About the Digital Business Awards
The Digital Business Awards celebrate excellence in harnessing the power and magic of digital tools like AI, video, e-commerce, social media, web development, communication and data management. The Digital Business Awards are local awards open to businesses, notfor-profits, and government agencies across multiple categories.
Entering the Digital Business Awards is a unique opportunity to showcase your digital success story.
Digital Business Awards are rolled out locally. They shine a light on the people driving digital impact in their own communities. By acknowledging local winners, the Digital Business Awards celebrate the people who are driving innovation and inspiring others across their community.
So, whether you’ve boosted growth through data-driven strategies, restructured your operations, redefined customer engagement with e-commerce, transformed your products / services with AI or driven success with social media or web development - these awards not only highlight organisational achievements but also celebrate the people behind the success.
Our aim is to enable businesses, individuals and organisations to leverage and celebrate digital techniques for success. We embrace emerging technology, diversity, and social purpose to build better businesses, better lives and better communities.
The Digital Business Awards include special categories for Women in Digital Business and Youth in Digital Business and an overall winner for each region –Digital Business of the Year.
Nominations are now open for 2025! Whether you’re an industry pioneer or an emerging leader, participating in the Digital Business Awards will help you gain recognition, build credibility, bolster team morale, connect with like-minded innovators and position you as a modern business leader.
Don’t miss your chance to celebrate. Submit your entry today and let your digital journey inspire others!
Register for the Digital Business Awards
You can be nominated - or nominate yourself to enter the DBAs. Businesses enter by simply going to – www.digitalaustralia.au or the websites of our media support partners: www.parramattatimes.com.au
www.greaterblacktownnews.com.au
www.centralcoastsun.au
www.accessnews.com.au
www.parentopia.au
www.womeninsmallbusiness.au
www.relevancemagazine.au
You’ll be asked to create a profile with your business details and complete your application by responding to 10 questions. You’ll receive confirmation and details plus marketing material to use in promoting your participation.
Judging the awards
Nominations are judged by our expert panel of judges. Finalists receive marketing material that they can use to promote their participation and will be listed at www.digitalaustralia.au.
Winners receive a special trophy, framed certificate and advertising campaign in Relevance Magazine. Finalists receive a framed certificate. Finalists and winners will have the opportunity to participate in the annual Digital Australia Business Guide and area archieved for public viewing at www.digitalaustralia.au.
Qualities that judges will be looking for are ranked over three key value areas including:
Financial
» Clear success in terms of outcomes.
» Leadership capacity and vision.
» Understanding of the purpose.
Technical
» Design and aesthetic appeal.
» Functionality – tech and user experience.
» Innovation in industry context.
People
» Audience resonance / connectivity.
» Alignment with business values.
» Demonstrated community value.
DBAs are local awards
The Digital Business Awards is a local awards program. Each area has finalists and winners by category and a special award for the Digital Business of The Year for each area. Entries for the 2025 DBA program open across the following areas: NSW Central Coast, Blacktown, Hawkesbury, Parramatta, Macarthur, Sydney Hills and Penrith.
Sponsorship
Exciting sponsorship opportunities are available for organisations looking to align with the values of digital leadership and success. We can create a powerful, customised package for your business that reaches hundreds of thousands of people.
Key dates
» Activities must have been undertaken between July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.
» Deadline for online entries is June 30, 2025.
» Judging occurs June 23 to August 11, 2025.
» Finalists announced and notified by August.
» Regional winners and Digital Business Of The Year will be announced at an invitation event at 2025 WEXPO Sydney Showground, October 2025.
Contacts
The benefits to your business from participating in the Digital Business Awards
» Promote your business to the local community
» Be acknowledged as a leader in smart business.
» Motivation for your team and business networks.
» Develop a purpose of progressive business leadership.
» Celebrate your success with colleges and supporters.
Some examples of digital business projects
AI chatbot implementation: Enhancing customer service through an intelligent chatbot integrated with CRM systems.
Augmented reality (AR): Development of AR features for product visualisation.
Business intelligence: Implementation of tools to provide actionable insights through visual data representations.
Cloud migration: Moving IT infrastructure to cloud to improve scalability and efficiency.
Compliance project: Ensuring compliance with regulations like through improved systems.
Content marketing: Creating and distributing engaging content through blogs, social media, or videos that led to measurable ROI.
Customer app: Developing a mobile app that simplifies customer interaction, such as food delivery or fitness app.
Customer data: Creating a unified view of customer data to drive personalised marketing.
Customer experience: Leveraging multiple digital tools to enhance customer journeys.
Data integration: Development of a system that consolidates data from multiple sources for better decision-making.
Digitalisation: Overhauling legacy systems to fully digital processes for operational efficiency.
Digital PR: Using online platforms to manage public relations, including influencer outreach and online press releases.
Drone technology: Using drones for marketing or delivery services.
E-commerce platform: Development of an online store with integrated payment systems, inventory management, and customer support features.
EdTech Development: Online learning platforms or tools for learning and education.
Internal business apps: Tools designed for employees to manage tasks like scheduling, performance tracking, or collaboration.
Membership program: A subscriptionbased platform providing resources or services to a niche audience.
Newsletter strategy: Launching an effective email newsletter or communication program with strategic and measurable benefits.
Predictive analytics: Leveraging AI to predict sales trends or customer behaviors for better strategic planning.
Process automation: Automating repetitive tasks like invoice generation, email marketing, or HR onboarding processes.
Redesign or building a website: Transforming or building a website to enhance user experience, accessibility, and conversion rates.
Search engine optimisation (SEO): A targeted project that improved organic search rankings and traffic.
Security overhaul: Implementation of advanced cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive business data.
Social media: Implementing a social media campaign that grew audience engagement strategically.
Virtual reality (VR) Training Program: Use of VR for employee training or customer engagement.
Head Judging Panel
Alan Ryan
Founder and executive director of the Hargraves Institute. With two decades of experience building a thriving community, conducting extensive research, and creating cutting-edge resources and tools for businesses large and small, Hargraves understands the links between collaboration and innovation, transformation and growth. This insight is at the core of their people-first approach to deliver innovative, sustainable, and peoplecentred solutions.
Alexi Boyd
Alexi is a fierce advocate with over 20 years experience as a small business advisor, national campaigner, leader in local grassroots advocacy and radio show host of Small Biz Matters, broadcasting for 10years. An effective and creative communicator with a wealth of experience in media, public speaking, and high-profile PR. Alexi now consults in small business policy to departments and regulators, national consumer organisations, not-forprofits, and the corporate sector.
John Edwards
Dr John Edwards is an Adjunct Professor - Management and Marketing at Macquarie University and an advisory board member. He has extensive experience in sales and marketing, as well as management across FMCG, financial services, and education sectors. He manages organisational transformation, including leveraging mobile, search engines, social media, and digital channels to engage customers and assess financial impact.
Erica Westbury
With over 15 years of Erica is one of Western Sydney’s leading recruiters for professionals with over 20 years’ experience. She has a deep curiosity and passion for business and assists clients to flourish by finding them the best staff. She founded Norwest and Southwest Recruitment 18 years ago . Erica’s understanding of business success makes her an natural selection as a judge for the DBAs.
Kate Dodd
If you’re not thinking strategically about the interrelation of talent, workplace, and technology, you’re not thinking strategically about business. Independent fresh eyes can make all the difference in refining your strategy for the future of work and beyond. Kate is a force co-creating the future of business through design thinking, data/AI/ML understanding. She takes an unabashedly millennial approach to strategy.
Chris Pennisi
Chris is the founder of Boss Consulting, a management and business success consultancy. He has 20+ years of business experience in marketing, publishing, customer support and tech solutions. He has provided consulting for small to enterprise size companies on a number of successful projects to channel growth and develop strategic relationships.
The judges’ decision is final, and no correspondence will be entered into.
Should you wish to withdraw from the awards, please notify us at connect@digitalaustralia.au
TheDigitalBusinessAwards celebrateexcellenceinharnessing thepowerandmagicofdigital toolslikeAI,video,e-commerce, socialmedia,webdevelopment, communication and data management.TheDBAsshinea lightonthepeopledrivingdigital impactintheirowncommunities.
Finalists and winners are featured in local news channels.
All judge’s notes will be destroyed following the determination of winners. No judging feedback will be provided to finalists.
Franchise and chain stores are eligible but will be judged on the achievements and presentation of the individual local store only.
Finalists’ information may be used for promotional purposes at the discretion of
management and media partners.
CBN accepts no liability regarding any loss of patent rights or commercial returns arising from participating in the Digital Business Awards.
Digital Business Awards is a local awards program. All businesses and relevant organisations within the local community area are eligible to be part of the program
If you choose to participate in the awards, you automatically accept these conditions and the privacy terms of Community Broadcast Network.
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