So you’re thinking about hiring a digital marketing agency, and Clearwater is on your shortlist?
That makes sense. Clearwater is a large, award-winning agency based in Melbourne with a strong reputation for multi-channel campaigns, data-led strategy, and integrated execution. If you want a well-known agency with significant resources and a proven track record, they’re definitely worth considering.
But here’s the thing: the biggest agency isn’t always the best agency for your business.
If you’re an Australian business that wants real results, practical strategies, and better value for money (without sacrificing quality), this comparison will help you decide whether a leaner partner like Online Officer (ONO) might actually be the smarter choice.
What Clearwater brings to the table
First, credit where it’s due. Here’s what makes Clearwater stand out:
The “One Brain” philosophy
Clearwater promotes a unified approach that blends advanced analytics with human insight. Their “one brain” philosophy aims to bridge the gap between strategy and execution, aligning teams around a single, cohesive direction to deliver consistency across channels.
Award-winning consistency
Clearwater has built a reputation on sustained performance, backed by an ongoing streak of industry awards. Their campaigns are recognised for impact and innovation, reflecting the high standards they maintain across strategy and execution.
Data-led, human-powered strategy
While data sits at the centre of their approach, Clearwater emphasises human judgement in decision-making. This balance is particularly appealing to ambitious brands that need sophisticated strategy alongside creative thinking and adaptability.
Short version: Clearwater specialises in multi-channel digital marketing across owned, paid and earned media. They combine analytics with human insight to deliver full-funnel strategies across SEO, paid search, paid social, content, CRO and more, with integrated thinking at the core of their methodology.
That said, here are six reasons why you might want to consider working with Online Officer instead.
Six ways ONO stands out
1. ROI above everything
At ONO, everything starts with business outcomes. Instead of drowning you in tasks, deliverables, and reports, we focus on what actually matters: leads, sales, revenue, and retention.
Many agencies talk about growth but prioritise activity — more campaigns, more content, more channels. We prioritise impact. If a tactic doesn’t contribute to ROI, we rethink it. Simple as that.
For you, that means fewer distractions and more budget directed towards what genuinely grows your business.
2. Four core services in one growth plan
ONO doesn’t make you piece together your marketing stack from multiple contracts. Our marketing plans combine four essential growth drivers by default: SEO, paid ads, conversion rate optimisation, and email marketing.
Instead of buying each service separately (which is common with larger agencies), you get an integrated strategy designed to work as a single system from day one. Every channel supports the others, so your marketing spend works harder.
Compared to bigger agencies like Clearwater, where services are often modular or customised at a premium, our approach is simpler, more predictable, and easier on your budget.
3. Premium execution without premium pricing
We operate with a Philippines-based delivery model that keeps costs efficient while maintaining high standards. That means you get experienced specialists and robust processes — without the inflated fees that often come with large Australian agencies.
For many growing businesses, this is the difference between running a basic campaign and running a genuinely competitive multi-channel strategy.
You’re not paying for layers of management or big-city overheads. You’re paying for execution and results.
4. Truly integrated, silo-free execution
Clearwater strongly emphasises integrated thinking — and to their credit, that’s a genuine strength. ONO does the same, but with a leaner structure that makes collaboration faster and more practical.
Our specialists don’t operate in silos. SEO insights inform paid campaigns. Paid data shapes CRO experiments. Email funnels amplify traffic from search and ads. Instead of channels competing for budget, they reinforce each other.
For you, that means fewer disconnected strategies and more consistent growth across the entire customer journey.
5. Direct access to specialists
With ONO, you’re not stuck in endless email chains between account managers and execution teams. Your main contact is a marketing specialist who understands the technical details of your campaigns.
That translates into faster decisions, clearer explanations, and fewer misunderstandings.
If you’ve ever felt frustrated by agencies where the people you talk to aren’t the people doing the work, this alone can be a game-changer.
6. Total transparency with MyONO
Transparency isn’t a feature — it’s our standard. That’s why we built MyONO, our custom client portal designed specifically for how we collaborate with clients.
Instead of relying on generic tools, MyONO centralises everything that matters: reports, activity updates, performance snapshots, and key documents.
The result is a streamlined hub that gives you complete visibility into your performance at any time. No guesswork. No hidden levers.
Summary
Choose Clearwater Agency if:
- You have a large budget and want a big, enterprise-style agency with extensive resources.
- You require frequent in-person meetings in a physical office in Melbourne.
- You prefer working with a well-established Australian agency with long-term award recognition.
- You’re comfortable paying premium fees for highly customised solutions.
Choose Online Officer if:
- You want a high-performing digital marketing team without bloated agency costs.
- You prefer an integrated plan that already includes SEO, paid ads, CRO, and email — without buying them separately.
- You want direct access to specialists, not layers of account managers.
- You care about ROI, revenue, and growth more than buzzwords or agency prestige.
Clearwater is no doubt a strong agency — but that strength often comes with a premium price tag. If Online Officer can deliver comparable outcomes with a simpler structure and significantly better value, why pay more than you need to?