About Red Herring Digital agency

Turning student insights into measurable growth. 🌏📈

For Deakin Residential Services, we explored what it really means for international students to leave home and find their place in Australia, looking closely at the journeys of students coming from India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Vietnam, Kenya, Sri Lanka and the Philippines.

The key insight: international students aren’t just choosing a room, they’re imagining their future life in Australia.

They want to see the experiences waiting for them beyond accommodation: building friendships, finding community, feeling supported away from home and confidently transitioning into student life. Using this insight, we developed the campaign strategy and messaging framework around authentic student experiences, helping prospective residents visualise their own journey at Deakin Res.

To make this feel personal, each audience saw a testimonial ad from a current resident from their own country, someone who’d made the same journey. We rounded this out with day-in-the-life moments and stories of belonging from residents, giving prospective students a genuine sense of everyday life at Deakin Res.

We then managed the Meta campaign strategy, optimising audiences, creative learnings and media investment. This drove strong engagement and consideration, with Link Click CTRs averaging 8–10% 🎯

THE IMPACT
📈 International applications increased 6% Year On Year.

We are proud to have partnered with Deakin Residential Services since 2017, supporting their digital growth through strategy, paid media and ongoing optimisation.

The strongest campaigns don’t just showcase a service, they help audiences picture themselves as part of the experience!

"Is SEO still worth it in 2026?"

We get asked this almost daily. Here’s the truth: AI tools like ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews haven’t replaced SEO, they’ve completely elevated it.

If your website isn`t structured, authoritative, and helpful, AI search engines won`t even know you exist to recommend you.

Learn how modern search works, why E-E-A-T matters more than ever, and how to stay visible in an AI-dominant world.

Save this post for your 2026/27 marketing strategy! 📌

Want more info? Comment `SEO` and we`ll send you the link to our expert deep dive.

Spotted on the streets of Melbourne’s Inner West?

We are incredibly proud to have launched the social media campaign for @jas_stephens1923 celebrating their proud sponsorship of the Spotswood Football Netball Club!

This tied into their new winter community billboards, pairing current junior players with the club’s hall of famers, the players who wore the same colours decades before them, right here in the Inner West, the streets Jas Stephens knows and the ground Spotswood calls home.

The story continued from our streets to our screens, with a quiz and a series of interviews bringing the billboards to life. The interviews between the kids and ex-players beautifully demonstrated that the need for community and belonging never leaves us, no matter our age.

It’s a powerful reminder that these shared spaces and experiences don’t just pass the time, they truly shape who we are.

The collection of reels, photos and behind the scenes brought in over 220K views on Instagram and a 200% rise in engagement over the 3 weeks, proving that community works on socials.

A special thanks goes to @spottyfnc legends Gavin, Glen and Len for your generosity and time as well as current rising stars Xavier, Indie and Ryan for featuring!

We loved bringing this collaboration to life!

AI has changed the internet… and Digital Marketing.

Over the last few months we’ve been adjusting strategies so our clients show up when their customers search, converse and shop via AI platforms.

As AI changes how we brief creative, run social media, implement paid online ads and improve search visibility online, we’re ensuring our focus to improve brand visibility and connect our clients with their buyers remains as effective as ever.

And as a result of this work we’ve put together exactly what businesses need to be aware of to adapt.

Are you still chasing empty impressions, or are you actually helping your fans?

The shift from reach to utility is redefining sports marketing. To win in 2026, clubs must leverage data to provide hyper-personalised, timely value and not generic broadcasts.

Whether it`s mastering Meta`s Andromeda AI or optimising for Generative Engine Optimisation (GEO), your digital ecosystem needs to work together.

🔗 Read more about sports marketing strategy in 2026 at the link in our bio.

Capturing Ruth’s Inner West home through the lens of family life, motherhood and lived-in moments as part of a recent Mother’s Day series.

See more at @jas_stephens1923