Digital marketing is one of the most overcomplicated, overhyped, and over-sold topics in the business world. There’s definitely nuance and a science to it, but a lot of non-marketers can feel intimidated.
Every week there’s a new platform, a new tactic, a new guru telling you that you’re doing it wrong. Most of it is crap, never forget they’re selling something.. they’re marketers!
Here’s the truth: for most NDIS providers, digital marketing success comes down to three things.
- Being findable.
- Being credible.
- Being useful.
That’s it. Everything else is optional.
Your one true audience – and the channels they use
Before you choose a channel, get clear on who you’re actually trying to reach. Your primary audience is the person with disability. Segment within that – a young autistic adult in Melbourne uses different platforms and consumes content differently to a person with acquired brain injury in regional Queensland navigating the NDIS for the first time.
When you’re clear on your specific segment, channel choices become obvious rather than overwhelming. Don’t commit to all of them, start with the most obvious and stop when it becomes less obvious.
The channels that matter
Google Search: People searching for support is the highest-intent traffic you can get. If someone is actively searching for your service in your area, that’s a warm lead. Optimise for the terms your specific audience actually uses.
Google Business Profile: Free, powerful, often overlooked. Appears in local map results. Must be claimed and maintained. Worth the effort.
Facebook: Still significant reach, particularly in regional areas and for older demographics. Community groups are where many disability community members find peer recommendations – being genuinely useful in those groups (not just self-promoting) builds real trust.
LinkedIn: The right channel for reaching support coordinators, allied health, sector leaders and potential partners. Note: this is a secondary audience channel. It’s valuable, but don’t let it dominate your strategy at the expense of channels your primary audience uses. Nobody doom-scrolls LinkedIn… surely?
Instagram: Strong for younger audiences, visual storytelling, and building brand personality. Increasingly where younger disabled people and their networks are.
Email: Your highest-trust channel. You own the list. Nobody’s algorithm can take it away. Excellent for staying connected with participants, families and referrers who have opted in.
Podcast: Long-form audio, high engagement with a loyal niche audience. Particularly powerful for building thought leadership and reaching disability community members who consume content on the go.
Your website: The hub everything points to. Often underutilised as a content channel.
What to ignore (for now)
TikTok, Twitter/X, Pinterest, YouTube – these can be valuable eventually but they’re not where most NDIS providers should start. Pick two channels and do them well before adding more.
Exercise
Audit your current digital presence. Which channels are you on? Which ones does your specific audience segment actually use? Which are generating real connections or enquiries? Prioritise the two that matter most for the specific person you’re trying to reach.