We developed a comprehensive digital marketing strategy that laid the foundation for everything that followed. Digital Strategist Kirralee defined the core messaging, established the conversion framework, and crafted all the SEO-optimised copy for the site. This strategic blueprint shaped the website build, content approach, and campaign planning; positioning the festival to attract both high-value sponsors and community registrations.
Saltwater Freshwater Festival 2026 – Building Digital Momentum
The Saltwater Freshwater Festival (SFF) is the premier Indigenous-led cultural celebration on the Mid North Coast, honouring the Gumbaynggirr, Dunghutti, Biripi, and Worimi Nations. For its highly anticipated return to Australia Day in 2026, SFF needed a complete digital transformation to mark the occasion. We Are Coast was engaged to build a dynamic new website and execute a holistic, strategic roadmap, designed to meet the Saltwater Freshwater Festival 2026 goals.
How we help.
Holistic Digital Marketing Strategy
Custom WordPress Website & Early Registrations
With the strategy in place, Lead Developer John designed and built a highly customised, interactive website with a flexible content management system for event management. The design leans heavily into bold, expressive typography with a countdown timer that builds anticipation for the event. The site features custom Spotify artist showcases, live radio streaming, seamless donation functionality, and a dynamic tiered sponsor display to maximise partnership visibility.
We integrated the new site with the festival’s partner, The Gallery’s Shopify store, creating a connected experience where early ticket registrants automatically receive discounts on festival merch. The entire build was executed to be fully responsive and optimised for local festival searches, giving the festival complete control over their content while rewarding their earliest supporters.
Check it out here.
Campaign Execution & Conversion
With the digital foundations set, we developed and executed targeted Meta Ads campaigns designed to drive both sponsorship and community awareness. Ad Specialist Lauren designed the campaign strategy – initially focused on securing high-value sponsorships, then shifting to large-scale community engagement to drive registrations and hit attendance targets.
Coast Creative Director Jena led the project from initial kick-off through to post-festival completion, ensuring every element worked together seamlessly and the festival’s vision was brought to life across all touchpoints.
The Impact
Even before the festival takes place, the results speak for themselves. The festival is gaining serious traction and popularity across the region, with strong site metrics and early entry registrations rolling in through the ad campaigns. By delivering a custom, high-performance website and a holistic digital marketing strategy, Coast has laid the foundations for the festival’s ongoing success. We’re proud to have partnered with Saltwater Freshwater Festival, and we can’t wait to see the 2026 events come to life.
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