4 Alternatives to Ignite Search Digital Marketing Agency in Australia

Intro

Ignite Search operates from Perth, Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane with over 20 years of experience in digital marketing. Founded in the early 2000s, they specialize in SEO, PPC, and web services with particular expertise in Chinese markets.

Multi-city operations can mean coordination challenges between offices. The wrong agency choice costs Australian businesses $50K+ annually in wasted marketing spend, lost opportunities, and underperforming campaigns.

Before you commit to Ignite, compare these four alternatives based on team concentration, in-house capabilities, contract flexibility, and verified results with Australian businesses.

Or if you want to switch then this article is for you.

Quick Comparison

Agency	Team Size	Location	Contract Terms	Best For
Dilate Digital	80+ specialists	Perth	Month-to-month, 30-day notice	Businesses needing full-service marketing with in-house video
Bonfire	51+ specialists	Subiaco, Perth	Standard contracts	Data-driven performance marketing
Bang Digital	10-49 specialists	West Perth	Standard contracts	Transparent, collaborative partnerships
Digital Nomads HQ	26 specialists	Mooloolaba, QLD	No contracts	Businesses avoiding lock-ins

TL;DR: What You Need to Know

Dilate Digital has 80+ specialists in Perth with an in-house creative team covering branding, web design, and video, plus copywriters.They offer month-to-month contracts requiring 30 days written notice. Kustom Timber grew 200% revenue with 10X traffic increase over 2.5 years and opened 2 new showrooms. Best for businesses needing full-service marketing with in-house creative

Bonfire brings 51+ specialists in Subiaco, Perth with 20+ years specializing in SEO and paid ads. Their proprietary analytics tech and AI-powered technology suite makes them Marketing Agency of the Year 2022 and 2025. Best for businesses prioritizing data-driven performance over creative production.

Bang Digital offers 10-49 specialists in West Perth since 2007 with full transparency and direct platform access They're a Google Premier Partner and Telstra Best of Business Awards finalist (2019, 2020). Best for businesses wanting hands-on involvement in their campaigns.

Digital Nomads HQ provides 11-50 specialists in Mooloolaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland. They offer truly no contracts, no setup fees, and unlimited direct access to account managers. Ranked Top 5 Web Design Agency in Australia by Tech Behemoths. Best for businesses burned by agency lock-ins.

Final Recommendation: For one to one comparison, dilate is your go to agency.

1. Dilate Digital - Full-Service with In-House Production

Overview

Dilate Digital was founded in 2010 and has grown to over 80+ specialists in Perth. They're a Google Premier Partner.

Their team includes digital marketing strategists and content strategists, followed by SEO specialists, paid ad specialists and media buyers, developers, designers, and copywriters—all working from one location. This concentration eliminates the coordination delays that multi-city agencies face.

What Makes Them Different

Dilate operates as a true full-service agency, taking clients from brand development and market research through to complete asset creation (websites, creative, video, photography, collateral) and into growth channels including social media, SEO, GEO (AI optimisation), email, SMS, and programmatic media. While most agencies outsource creative work or lack strategic depth, Dilate's in-house team handles the entire marketing journey without vendor coordination delays.

They offer month-to-month contracts with 30 days written notice required for termination(doesn’t require reason). This flexibility lets businesses pivot quickly if the partnership isn't delivering results.

The 80+ person team provides deep bench strength across all digital marketing disciplines. When your campaign needs a specialist, they're already on staff rather than being outsourced or unavailable.

Verified Results

Kustom Timber, a premium engineered timber flooring business, partnered with Dilate Digital to overcome COVID lockdowns, intense competition, and brand establishment challenges. Over three years, the partnership delivered 200% revenue growth, 10X organic traffic increase, and expansion to 2 new showrooms. Dilate's strategy combined SEO with long-tail keywords, localized Google My Business campaigns, and targeted paid ads across Google and Facebook. The approach focused on reaching premium audiences through personalized marketing that showcased Kustom Timber's showroom imagery and delivered a premium experience before customers visited.

Services Offered

SEO, Google Ads, social media advertising, web development, e-commerce, content marketing, creative production (branding, web design, video), brand strategy workshops.

Pros

**Team size advantage: **80+ specialists provide comprehensive coverage across all marketing channels without outsourcing critical functions.

**In-house creative capabilities: **Dedicated creative team on staff covering branding, web design, and video eliminates contractor delays and coordination headaches.

Contract flexibility: Month-to-month terms with 30-day notice reduce commitment risk compared to standard 6-12 month contracts.

Single-location efficiency: All specialists work from one Perth office, enabling faster internal communication and strategy alignment.

Full-service capabilities: From strategy through execution, everything happens under one roof with integrated teams.

Cons

Higher investment required: A 80+ person operation commands premium pricing that may exceed smaller agency rates. However, they haven’t mentioned pricing, so it's better to contact them.

Best For

Businesses wanting full-service marketing with an in-house creative team. Organizations requiring comprehensive strategy, asset creation, and campaign execution under one roof. Companies valuing contract flexibility while accessing full-service capabilities.

2. Bonfire - Analytics-First Performance Marketing

Overview

Bonfire operates with 51+ specialists from their Subiaco, Perth office. Founded by industry veterans who've been in search marketing since 1996, they bring over 20 years specializing in SEO and paid media.

As a Google Premier Partner, they rank in the top 3% of Australian agencies. They've won Marketing Agency of the Year in 2022 and 2025 from Campaign Brief WA.

What Makes Them Different

Their founders and senior team members are stalwarts of SEO and Google Ads management in Australia, with experience predating modern digital marketing as we know it today.

Bonfire has developed proprietary analytics technology with an AI-powered technology suite. They maintain one of Australia's most Google Analytics certified teams.

They hold both Google Premier Partner and Badged Meta Business Partner status, giving them direct access to platform representatives and beta features.

Verified Results

REIWA (Real Estate Institute of Western Australia) has maintained a 5+ year partnership with Bonfire, representing over 1,100+ real estate agencies.

Water Corporation saw increased engagement and traffic through Bonfire's campaigns.

Services Offered

SEO, Google Ads, Facebook/Instagram advertising, advanced analytics, web design, media buying.

Pros

Deep technical expertise: 20+ years of specialized experience in SEO and paid media means they've navigated every algorithm change and platform evolution.

Proprietary technology: Custom analytics tools and AI-powered technology suite provide insights competitors using off-the-shelf tools cannot access.

Long-term partnerships: Multi-year client relationships like REIWA's 5+ years demonstrate consistent value delivery.

Cons

Limited creative services: Focus on performance marketing means businesses needing extensive creative production (video, photography, graphic design) will need additional vendors.

Analytics complexity: Their deep data focus may overwhelm businesses wanting simple reports or those without internal teams to act on sophisticated insights.

Standard contract terms: Unlike Dilate's month-to-month flexibility, Bonfire likely requires traditional 6-12 month commitments with notice periods.

Performance-first approach: If your primary need is brand awareness or creative campaigns rather than measurable performance metrics, their analytical strength becomes less relevant.

Single-city operations: They operate from Perth only, requiring remote coordination for businesses in other cities.

Penalty for termination: You have a penalty fee if you want to cancel the contract in the mid-term. Which is upto 25% of the total amount.

Best For

Businesses prioritizing measurable ROI and data-driven decision-making. Companies with products or services where performance metrics directly impact bottom-line revenue. Organizations willing to invest in sophisticated analytics to optimize every marketing dollar.

3. Bang Digital - Transparent Collaboration

Overview

Bang Digital has operated with 10-49 specialists in West Perth since 2007. They're a Google Premier Partner and earned Telstra Best of Business Awards finalist recognition in both 2019 and 2020.

Their philosophy centers on "leaving egos at the door"and integrating directly with client teams rather than operating as an external vendor.

What Makes Them Different

Bang Digital provides full transparency with direct platform access to your actual ad accounts, not just filtered reports or dashboards. You see exactly what they see in Google Ads, Facebook Ads Manager, and other platforms.

Their client portfolio includes property developers, St John Ambulance, construction companies, and home building companies averaging 35% year-over-year growth.

Verified Results

Their clients across property development, construction, and nonprofit sectors have achieved an average of 35% year-over-year growth.

Services Offered

Google Ads, SEO, social media advertising, web design, CRM/marketing automation.

Pros

Full platform transparency: Direct access to your ad accounts eliminates the "black box" approach many agencies use.

Collaborative approach: "Leave egos at the door" philosophy and team integration creates partnership rather than vendor relationships.

Google Premier Partner: Top 3% status provides direct Google support despite their smaller size.

Cons

Limited team depth: With 10-49 specialists, they may lack the deep bench strength of 80-person agencies when multiple projects demand attention simultaneously.

Fewer in-house capabilities: Smaller operations typically outsource specialized services like video production, advanced design, or enterprise web development.

Potential resource constraints: During high-demand periods or when key team members are unavailable, smaller agencies face greater capacity challenges.

Less suitable for enterprise complexity: Large corporations with multi-channel campaigns across dozens of products may overwhelm a mid-sized agency's resources.

Standard contracts: No indication of month-to-month flexibility or unique contract terms that reduce commitment risk.

Best For

Businesses wanting hands-on involvement in their marketing campaigns. Companies valuing direct platform access and transparent reporting. Organizations seeking agile partners who can pivot quickly rather than bureaucratic approval processes.

4. Digital Nomads HQ - Zero Lock-Ins, Full Partnership

Overview

Digital Nomads HQ operates with 11-50 specialists in Mooloolaba on Queensland's Sunshine Coast. Managing Director Benjamin Paine leads a team ranked as a Top 5 Web Design Agency in Australia by Tech Behemoths among 47,000 internationally registered companies.

Unlike agencies with mandatory contracts, Digital Nomads HQ built their entire business model around eliminating client lock-ins and earning business through ongoing performance.

What Makes Them Different

Digital Nomads HQ offers truly no contracts—no lock-ins, no setup fees, and unlimited direct access to account managers. This isn't a "90-day minimum" or "trial period" before contracts kick in. It's genuinely month-to-month with no penalties for cancellation.

They've developed a proprietary SEO framework called "SearchLight" specifically for improving organic visibility in competitive Australian markets.

Verified Results

GWM Dealership: Achieved 19% lead increase with 24% cost per lead decrease.

Services Offered

SEO (SearchLight framework), Google Ads, web design, social media marketing, branding, email marketing.

Pros

Zero contractual commitment: No contracts, no setup fees, cancel anytime eliminates the biggest risk in agency partnerships.

High retention focus: Staff stability and long-term client relationships create deeper partnerships than agencies with high churn.

Queensland expertise: Based outside major cities, they understand regional Australian market dynamics while serving national clients.

Cons

Smaller team capacity: With 11-50 specialists, they have less bandwidth than 80-person agencies for complex, multi-channel enterprise campaigns.

Limited Premier Partner status: Unlike Dilate, Bonfire, and Bang, they don't mention Google Premier Partner credentials, potentially limiting direct platform support access.

Regional location: While they serve national clients, being based in Mooloolaba may complicate in-person meetings for Sydney or Melbourne businesses preferring face-to-face collaboration.

Narrower service range: Compared to Dilate's full video production or Bonfire's advanced analytics technology, their service offerings are more streamlined.

Risk of capacity constraints: The no-contract model, while beneficial for clients, means less predictable revenue for the agency, potentially affecting long-term resource planning.

Best For

Businesses burned by agency lock-ins and long contracts. Companies wanting to test agency performance without financial commitment. Organizations valuing direct, unlimited access to account managers. Queensland businesses and national companies comfortable with remote partnerships.

Final Recommendation

No single agency is best for everyone. Your choice depends on specific needs, business stage, risk tolerance, and budget.

If you are comparing agencies and you don’t have that much time to compare multiple agencies, Then go with dilate digital. They have the best feedbacks and case study and contract type.

Frequently Asked Questions

What makes Google Premier Partner status important?

Premier Partner status identifies the top 3% of Australian agencies based on performance metrics, client revenue generation, and certification levels.

Benefits include direct Google support, advanced platform recommendations, exclusive insights, and priority access to beta features. When Google launches new ad formats or targeting options, Premier Partners learn about them first.

Dilate, Bonfire, and Bang all hold Premier Partner status. Digital Nomads HQ focuses on their proprietary SearchLight SEO framework instead of pursuing Premier Partner credentials.

How important is team location—one office vs. multi-city?

Concentrated teams (Dilate's 80+ in Perth): Faster internal communication, no coordination delays between cities, unified strategy, immediate collaboration when needed.

Multi-city operations (Ignite's 4 cities): Local presence in multiple markets, ability for in-person meetings across locations, coordination overhead between offices.

Unless you specifically need local representation in multiple cities for in-person collaboration, concentrated teams typically execute faster. Internal project handoffs happen in minutes rather than hours or days.

Why does contract flexibility matter?

Standard contracts: Most agencies require 6-12 month minimum commitments. If you sign in January and it's not working by March, you're locked in until the following year. That's potentially $50K+ in wasted spend.

Dilate's month-to-month with 30-day notice: If the partnership isn't delivering by month 3, you're free by month 4. Maximum exposure is 4 months.

**What's the difference between in-house and outsourced creative production? **

In-house (Dilate's creative team and copywriters on staff covering branding, web design, and video): Fast turnarounds, no vendor coordination, seamless team collaboration, consistent creative vision, immediate revisions.

Outsourced (most agencies): Wait for contractor availability, coordinate between agency and video vendor, extended timelines (typically 2-4 weeks), potential creative misalignment, revision delays.

For businesses needing branding, web design, video content, product demos, customer testimonials, or brand stories, in-house creative production eliminates significant friction. If you only need occasional creative work, outsourcing works fine.

What questions should I ask during agency selection?

Team & Capacity:

• Total team size and location?
• Who specifically works on my account daily?
• What services are in-house vs. outsourced?
• What's your current client load and capacity for new work?

Results & Retention:

• Can you provide 3-5 case studies in my industry?
• What's your average client retention rate?
• May I speak with 2-3 current clients as references?
• How do you handle underperforming campaigns?

Contracts & Economics:

• Contract length and notice period?
• What's included in the base fee vs. additional costs?
• Who owns the creative work, accounts, and data created?
• How do you bill—monthly retainer, percentage, hourly, or hybrid?

Differentiation & Limitations:

• Why should I choose you over these alternatives?
• What types of businesses are you NOT a good fit for?
• What's your biggest limitation or weakness?
• How do you stay current with platform changes?

Transparent, specific answers indicate confidence and honesty. Vague responses, deflection, or refusing to acknowledge weaknesses are red flags.