FAQs

I’m an independent digital marketing consultant, based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Yes. Being based in Christchurch does not limit who I can work with. Much of my audit and advisory work can be delivered remotely, so we do not need to be in the same city or country. We can agree on practical arrangements for meetings and communication around our respective time zones.

Yes, depending on the circumstances and project requirements, I travel both nationally and internationally.

I am happy to do both, depending on the project. If you are based in greater Christchurch, meeting in person is usually straightforward, although sometimes a quick online meeting is more efficient. If you are outside Christchurch, we can work remotely or discuss travel where it makes sense.

As you might expect, I issue an invoice for all services - and payment is via bank transfer or credit card.

Yes. I can issue invoices in currencies such as AUD, USD and GBP, depending on your location. Let me know your preference when we discuss the project.

Yes, I do. I use AI where it is a sensible accompaniment to my own expertise, analysis and research. For example, it can help me work through large volumes of data (such as reviewing Google Ads search terms).

However, I do not connect AI tools directly to client ad accounts and ask them to do the audit for me. I review the findings, apply my own judgement, and take responsibility for the advice I give you.

All audit, advisory and strategy work is completed by me (and me alone) with AI assistance where appropriate as explained above. You are dealing with the person doing the work.

I do have a subcontractor who assists with certain implementation tasks, such as creating landing pages or fixing website issues identified during an SEO audit. His services are only used on your project by mutual agreement.

Most agencies and freelancers are primarily engaged to deliver something: manage your Google Ads, run your social media, improve your SEO, and so on. Advisory is about helping you decide what is worth doing, assess whether it is working, and work out what needs to change.

For example, you might already have an agency doing the day-to-day work but want an independent second opinion on its recommendations. Or you might have an internal marketing team that needs help with a technical problem or deciding where to focus.

My role is to help you make better decisions about your digital marketing and hold the work to account. That can sit alongside your existing team or suppliers.

No, for ongoing services I have no minimum contract/lock-in, except for 30 days’ notice to cancel or downgrade services (unless otherwise agreed).

This depends on the scope of the engagement. For smaller advisory projects, I work via email, phone or scheduled video meetings. For larger engagements, I can join your team communication system by negotiation, but this is not included as standard.

My digital advisory services are scalable, within reason. Periodic quarterly check-ins with light email support in between start from approximately $500 + GST per quarter. Standard monthly services start from $500 + GST per month.

The cost depends on the scope and level of support you need. We agree what is included before starting.

Yes. If you have a specific problem to work through, or want a “pick my brain” session for an hour or so, I can help. Let me know what you want to cover first so I can assess whether a one-off session is the right format and whether any preparation is needed.

Yes, I can also help with hands-on implementation and management. My focus is on what you need, rather than trying to turn every conversation into an ongoing management retainer.

For example, I set up Google Ads test campaigns for businesses that want to see whether the platform is worth pursuing. I also provide interim management when a business has left an underperforming agency, and help implement improvements identified through an audit.

Depending on the project, I can advise, do the work, or provide a mix of both - e.g. many clients who work with me for advisory services value some additional ‘hands on’ support for more technical challenges. We agree on the scope upfront, including what happens once the initial project is finished.

Yes. You do not need to replace your existing provider or team to work with me. I can help review proposals, interpret reports, prioritise improvements and provide technical input where it is needed.

The aim is to help you get better value from the people and resources you already have. If the work is being done well, I will say so. If there are problems, I will explain what I have found and what I think should happen next.

Yes. This is a key part of digital marketing strategy and advisory work. We can look at what you want to achieve, what has been tried, the evidence available, and the budget and resources you have to work with.

The result should be a practical set of priorities: what to keep doing, what to change, and what is worth testing. Sometimes the best next step is to improve your website or tracking before spending more on advertising.

Yes. I can review tools such as marketing automation software to assess whether what you are paying for matches what your business actually uses and needs.

That might mean identifying unused features, overlapping subscriptions or a plan that is more expensive than necessary. Any recommendation to change systems also needs to account for migration effort, integrations and the way your team works. A cheaper subscription is not automatically a better outcome.

In some cases, yes, but I cannot promise that a review will be invisible to everyone with access to your accounts. It depends on the platform, how access is managed, and what information is needed.

If discretion matters, tell me before arranging access. We can discuss whether I can work from data exports and screenshots you provide. This may require more of your time and can limit what I am able to verify.

No. I commit to a thorough review of the areas we agree to audit, with my best analysis and practical recommendations. I cannot guarantee that I will find a particular amount of wasted spend or deliver a specific performance improvement.

The outcome depends on what is happening in the account, what changes are implemented, and factors beyond the ads themselves. I would rather be upfront about that than promise a result I cannot substantiate.

No. Audit services are about reviewing your account, data etc and making recommendations. If circumstances warrant it, I will propose a follow-up implementation project.

Absolutely not. End of story. You are welcome to take my recommendations and implement them yourself, get a third party to do the work, or continue to work with me if you wish. You are completely in control of this aspect.

My digital ads audits typically start from $750 + GST and scale from there based on account complexity and the deliverables you need, including whether you want a report only or a full debrief meeting.

If you have one specific burning question, I may be able to customise a narrower project. For example, assessing whether your agency appears to be doing meaningful work for its management fee is a different brief from a comprehensive review of campaign performance. Tell me what you want to establish, and I can recommend an appropriate scope.

I review Google Ads, Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, SEO and analytics or conversion tracking. I can also look across multiple channels where the question is broader than the performance of one account.

The scope depends on what you need to understand. If you are unsure where the problem sits, tell me what you are seeing and we can work out the most useful starting point.

Yes. This is exactly the sort of discrepancy I can help investigate. A report can show more clicks, leads or attributed revenue without that translating into more worthwhile enquiries or profitable sales.

I can review what is being measured, how results are being attributed, and whether the activity appears to be attracting the right customers. Where available, sales or CRM data can help connect the advertising reports to what is actually happening in the business.

Then I will tell you. I am not going to invent problems to justify the audit or create an implementation project.

An independent review can be valuable because it confirms that things are broadly on track, as well as identifying any smaller improvements worth making. The purpose is to give you a clearer understanding of the account.

Typically, I need access to the relevant advertising account and, where included in the scope, analytics or conversion tracking. I also need some context about your business, what a good result looks like, and the specific concerns you want investigated.

I will explain the access required before starting. You should not need to hand over your personal login details. If direct access is not practical, we can discuss exports or screenshots and any limitations they create.

No. The audit is a review and recommendation service. I will not start changing budgets, pausing campaigns or editing settings as part of that review. Any implementation work is agreed separately.

That is the aim. I explain what I have found, why it matters, and what I recommend doing about it, with priorities so you know where to start. Where technical detail is needed for implementation, I include it without expecting you to become a digital marketing specialist.

If you want to talk through the findings and ask questions, choose an audit option that includes a debrief meeting.

Get in touch with a brief description of your business, your website, and what is prompting you to seek help. For example, you might be spending more on ads without seeing more sales, questioning an agency recommendation, or considering a new marketing channel.

You do not need to arrive with a detailed brief or know which service to ask for. I can help you work out whether an audit, a consulting session, ongoing advice or a specific implementation project makes the most sense.