Smarter Marketer

AJ Wilcox, Founder of B2Linked, has worked with 5 of LinkedIn’s top 10 spending accounts and managed over $150 million in LinkedIn ad spend. Host James Lawrence chats with AJ as they delve into key strategies for maximising the output of LinkedIn ads in 2025, the significance of Thought Leader ads, lead-generation tactics that actually work and more.

• The evolution of LinkedIn ads over the years
• Effective LinkedIn ads strategies and funnels
• Lead generation and conversion tactics
• Thought Leadership ads: A game changer
• LinkedIn ads vs. other platforms
• Effective creative for LinkedIn ads
• Exploring Connected TV ads
• Advanced targeting techniques
• The future of LinkedIn ads

AJ Wilcox is the Founder of B2Linked, a LinkedIn Ads-only agency that helps B2B marketers get better results from their LinkedIn campaigns. AJ has worked with 5 of LinkedIn’s top 10 spending accounts and managed over $150 million in LinkedIn ad spend.

He is a trusted expert in LinkedIn Ads and has spoken at more than 80 industry events and appeared on over 200 podcasts. You can follow AJ on LinkedIn.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

For marketers in industries with longer or more complex purchase cycles, demonstrating the value of their efforts can be a constant challenge that often impacts budget approvals. In this episode of the Smarter Marketer Podcast, host James Lawrence welcomes back Fractional CMO Taz Bareham for an insightful discussion on marketing measurement, the struggles many marketers face, and practical ways in-house teams can improve their approach to marketing metrics.

• How to understand and contextualise data
• How to connect marketing to business objectives
• What leading and lagging indicators are and how to measure them
• Advice for marketers on data and analytics
• How to balance brand and performance marketing
• Common measurement challenges marketers face and how to tackle them
• Prioritising and tracking metrics that matter

Taz Bareham is a Fractional CMO with over 20 years of experience across B2B, B2C and SaaS. Previously, she was the Head of Brand & Communications at eBay, and CMO at Ansarada, JobAdder, and Rezdy. In addition to her client-side roles, she has worked in strategy & planning roles at agencies like Clemenger &  M&C Saatchi.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

Great marketing is built on creating memorable experiences, whether through digital advertising or offline interactions. Laura Roberts, MD APAC at global experiential marketing agency INVNT joins Host James Lawrence to talk about how brands can craft comprehensive 360-degree campaigns, leverage social media and influencer events, and develop strategies to engage everyone from Boomers to Gen Alpha. 

• Laura’s journey - from Sydney to NYC and into experiential marketing
• What is experiential marketing?
• The biggest trends shaping the industry today
• Future generations: How to craft experiences for Gen Alpha (Gen A)
• How to implement experiential marketing with a modest budget
• Examples of successful experiential marketing campaigns - Lamborghini, The Weeknd and more

Laura Roberts is the Managing Director for APAC at INVNT, a leading event marketing and branding agency. With over 20 years of experience in experiential marketing across Australia, New York City, the Middle East, and Singapore, Laura has built a career around creating unforgettable brand experiences. Her impressive portfolio includes pioneering Web3 campaigns with Lamborghini, developing immersive reality platforms for Emirates in partnership with AWS, and launching global brand experiences for legendary artists like The Rolling Stones, The Eagles, and Lenny Kravitz. You can follow Laura on LinkedIn.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

The way that we can target our perfect customers has changed radically, and what worked a few years back is likely to not work today. Large platforms like Google and Meta have changed how they collect audience data, significantly affecting how you reach and engage with your audience. In this episode, Host James Lawrence talks with Rocket Agency's Commercial Director, David Roberts about the recent changes in digital audience targeting and how to connect with your target market effectively.

• The evolution of Google Ads: From search to audience targeting
• How to leverage Google's data for effective marketing
• The power of affinity and in-market segments
• AI-driven targeting in Meta Ads
• The rise of TikTok Ads
• How programmatic advertising helps target your digital audience
• The importance of content marketing in effective audience engagement
• How connected TV helps with audience targeting
• B2B and B2C best practices for building and nurturing your audience

David Roberts is the Commercial Director at Rocket. He works closely with both key clients and prospective clients, helping devise tailored solutions for their digital challenges. Dave has been with Rocket since its inception in 2017, and previously spent five years at The Web Showroom, where he gained extensive experience in the CMS and tech space. You can follow David on LinkedIn.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

Despite the buzz around AI search engines, Google isn’t going away anytime soon. Joe Alder, Head of SEO at Rocket Agency, joins Host James Lawrence to discuss how SEO is likely to change over the next few years, why Google remains relevant today and how in-house marketers can stay ahead of the curve. 

• The importance of SEO in 2025 and beyond
• The latest SEO trends and data insights in Australia
• Why “the days of manipulating search engines are gone”
• Key SEO strategies and best practices
• What is EEAT?
• The role of digital PR in SEO
• Why SEO and PPC have a symbiotic relationship
• The future of SEO: Voice and video search

Joe Alder is the Head of SEO at Rocket, where he leads all SEO services and projects. He has over 8 years of experience in implementing complex SEO campaigns and driving tangible results for B2C, B2B and government organisations.Over the course of his career, he has worked for notable brands such as Amazon, Qudos, P&O Cruises, PE Nation, Fujitsu, and Coates, among others. You can follow Joe on LinkedIn.

More Smarter Marketer episodes: https://rocketagency.com.au/smarter-marketer-podcast 

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

Newsrooms are being cut down, authentic storytelling is the need of the hour, and PR and digital strategies must go hand-in-hand. Host James Lawrence welcomes back Andy Scales, Founder and Director of CampaignLab, to discuss the current trends and challenges in the PR industry in Australia as we near the end of 2024.

• The current trends in PR
• How to ideate creative PR campaigns
• The hallmarks of effective PR articles
• How PR differs for B2B vs B2C companies
• The impact of AI on PR
• Affiliate PR and digital marketing
• PR + social media - influencer marketing strategies
• How to measure the success of PR
• PR mistakes you must avoid

Andy Scales is the Founder and Director at CampaignLab, a PR and brand engagement agency established to help clients join conversations its customers are having. At CampaignLab, Andy has won and worked on accounts for Fiji Airways, Decathlon, Oppo, Love Honey, Fujifilm, Crowne Plaza and Hertz. You can follow him on LinkedIn or visit the CampaignLab website here. 

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

“It’s not about finding the best agency - it’s about finding the best agency for you.”

With the thousands of agencies in Australia finding the right partner for your needs is becoming trickier each year. Host James Lawrence and Co-Founder of Rocket Agency, David Lawrence discuss critical signs that indicate whether a client and agency is the right fit.

• What ‘the right fit’ means, and why it’s important
• Signs for evaluating a marketing agency
• Achieving results: what to (realistically) expect from an agency
• Staff turnover and its impact
• Access to senior agency staff
• Does your agency respect your time?
• Cultural alignment and trust
• Why you should seek a proactive agency

David Lawrence is the MD and Co-Founder of Rocket, an award-winning Australian full-service digital marketing agency. He is also the co-author of the Amazon #1 best-selling marketing book,  Smarter Marketer. David has presented at several events, including Inbound Boston, Search Marketing Summit, Mumbrella360, CEO Institute, and various seminars and in-house sessions.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

2024 has been a whirlwind for the marketing landscape - privacy laws are changing, paid media targeting has become more challenging, and measurement and attribution are getting increasingly complex by the day. Host James Lawrence and Director of Client Services at Rocket Agency, Sachin Rajah discuss what marketers must do now to set themselves up for success in 2025.

• Why first-party data is still important, and how to collect and manage it
• Why SEO and organic still matter in the wake of the AI hype
• Strategies to tackle privacy updates - now and in 2025
• Paid media - new developments across Meta, LinkedIn, YouTube, and Google that marketers need to know
• Measurement and attribution - can we still do this as effectively as we could before?

Sachin Rajah is the Director of Client Services at full-service digital marketing and creative agency, Rocket. He is both a digital marketer and strategist who has a long track record in achieving huge return-on-marketing-investment and business growth across some of Australia’s largest brands. Sachin has worn many hats in his career—Sales, general manager, entrepreneur, investor, consultant, writer, trainer, mentor, strategist, SEM/Social/EDM/SEO specialist, and Account Director.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

The process for inviting agency pitches is still that of the Mad Men era, despite the industry evolving considerably over the past 50 years. Host James Lawrence chats with Darren Woolley, CEO of marketing management consultancy Trinity P3, about how in-house marketers can run better pitches, the issues with the traditional pitch process, and the importance of clear objectives and effective feedback.

Read the report: The State of the Pitch

Darren Woolley is considered a thought leader on all aspects of marketing management. A Problem Solver, Negotiator, Mentor, Founder & Global CEO of TrinityP3 - Marketing Management Consultants, Industry Commentator, Podcaster, and Author. He is also a Past-Chair of the Australian Marketing Institute, Past President of the Melbourne Advertising and Design Club, Ex-Medical Scientist and Ex-Creative Director.

You can follow him on Instagram [@_trinityp3_], LinkedIn, or find out more on his website.

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm 

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author, James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.

The latest AI tools have made it easier than ever to generate content; however, it’s often at the risk of mediocrity. To stand out, your content needs to resonate with your audience and make them feel heard and understood. Host James Lawrence revisits his discussion with Marcus Sheridan, author of New York Times best-seller, 'They Ask, You Answer,' about how addressing customer concerns and creating relevant content can build trust and drive tangible marketing results.

Guest:

Described as a “web marketing guru” by the New York Times, the story of how Marcus Sheridan was able to save his swimming pool company, River Pools, from the economic crash of 2008 has been featured in multiple books and publications around the world. Marcus is the author of the best-selling book, ‘They Ask, You Answer’, which has been named “One of the 5 Best Marketing Books of All Time” by Book Authority.

Find Us Online:

James Lawrence LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jameslawrenceoz/ 

Smarter Marketer Website: https://www.smartermarketer.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency Website: https://rocketagency.com.au/ 

Rocket Agency LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/rocket-agency-pty-ltd/

Buy Smarter Marketer:

Hardcover: https://amzn.to/30O63kg 

Kindle: https://amzn.to/2ZqfCWm

About the Podcast:

This is the definitive podcast for Australian marketers. Join Rocket Agency Co-Founder and best-selling author James Lawrence in conversation with marketers, leaders, and thinkers about what it takes to be a smarter and more successful marketer.