Published: 3 September 2025
Source: Constant Contact – “The State of Small Business Marketing: Effort Is Up While Confidence Has Declined”
A recent report from Constant Contact reveals a surprising trend: small businesses are significantly increasing their marketing efforts in 2025, yet their confidence in the results has dropped. This shift is affecting local businesses across Australia and highlights a growing gap between effort and effectiveness.
According to the report, more than 70% of small businesses increased their marketing activity this year, investing more time in social media, online ads, email marketing, and website updates. However, nearly half of these businesses say they struggle to understand what is actually working. Many report feeling overwhelmed by rapidly changing platforms, new regulations, algorithm updates, and increasing competition online.
One of the biggest challenges is the lack of clear tracking and data interpretation. Small business owners often rely on multiple platforms — Google, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok — each providing different metrics and inconsistent reporting. Without a unified strategy or someone monitoring performance, it becomes difficult to identify which efforts are producing real results. This leads to wasted ad spend, inconsistent messaging, and lower return on investment.
Rising competition is also a key factor. As more Australian businesses move online, the cost of advertising is increasing. Google Ads and Meta Ads have become more crowded, especially in high-demand niches like home services, health, beauty, hospitality, and real estate. Businesses that were previously able to rely on organic reach or basic ad campaigns now find that they must invest more strategically to stay visible.
The report also highlights a growing shift in consumer behaviour. Customers expect faster responses, better online experiences, and more personalised content. Businesses that don’t keep up risk losing customers to more digitally savvy competitors.
For small businesses in Perth, Bunbury, Busselton, and the rest of WA, the takeaway is clear: marketing “effort” alone is no longer enough. What matters is having a clear plan, accurate tracking, and consistent execution.
Working with a professional marketing partner can help businesses understand where their budget is going, what actions are driving results, and how to build a sustainable strategy. DLBoost MKT specialises in helping local businesses gain clarity, improve performance, and turn marketing investment into measurable growth.