Skip to content

Case Studies

Case Study: Nelson Bay Accommodation

July 30, 2024, by Rich Brown
nelson-bay-accomodation

Case Study: Nelson Bay Accommodation

Impressive Results for a Holiday Accommodation Agency

Established for 25 years, McGrath Port Stephens/ Nelson Bay Accommodation, owned by Daniel O’Meara, boasts the largest portfolio holiday homes on the New South Wales’ mid north coast.

Despite the travel restrictions of Covid lockdowns being a distant memory, Australia’s increasing cost of living has impacted holiday bookings for not only their business, but industry wide. Nelson Bay Accommodation always managed its marketing and advertising in-house, but when the holiday side of the business began to see a downturn, the owner decided to take a different approach to their digital marketing – engaging TheOnlineCo.

From DIY to Pro

Head of Property Management, Lisa O’Meara, describes the experience of working with TheOnlineCo. as very positive. “We’ve never done this much in-depth marketing before as we’ve always done it in-house. It’s all quite new to us,” Lisa said.

To start the process, TheOnlineCo. met with key stakeholders within their organisation, to learn more about their business, their competitors, as well as discuss their strengths, goals and challenges.

From there, The Playbook was developed, outlining the specific target market and customer personas, their competitive landscape, digital opportunities and the channels that would allow them to communicate directly with their audience, growing their digital footprint.

People in business

Website Development & SEO Implementation

The website was refreshed, and regular SEO management implemented. Lisa is aware that good things take time and building the online presence for a business is no different. “I always tell my own clients, new property owners, to take a three-year approach and not to expect miracles within the first year,” Lisa said. Despite her pragmatic outlook, significant improvements in online reach and engagement appeared within months.

“Within a few months we could see for ourselves that the business was appearing high in the Google search results. And this was supported in the results provided each month by TheOnlineCo.” said Lisa.

Paid Advertising & EDMs

In addition to SEO, paid social media across Facebook and Instagram, Google Ads, as well as fortnightly EDM’s, round out the marketing activities designed to ‘relaunch’ Nelson Bay Accommodation’s online presence.

Conscious of the fact that many businesses are facing challenging times, Lisa and her team draw comfort from knowing they have a supportive business partner in TheOnlineCo.

Paid Advertising & EDM

Supportive Business Partners

Conscious of the fact that many businesses are facing challenging times, Lisa and her team draw comfort from knowing they have a supportive business partner in TheOnlineCo.

“They’re great to work with. They listen to you; they are very responsive and are always coming to us with new ideas.”

“Although as a business we’ve never worked with an agency before, from our experience so far, TheOnlineCo. are very good at what they do, and I would highly recommend them to other businesses who need help with their digital marketing,” said Lisa.

digital-marketing-partners

6 Month Results Snap Shot

SEO:

105.4%

increase in
organic
conversions

42.4%

increase in
organic
sessions

theonlineco-digital-results

Google Ads:

1593%

increase in
ROI

67.8%

increase in
conversion

14.16%

average click through rate

Conclusion

By following our strategic Digital Marketing Playbook process, McGrath Nelson Bay has improved its online presence significantly. With SEO, paid advertising and email marketing working together, website traffic has increased dramatically, resulting in increased enquiries and more booking opportunities.

Diploma of Web Development – TAFE NSW

Rich brings over 25 years of hands-on digital experience to TheOnlineCo. He began building websites in 1998, where a fascination with early server traffic insights led to an organic transition into Search Engine Optimization. Recognised as an early adopter, Rich was invited by Google in the early 2000s to test their new Universal Analytics platform – an experience that sparked a lifelong dedication to data-driven search strategy.

Because Rich’s foundational expertise is in web development, he possesses a distinct technical edge over traditional SEOs. This deep understanding of code and site architecture allows him to diagnose and implement complex structural optimisations that others miss. Dedicated to mastering his craft, Rich studied under SEO pioneer Bruce Clay in 2018. He adopted Clay’s renowned website “Siloing” architecture, a technique he continues to leverage with a strong track record of success for TheOnlineCo.’s clients.

As Chief Strategist, Rich directs overarching SEO and GEO (Generative Engine Optimization) campaigns. He is passionate about staying ahead of the algorithmic curve, constantly adapting to the latest AI trends to ensure his team is executing modern best practices. By managing the team’s monthly focus, Rich ensures that the most impactful, high-priority tasks are executed for every client.

Originally from Seattle, Rich relocated to Australia in 2013. Outside of the digital space, Rich is an avid songwriter and guitarist. Drawing on his past career as a professional baker, he brings a highly methodical, precise, and creative approach to everything he does.

Related Posts

LinkedIn Marketing for Medical Device Companies

Reach clinicians, procurement leads and hospital committees on LinkedIn with targeted strategies that build trust throughout the MedTech buying journey.

Read more

Email Nurture Sequences for HCP Audiences

Learn how to build email nurture sequences for healthcare professionals that build trust and engagement across long MedTech sales cycles.

Read more

TGA Advertising Rules for Medical Devices

A practical checklist for navigating TGA advertising rules for medical devices, covering claims, testimonials, HCP marketing, social media and compliance.

Read more
Back To Top
Search