyRIGHT. Looking at it logically, copyWRITING is about the production of writing or text, […]

You’re on Instagram, you’re posting regularly and you’re getting your brand out there, right!? Well…..to a degree. Instagram is the fastest growing social media platform because it is all about visual based content. Nobody has time to read status’ anymore, we just want to be shown things, and shown things fast. Now, I’m sure you […]

Evolution are finalists in the 2019 Geelong Business Excellence Awards – we’re very proud of ourselves. After almost 20 years in business, we think we’re about ready to give ourselves a reward. This year, we have decided to enter the Geelong Business Excellence Awards for the very first time. After putting together a thorough written […]

For three sunny days I spent my time in downtown Brisbane attending The Design Conference 2019 (TDC). Keeping my creative finger on the pulse, events like these are the perfect place to see who is making waves in our industry and hearing from some pretty grouse creatives. This year’s event, at the beautiful Brisbane Powerhouse, […]

Do you ever get the feeling you have Zombies following you? That’s because you most likely do! Social media Zombies of course; a series of so called “Bots” following your social media accounts…and guess what? They’re fake, and are only out to catch you. It seems our primary focus on social media is getting as […]

Generally, my morning starts with a nice walk along the esplanade of Eastern Beach on my way to the office. On this walk, I’m always listening to an insightful podcast which could be about Business, Marketing and Developing or even self-help ones such as ‘The One You Feed’ (I would highly recommend checking that one […]

As our world surrenders to using acronyms for anything and everything, we want to hit you with a new one: CX. In the design and marketing industries, there are many acronyms ending in X – and they all centralise around ‘experience’. CX in particular, stands for Customer Experience. You’ll find that most innovative companies, no […]

When I say the word “brand” everyone usually thinks “logo”. Not to say that answer is wrong, but a brand is so much more. To me, a brand is a company’s appearance in all their communication. A brand incorporates a logo, but it is also the product or service on offer, the graphics used, the […]

Far too often we come across business owners who have been wronged (quite often unknowingly) by their current asset provider. Now, in an industry where we predominantly sell intangible products, we realise it is difficult to identify (and hold) ownership of said products. So, who really owns these visual and digital assets? Think about your […]

I wanted to do a post on influencer marketing as it’s always a topic of contention! I’m often asked if influencers are a good way to spread the word about fabulous products, so this article is designed to assist you in spotting the genuine influencers and weeding out the fakes to help prevent you, as […]

Shopping online is one of my very favourite (and dangerous) pass-times. This month alone I have ordered sheets for my king-sized bed (whilst lying in bed), bought a summery dress (from Instagram) and attempted to buy some light fixtures for my house. When I say ‘attempted’ I mean I tried but it was so damn […]

Many small businesses owners acknowledge their inner perfectionist and others are just in plain denial about their OCD habits. And while it’s all well and good to think ‘you’ve got this’ and every detail MUST BE PERFECT, why not embrace your inner child and get excited about making business mistakes. Think about what you are […]

So now that the EU has put their foot down and demanded everybody must declare what they are using its peoples’ personal information for, it has some flow on effects that not everyone was expecting in terms of GDPR compliance. I know what you’re all thinking – I don’t do business with anyone in Europe! […]

Is your Google Map missing? On 11 June 2018, Google will be implementing some changes to its Maps platform. If your website is using the Google Maps APIs to show a map, you will need to add billing details for the map to continue to work. Don’t worry though, your credit card will only be […]

We are all subject to having an advertising jingle or two stuck in our heads at any one time. It’s bloody annoying. Men still walk up to a bar saying ‘5 cougar’s thanks’, just to have a laugh. But how did that one ad from 5 years ago become so engrained in our brains that […]

Having joined the Evolution Team as a Graphic Design Intern earlier this year I am excited to say that I’m the happiest I’ve ever been! Now that I’m the Digital Artist, it’s important to do what you love, love what you do. I certainly love what I do. My work day actually started early this […]

(Or as ready as you can be!) As a website owner, new laws are soon taking affect that will mean YOU are responsible for any information you store or collect from any individual. In the age of cyber-attacks being an actual thing, the GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) will soon be enforcing new laws detailing […]

On the day’s I come into the Evolution Design studio, my day begins early with my wife dropping me at the train station to make my journey from Richmond to Geelong. After catching up on the latest news on some interesting websites on my laptop, I disembark at Geelong station and walk to the office […]

As of July 2018, the necessity for being ‘secure’ online is something that will affect all internet users, it’s no longer something we can overlook. There is a new change that is going to affect all website owners and all website visitors! Google has recently announced that from July, web browser Chrome will now be […]

As designers, I think we can confidently say that while we are creative day in and day out, no two days really are the same. Each day may have common tasks and we may not move very far from our desks (does the kitchen count?) but we generally work on something completely different every day. […]

We’ve all been there. You’re at your nana’s 80th birthday party, it’s a total blast, and some distant aunty somehow finds you ‘blending in’ beside the food table and reminisces about how tall you were the last time she saw you. Next, she asks you what you’re doing with your life, and if your me, […]

I was always envious of those who could say that ‘no two days are the same’ when you asked them what they actually do, but how many people are actually telling the truth? Over the next few months, we will take you through a day in the life of the Evolution team, starting with our […]

  Small businesses, much like middle children, often get overlooked at crucial times but, unlike middle children, small businesses can be damaged because of it. This year, the pocket rocket team here at Evolution have decided that it’s the year of the small business – it’s time to make your business shine by giving it […]

I judge books by their cover. There, I’ve said what everyone else is thinking. I’ve spent many hours staring at the walls of bookstores looking at covers, waiting for one to catch my eye. My biggest pet hate is when there are too many books to display front on and you only get to see […]

I wouldn’t be here, celebrating 18 years in business, if it weren’t for my family, friends, team and most importantly my clients. In the past 18 years, I have definitely had my share of sweet times and sour times. Lucky for me I have had incredible support from amazing people who were there to witness […]

The reality of marketing, the right way. I’m sure, YOU know why. But do THEY? And by they, I mean that guy walking past your shop, that person who liked your Facebook pic, that big client you really want. Why would they buy your stuff? Marketing can be tough, right?! How many articles, free checklists […]

I do not envy the timekeepers at lawyer’s offices’, having to allocate 6-minute time blocks to each client correctly and accordingly. Although tedious, they ultimately get paid for every minute of their time – and shouldn’t we all? After all, we’re not here socialise, we’re here to solve problems and get the jobs done. Most […]

Can’t do it. Not possible. Gee, that’s quite a job. Why don’t you… How about… All phrases we have heard way too many times this week. That and ‘why don’t you get your boyfriends to help you out?’ Now, you would think that a simple task like getting a beautiful custom desk made from a […]

SEO. What is this strangely familiar acronym and why do you need to know what it is? Although I have been in the design industry for a few years, a couple months ago I entered the world of web design and discovered the importance of this small word. Recently, I was in a meeting where […]

5 Mistakes people make on LinkedIn: (Part Two) If you missed it you will find Part One (7 Basic tips you need to know about LinkedIn – Part one of series) here Once you’ve got the hang of the basics you’ll probably want to make sure you’re not doing anything you shouldn’t. So here are […]

7 Basic tips you need to know about LinkedIn – Part one of series Most Business owners I speak to are more confident using Facebook to promote their business than LinkedIn. Here’s the thing, I don’t really like the acronym B2B or the suggestion that some of us only do business with businesses, let’s face […]

Have you ever visited a website and then seen ads for that company’s website here, there and everywhere you look online? That is what remarketing is. Digital advertising has long been promoted as a cheaper, more measurable form of marketing. Unfortunately in some spaces Google AdWords can be starting at over $50 per click which […]

At the moment we are assessing all our processes and making the move to an all inclusive CRM system to help us get the most out of our time. It has taken us quite a few years to get to this stage and we know how much you loved our blog post on free stock […]

What are your keywords? These are words prospective visitors will type into Google to find you. When putting together your website content you want to use keywords effectively to encourage visitors to find you and visit your website. Knowing what they are can be challenging. Many of our clients clamp up or get instantly stressed […]

Top 10 Questions to ask before hiring a website designer. What you think is cheap and affordable now, may not turn out so cheap and affordable in the long run.

Find out why it is so important to choose a designer who has experience designing for the web so that your fonts are web compatible.

When we meet with a new client one of the first things we ask them is who is their target audience or ideal customer. Too many times we hear businesses the response “We have something for everyone” “Our target market is everyone” or “We don’t discriminate, we’ll take anyone”. None of these are great answers. […]

Often a business will invest quite a bit of time into setting up a mail list attached to their website and setting up weekly or monthly eNewsletters to send via Mailchimp or similar program only to find they have one of the following issues occurs: High bounce rate or Low open rate Sometimes they will […]

Google was built for users not computers – to be the direct answer to a question. With technology rapidly changing, so does the way we search for goods and services. No longer are we confined to typing a word or a couple of words into Google to find what we are looking for. Now we […]

On September 17th I had the pleasure of co-facilitating a Marketing Workshop with Coach, Behavioural Profiler and Keynote Speaker, Sarah Valentine. This was Marketing 101 with more specific marketing workshops planned for the future. Offline Marketing Sarah’s presentation provided attendees with some insights and tips for Offline Marketing, how to speak to and attract your […]

Today we celebrate an amazing 16 years in business. Its difficult to believe (it truly doesn’t feel like THAT long ago) that sixteen years ago on August 26th 1999 I took my first official order for a business card design. Back then I had named the business Attention Print and Design, no one really got […]

This is a question every business owner must be able to answer: Who is your Target Market? To answer this question, it’s firstly important to understand you can’t be EVERYTHING to EVERYONE. Your market is not EVERYONE! Here's why and how to define your audience...

As a business owner on Facebook when you are in a group and want to mention your businesses Facebook Page it can be challenging! ... Here are five simple steps to sharing a post from your business page to a group on Facebook.

The facility to schedule post is a massive time saver for busy business owners. We don't always have time to login to Facebook each day and post new content on our business page. Here are two simple steps to schedule your Facebook posts

In three days time I will experience a life changing event. It's not often in life we know the exact moment of something 'life changing' will occur. It suddenly hit me; I've been wanting to write this post (for almost two weeks! I know I'm a few days late posting), knowing my topic, but what would I call it... then I thought that's just it - it's life changing. But is it...

A picture says a thousand words. Strong branding is all about your image. The image of your business. Not a single image (or logo) but the overall look, feel, message that your business exudes. If you’re a high end business with cheap looking images you’ll be perceived in the market as miss-match and you’re confused […]

I promised that next time I would provide some answers on how to post resonating content to inspire, educate and motivate your target market. Here are some content ideas to get you started. As well as a FREE 2015 Australian Calendar Template to assist in your content marketing planning.

In any successful relationship, the King serves his Queen. You know the saying: Happy wife, happy life? Well, now let’s take this logic and apply it to social media. No doubt you’ll have seen a lot of ‘expert’ social marketers using the tag line “Content is king” a lot! Well I am here to tell […]

The theory that colour influences our buying choices is, while fascinating, also controversial in that we very well could be subliminally influencing our audience's buying choices.

Are visitors arriving on your website on their smartphones or tablets and being frustrated? Here is the solution!

Over the last 14 years in business, I've had many friends who own their own business' ask me for advice. Find out what one of the most valuable tips is...

Knowing what to blog about can deter businesses from even beginning to think about starting a blog. Here are some key points to keep in the forefront of your mind when blogging on your business website.

Not having the time to blog is probably the most common concern for clients when considering if they should start a blog. Here are some time saving tips when it comes to blogging

The top three things clients often say to me when I ask if they would like a blog on their website are: Why should I have a blog? I don’t have time to blog What would I blog about? So I thought it was fitting that my first blog should be about just that; Blogging!