Local SEO is the work of helping Google understand where your business is, what it does and why people trust it, so it shows you to nearby customers searching for what you offer. It is not a trick. It is a list of fairly ordinary jobs done carefully and kept up over time.
Below is a checklist you can work through yourself. Nobody can promise a particular ranking, and we will not. What the list does is cover the things that are within your control.
Part 1: your website
Your site is the base everything else points to.
- Say what you do and where, on the home page. A visitor and Google should both understand the service and the area within a few seconds.
- Give each main service its own page. A page for one service, written clearly, is easier to match to a search than one page that lists everything.
- Write a unique title and description for each page. Keep titles short and meaningful, not stuffed with repeated keywords.
- Put your name, address and phone number on the site. Make them real text, not an image, and match your Google profile exactly.
- Make it work on a phone. Most local searches happen on mobile. Tap the phone number, read the text, and fill in the form on your own phone.
- Keep it fast and secure. The site should load quickly and use HTTPS.
- Add a clear way to get in touch. A contact form, a phone number and hours, visible on every page.
- Use real photos. Local, original images of your work and team are more convincing than stock.
- Embed a map if you have a location. It helps customers and reinforces your address.
For what to put on each page, see what to put on a small business website.
Part 2: Google Business Profile
For many local searches, this matters as much as your website.
- Claim and verify your profile. See how to get on Google Maps.
- Choose the most accurate primary category, and add secondary ones only if true.
- Fill in every field: hours, services, description, website link, phone.
- Set your service area honestly, or show your address if customers visit you.
- Add real photos and keep adding them.
- Use the posts feature occasionally for offers or news.
- Answer questions people ask on the profile.
- Update hours for public holidays and closures.
Do not put keywords in the business name, and do not create duplicate profiles. Both are against Google guidelines. Our profile guide goes further.
Part 3: citations and directories
A citation is a mention of your business details on another site, such as a directory. It does not have to link to you. When many reputable places show the same name, address and phone number, it supports the picture Google has of your business.
Australian directories worth considering include:
- True Local
- Yellow Pages
- Hotfrog
- Your local chamber of commerce or business association
- Industry-specific directories for your trade or profession
- Apple Maps and Bing Places, which are free to claim
Check each site’s current terms before you sign up. Some offer free listings, while others push paid upgrades you do not need. A free basic listing with correct details is usually enough.
The most important rule is consistency. Check these details match everywhere.
- Business name, as you actually trade
- Address, written the same way each time
- Phone number, including area code
- Website address
- Opening hours
Keep a simple spreadsheet of where you are listed and the details you used. When you move or change a number, you can update everything quickly.
Part 4: reviews
- Ask every happy customer for a Google review while the job is fresh.
- Send the direct review link by text or email so it takes seconds.
- Reply to every review, politely, including the negative ones.
- Never offer rewards for reviews, and never write fake ones.
- Mention the service and suburb in your replies in a natural way, without stuffing keywords.
- Keep a steady flow. A handful of recent reviews can look better than many old ones.
If you work in a regulated field such as healthcare, there are extra rules about testimonials, so check them first. Our guide on getting more Google reviews covers the practical side.
Part 5: links
Links from other sites to yours are a trust signal, but they are the hardest part to do well, and the easiest to do badly. Skip anything that promises hundreds of links for a small fee. Those can do harm. Instead, look for real, local opportunities.
- Suppliers, manufacturers or partners who can list you as a stockist or installer.
- Local business associations and sponsored community groups.
- Local news, if you have something newsworthy.
- Charity events or clubs you support, if they list sponsors.
- Your own social profiles and any trade body membership page.
A few good, relevant links are worth more than a pile of poor ones, and there is no quick way to get them.
Part 6: content over time
- Add pages for the suburbs or towns you actually serve, if each page has something real to say.
- Write about common questions your customers ask.
- Show recent work, with permission from customers.
- Update old pages when prices, hours or services change.
Avoid copying the same page and swapping the suburb name. Google tends to see through that, and visitors do too.
Part 7: measure what you can
- Set up Google Search Console to see which searches show your site.
- Check your Google Business Profile insights for calls and direction requests.
- Track the number of enquiries, and ask new customers how they found you.
- Look at trends over a few months, not day to day changes.
If you want a realistic timeline for results, read how long SEO takes.
Doing it yourself or getting help
Most of this is within reach if you have a few hours a month and some patience. The main risk is that it gets dropped when the business gets busy. If you would rather hand it over, our Grow plan at $250 + GST a month covers local SEO, Google Business Profile management, two posts a month and a monthly report. It is month to month with 30 days’ notice and no lock-in. Our $500 + GST website includes the Google Business Profile and Search Console setup, if you need the site first.
We are fully remote, and we will not promise a ranking. If you want to chat, start with the get started form.