Published by Sue Johns-Chapman
Published Date 08.04.2026 
The Newcastle-based search marketing specialist proves that deep expertise beats broad services — generating over $8M in tracked client revenue in 2025.
Who we are
Firewire Digital is a specialist SEO and Google Ads agency based in Newcastle, NSW, Australia. Founded in 2017 by Brogan Renshaw, we’ve built our reputation on a simple but uncommon principle: do fewer things, but do them exceptionally well.
While most agencies try to be everything to everyone, Firewire focuses exclusively on two search marketing channels — SEO and Google Ads. No social media management, no web design, no PR. Just search, all day, every day. This “Masters of One” philosophy is baked into everything we do, from how we hire to how we structure our client relationships.
Today, we’re a team of eight specialists serving 57 clients across Australia, with a track record of generating measurable, revenue-first results. Our work is guided by three core values: our Glass Wall Policy (full transparency with clients on data, strategy, and fees), Impact Over Activity (we don’t chase vanity metrics), and an unwavering commitment to specialist depth over generalist breadth.
The work we entered
Our entry into the Best Small Agency of the Year category covers the period October 2024 to February 2026 — arguably the most significant period in Firewire’s eight-year history.
Client growth and results
We grew our client base from a target of 50 to 57 active partnerships, and the results across that portfolio have been exceptional. Our headline case study is Hobbies Direct, an Australian e-commerce retailer we’ve supported with both SEO and Google Ads.
In 2025, Hobbies Direct generated $2.2M in organic revenue from 11,342 purchases (up 30% year-on-year) and $4.57M in Google Ads conversion value (up 84% YoY) on a spend of just $199K. That’s 21,628 conversions, up 75% year-on-year, with a ROAS of 22.92.
Beyond Hobbies Direct, we delivered $1.38M+ in tracked organic conversion value for corporate events venue Beyond The Boardroom, a 233% revenue increase for Modelers Central through international SEO across 12 languages, and 1,657 organic conversions for Hamilton Janke Lawyers. We also won the digital marketing account for Visit Newcastle — the region’s most prominent tourism organisation.
AI innovation at scale
One of our most significant achievements this period has been building 51 AI agents — 34 internal efficiency tools and 17 client-facing solutions. Tools like Arlo (content creation), Sita (site audits), and Atlas (client onboarding) collectively save the team 20-30+ hours every week, freeing our specialists to focus on high-value strategy rather than repetitive tasks.
Industry leadership
Firewire co-founded and sponsors Edge of Search, Newcastle’s first dedicated SEO and search marketing conference. In 2025, we delivered Year 2 with 98 attendees — 48.4% of whom travelled from interstate — featuring 10 national and international speakers. We invested approximately $51,000 in the event, representing 80% of the total budget. Our quarterly “Newy SEO Beers” community events saw registrations increase from 24 to 98 over the same period.
Business performance
Our own revenue grew 21% year-on-year, from $643,960 (March 2024 to February 2025) to $785,471 (March 2025 to February 2026). The team expanded from 5 to 8 specialists, with two senior promotions and the creation of a new Customer Success Manager role.
“Brogan and his team are extremely responsive, great problem solvers, and genuinely care about the businesses they work with. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them.” — Sam Gannon, Director, SOLVD Agency
What this shortlisting means to us
Being shortlisted for Best Small Agency of the Year at the Global Agency Awards is something we’re genuinely proud of — not just for Firewire, but for the broader idea that specialist agencies in regional markets can compete on a global stage.
Newcastle isn’t Sydney or Melbourne. When we made the decision in 2022 to narrow our focus exclusively to SEO and Google Ads, we knew it was a risk. We parted ways with clients who needed services we’d no longer offer, and we had to rebuild around a more precise positioning. This shortlisting is validation that the bet paid off.
For our team, it’s a recognition of the work they put in every day — not just for clients, but for the search marketing community in our region. It tells us that what we’re building matters beyond our own four walls.
“Being shortlisted for Best Small Agency at a global level is something we genuinely didn’t expect, and that’s what makes it so meaningful. Firewire Digital was built on a belief that where you’re based shouldn’t limit what you can achieve, and to have our work recognised on a global stage is incredibly validating, not just for me as founder, but for the whole team who show up every day and pour their energy into delivering real results.
Entering awards like this forces you to stop and reflect on what you’ve actually built, and when we did that, we were genuinely proud of what we saw. This shortlist is a reminder that doing things differently, and doing them well, gets noticed,” Brogan Renshaw, Director of Firewire.
Our experience entering the Global Agency Awards
Being named a finalist in the Global Agency Awards is something we’re incredibly proud of — and entering felt like the right moment to reflect on how far Firewire has come. The process was straightforward from start to finish, which made the whole experience feel as rewarding as the result.
Connect with Firewire Digital
Website: www.firewiredigital.com.au
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/company/firewire-digital
Edge of Search Conference: edgeofsearch.com
Hobbies Direct case study: firewiredigital.com.au/case-studies/hobbies-direct/
