Digital Solutions Tasmania: Small Business Support 2026
Tasmanian small businesses can use the Australian Government’s Digital Solutions program to get practical help with online marketing, ecommerce, business software, AI and cyber security. The service offers up to five hours of one-to-one advice for a subsidised fee, plus free workshops, webinars and self-guided learning. As checked on 24 October 2026, Tasmania’s listed delivery provider is The van Diemen Project.
This is an advisory and skills program, not a cash grant for a website or software purchase. It can help an owner decide what to improve first, compare options and build the confidence to implement changes. The official Digital Solutions program page on business.gov.au sets out the current national offer and eligibility.
What is the Digital Solutions program?
Digital Solutions is an Australian Government-supported service for small businesses that want to make better use of digital tools. It combines tailored advice with learning resources rather than simply supplying a technology product.
The Australian Government reported on 3 August 2026 that more than 265 small businesses had signed up for Round 3 in its first month. The announcement described a national investment of more than $25 million in advice, workshops, webinars and online resources. That announcement indicates continued program activity, but it is not a promise that every business will receive the same service or an immediate appointment.
For Tasmania, business.gov.au lists The van Diemen Project as the local provider. The provider’s program website and current contact details should be checked before enrolling, as availability, appointment arrangements and fees can change.
Who may be eligible in Tasmania?
The national program is intended for small businesses with fewer than 20 full-time-equivalent employees, including sole traders. Business Tasmania’s local information also describes a Tasmanian-based, for-profit business with fewer than 20 FTE employees as a target participant.
Eligibility can depend on the program’s current rules and your business circumstances, so confirm your position with the Tasmanian provider before paying or booking. If you are pre-launch and not yet trading, ask specifically whether the service can help you; do not assume every start-up is eligible.
It may be worth enquiring if you run a small retailer, hospitality venue, trade service, tourism business, consultancy or other Tasmanian operation and you need to improve one or more of these areas:
- getting the right customers to find your business online;
- improving an existing website or online store;
- making bookings, enquiries or follow-ups easier to manage;
- choosing business software or a customer relationship management system;
- understanding where AI could save time without exposing sensitive information;
- improving account security, data handling and cyber resilience.
What support is included?
One-to-one digital advice
The national information says eligible businesses can access up to five hours of advice from a qualified business adviser for a small fee. Business Tasmania currently lists the one-to-one service at $110 including GST. Confirm the fee and terms with the provider before booking; do not assume the advisory component is free.
Use the time for a defined problem rather than a broad request to “fix our digital presence”. For example, ask how to measure enquiries from your website, whether your online booking flow is creating avoidable drop-offs, or which software could reduce repeated manual work.
Free workshops, webinars and tutorials
Workshops, webinars and self-directed learning resources are available at no cost according to the national program page. Topics include digitalising a business, social media and digital marketing, selling online, business software, AI and emerging technologies, cyber security and data privacy.
These sessions can be useful if you want to understand a subject before committing to a supplier or subscription. Check the current timetable and registration conditions, as individual sessions may have limited places or different delivery formats.
How a Hobart business could use the program
| Business situation | Useful question to take to an adviser | Practical result to aim for |
|---|---|---|
| Café or restaurant | How can customers find accurate menus, opening hours and booking details? | A short list of website, search profile and booking changes, with an owner and deadline for each. |
| Tourism operator | Where do visitors abandon the booking process? | A basic measurement plan for mobile booking steps, fees, availability and confirmation emails. |
| Retailer | Would an online store or a simpler enquiry-and-order workflow fit our products? | A comparison of platform needs, payment methods, inventory, fulfilment and ongoing costs. |
| Trade business | How can we stop losing enquiries between the website, phone and inbox? | A consistent enquiry process with clear response ownership and a way to track leads. |
| Professional service | Can business software reduce double handling without exposing client information? | A shortlist of tools, access rules and a small pilot before wider rollout. |
These are examples of questions to explore, not guaranteed program deliverables. An adviser can help you define priorities, but implementation may still require your staff, a software provider or a specialist contractor.
Prepare before you book
A little preparation helps make limited advisory time more useful. Gather the information that relates to the problem you want to solve; you do not need a polished digital strategy document.
- Choose one business goal. Examples include increasing qualified enquiries, reducing missed bookings, saving time on invoices or making an online store easier to use.
- Describe the current process. Write down what happens now, who does it, which tools are involved and where delays or mistakes occur.
- Bring simple evidence. Useful material might include website analytics, enquiry counts, abandoned bookings, repeated admin tasks or common customer questions. Remove personal or confidential details that are not necessary.
- Set a realistic constraint. State your available budget, staff time, technical confidence and any systems you cannot replace.
- List what you have already tried. This helps avoid spending the session revisiting changes that did not work.
- Ask for a prioritised action list. Aim to leave with the next three actions, how to measure success and what help you still need.
Business Tasmania’s digital strategy guidance recommends connecting online activity to business goals, budget, target audience, chosen platforms and measurable outcomes. It is a useful starting point if you are unsure how to frame your request.
Five digital problems worth prioritising
1. Website enquiries are not turning into customers
Check whether service information is clear, phone numbers work, forms are short enough, pages load well on mobile and the next step is obvious. Track a baseline before changing everything at once. DanSol’s Hobart web design service covers website planning and development if you later need specialist implementation; the advisory program itself should not be mistaken for a funded website build.
2. Marketing activity is hard to measure
Choose one outcome—such as calls, booking enquiries or completed purchases—and use a consistent way to record it. Avoid judging success only by likes or page views. DanSol’s SEO vs Google Ads guide can help you compare longer-term organic visibility with paid search when deciding where to focus your marketing effort.
3. Customers cannot find reliable business information
Keep your website, business profile, opening hours, service area and contact details consistent. For eligible local businesses, a complete Google Business Profile can complement—not replace—a website. See DanSol’s Google Business Profile vs website comparison for the different roles these assets play.
4. Staff are considering AI without clear boundaries
Start with a low-risk, repetitive task such as drafting a public-facing outline or organising non-sensitive information. Set rules about what staff must not enter into external tools, who checks the output and how errors are reported. Do not upload customer records, passwords, payment details or confidential documents unless the business has assessed the tool, permissions and contractual terms. DanSol’s AI action guide for Hobart businesses provides a separate checklist for evaluating use cases and protecting data.
5. Cyber security is treated as an afterthought
Prioritise multi-factor authentication, unique passwords, software updates, tested backups and a clear process for reporting suspicious messages. Ask who owns each task and how you will know it is done. Training and a written checklist are more useful than buying a tool nobody is responsible for maintaining.
What the program does not replace
Digital advice can help you make a better decision, but it is not a substitute for every specialist service. It should not be presented as a cash grant, a guaranteed software discount or a promise that a provider will build your website for free.
- It is not automatically a technology budget. Ask the provider what is included before planning expenditure around it.
- Advice is not implementation. You may still need a developer, designer, IT professional or software vendor to carry out work.
- It does not guarantee commercial results. More traffic or new software will not automatically increase sales; measure the outcome that matters to your business.
- It does not remove your responsibilities. You remain responsible for lawful data handling, staff access, marketing practices and decisions made using digital tools.
How to contact the Tasmanian provider
Start with the official Digital Solutions page and select Tasmania to confirm the current provider details. The listing checked on 24 October 2026 names The van Diemen Project, with the email address advice@digitalsolutionstas.com.au and phone number 03 6349 1919. You can also visit the provider’s website at digitalsolutionstas.com.au to check current information.
Before enrolling, ask whether your business qualifies, what the current advisory fee covers, how appointments are delivered, whether workshops are available soon and what information you should prepare. Do not send passwords or sensitive customer data as part of an initial enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
Is Digital Solutions Tasmania a grant?
No. It is an advisory and learning program. The current offer includes subsidised one-to-one advice and free workshops, webinars and tutorials; it is not a cash payment to buy a website, advertising or software.
How much does the one-to-one advice cost?
Business Tasmania lists $110 including GST for up to five hours of one-to-one advice. Confirm the current price and service conditions with the Tasmanian provider before booking.
Can a sole trader apply?
The national program includes sole traders and small businesses with fewer than 20 full-time-equivalent employees. Confirm the current eligibility rules with the provider, especially if your business is not yet trading.
Can the program help with AI or cyber security?
Yes. These are among the published topic areas. Bring a specific question, such as evaluating a low-risk AI use case, improving account access or planning backups, and ask what the adviser can cover in the available time.
Will the program build or redesign my website?
Do not assume so. The offer is digital advice and learning, not a guaranteed website build. An adviser may help you clarify requirements and next steps, while implementation may need a separate budget and provider.
Make the advice actionable
The best reason to use Digital Solutions is to make a more informed digital decision before spending time and money. Choose one measurable problem, bring relevant evidence, ask for a prioritised plan and review the results after implementation. For a Tasmanian small business, that can turn a vague goal such as “do more online” into a practical next step that fits the team and budget.