Connected Media Group

11/09/2026

Founded in 2012 by Laura Hamod Barnes and Joshua Barnes.

Connected was always built to challenge the traditional mode and give clients the strategy, attention and service they deserve, regardless of size. Today, we are still here to own the gap between big-agency capability & boutique attention.

Now a team of 25+ working from Sydney, Thirroul (HQ) and Melbourne, partnering with ambitious B2B and B2C brands across eCommerce, retail, tech, education, health, finance, F&B and FMCG. Backed by Google Premier Partner & Meta Business Partner status and a growing wall of industry awards.

https://www.connectedm.com.au/about-us/

10/09/2026

Big launches call for big visibility.

We’re excited to be part of the AU & NZ launch of Pokémon on tonies®, bringing Pikachu, Bulbasaur, Charmander and Squirtle to the Toniebox 2, alongside the new Lightning Yellow Toniebox.

Our integrated media approach is designed to make the launch hard to miss, connecting big brand moments with channels that drive discovery and demand.

The campaign has come to life through multiple touchpoints like high-impact Out-of-Home & premium BVOD activity across The Voice. Extended by digital channels; Social, YouTube, and Search, driving audiences through to tonies® and key retail partners.

A genuinely exciting launch and one we’re proud to help bring to life alongside Lauren Best, Ben Perceval and The Connect Agency. Keep an eye out for Pokémon on tonies® out in the wild. ⚡

View the range:

https://tonies.com.au/collections/pokemon

03/09/2026

Better automation starts with better inputs.

Strong signals give algorithms more useful information to work with. But poor signals can just as easily be amplified.
This was Chloe & Jenny’s key takeaway from Pinterest’s Pin to Performance event last week.

The event explored how customer journeys are becoming less linear. More interactions are happening without a click, and brands need to think about the different signals being created across paid, organic, search, websites and other touchpoints.
These are themes we’re actively exploring with our clients at the moment.

💡 Connected’s take: The value isn’t in optimising signals in isolation, platform by platform. It’s in understanding how those signals work together.

Thank you Pinterest for having us at your new office for the session. We look forward to bringing these learnings and ideas into our work.

01/09/2026

The AI takeover hasn’t looked much like the movies. It’s been quieter, thousands of small changes becoming more efficient and automated.

Our Founder and Managing Partner, Joshua Barnes, shares his perspective on what AI is changing for agencies, and why better technology makes good thinking more valuable, not less.

We’re genuine supporters of AI. It gives us time back. The opportunity is what we do with it: think better, find sharper insights and make stronger decisions.

“More automation doesn’t mean less need for sharp people. If anything, it means more.”

Read Joshua’s thoughts on this quieter AI takeover.

https://www.connectedm.com.au/news/skynet-never-came-something-quieter-did/?utm_name=sked&utm_source=facebook&utm_medium=organic-social&utm_content=sked_6a90be35939334da4c5e9c41

31/08/2026

AI visibility scores are everywhere, but a score is only useful if the methodology behind it makes sense.

Our Founder and CEO, Laura Hamod Barnes, shares her perspective in B&T on the growing AI visibility measurement market, and why marketers should look beyond simplistic scores and free audits.

The key question: are you measuring visibility against the way your customers actually search, compare, and make decisions?

Ultimately, a visibility score is only as meaningful as the questions behind it.

Read Laura’s full opinion piece in B&T:

Seeing is believing when it comes to AI visibility. Just not the measurement.

25/08/2026

A big congratulations to the Skinstitut team on the launch of the new 10% Glycolic Acid Overnight Peel, a high-performance overnight treatment designed to deliver professional-grade results at home.

It’s always rewarding to see a new product come to market and the all the work behind the campaign coming to life.

We’re proud to have partnered with you on this launch!

View the product 👉 https://skinstitut.com/products/10-glycolic-acid-overnight-peel

14/08/2026

How many Google searches end without a click?

More than many marketers expect:

• 60% of all Google searches end without a click.
• 77% on mobile.
• 83% when an AI Overview appears.
• 93% in Google AI Mode.

Success in search is no longer measured by clicks alone, it's about being visible wherever customers are looking for answers.

If your reporting still starts and ends with website traffic, it may be time to broaden how you measure search performance.

10/08/2026

A great workplace shapes the way you work. We love ours.

Just over a year after moving into our custom-built Connected Media Group office, we're thrilled to see both the building and its builder, VALOR Construction Services, recognised at the Master Builders Association Southern Region Excellence in Building Awards:

🏆 Commercial Projects Under $5 Million
🏆 Shop Fitout & Interior

Designed to bring people together, our office has become home to client workshops, strategy sessions, team collaboration, celebrations and countless memorable moments.

Congratulations to VALOR Construction Services and EMVY Commercial Interior Designers NSW for bringing our vision to life. Together, you've created a workplace we're incredibly proud to call home.

Videography by Jake Wündersitz.

07/08/2026

Search has moved.

Today, customers are discovering businesses through search engines, marketplaces, social platforms and AI assistants.

💡 Instead of only asking:
"How are we ranking on Google?"

Ask:
"Where are our customers looking, and are we showing up where it matters?"

If you're not confident in the answer, it could be time to rethink what search looks like for your business.

https://www.connectedm.com.au/contact-us

09/07/2026

Creator content is no longer an add-on, it is fast becoming the engine of paid media performance.

As Meta and YouTube embed creator partnerships directly into their ad products, Laura Hamod Barnes unpacks a fundamental shift in how brands drive attention, trust and conversion.

A bridge between trust, conversion and discoverability.