Your guide to SEO for local business
Most people search online before they buy. In fact, 97% of people learn more about a local company online than anywhere else (Source: HubSpot). That means if your business is not showing up in search results, you are invisible to many potential customers.
The good news is that SEO for local business is something you can start yourself.
In this article, we’ll look at practical ways to boost your visibility, from website optimisation to reviews, content, and user experience.
At the end, you’ll find a quick-win checklist you can use to get started today.
Why SEO for local business is so important
Local SEO helps your business show up when people search ‘service + suburb’ or ‘near me’. Appearing in Google’s map pack can be the difference between winning new customers or losing them to competitors.
Research from First Page Sage found that SEO delivers an average ROI of 748% across industries, far outperforming paid ads.
For small businesses, this makes SEO one of the most cost-effective marketing tools available.
By focusing on SEO for local business, you can build a steady stream of enquiries without relying on expensive ads or word of mouth.
Optimise your website with service pages
Your website is the foundation of your SEO. One of the simplest improvements is creating dedicated service pages.
Instead of having one generic ‘Services’ page, consider publishing individual pages for each offering. It helps to include the location.
An example for a local business might be a page each on the following:
- Electrician Inner West Sydney
- Emergency electrical repairs Marrickville
- Solar panel installation Sydney
Each page should explain the service in plain English, answer common customer questions, and include a clear call to action, such as ‘Book a free quote’.
This makes it easier for Google to match your business with local searches.
Build trust with reviews and directories
Reviews are one of the strongest signals for local rankings. A Yext study of 8.7 million results showed review engagement has the biggest impact on visibility in Google’s local pack.
Encourage happy customers to leave reviews on your Google Business Profile. Respond to each review in a friendly, professional way.
It will also help to get your business listed in reputable directories such as Yellow Pages, True Local, and your local chamber of commerce. Keep your name, address, and phone number (NAP) consistent everywhere. This builds credibility with both customers and search engines.
Publish useful content
Blogging is a great way to boost your SEO. Small businesses can benefit by publishing answers to common customer questions or offering helpful how-to guides.
There are almost endless topics you could choose from. For example:
- How to choose the right plumber for your home
- Five tips for maintaining your air conditioner in summer
- What to look for in a family accountant
- Can I see a chiropractor when I’m pregnant?
This type of content builds trust, helps your site rank for long-tail searches, and can even capture Google Featured Snippets. In turn, it puts your business in front of more potential customers.
Improve user experience
Google rewards websites that are easy to use. A slow or clunky site can hurt both your rankings and your sales.
Focus on:
- Mobile optimisation, as most local searches happen on phones
- Fast loading speed (aim for under three seconds)
- Clear navigation and calls to action
- Simple forms that are quick to complete
- Easy-to-read fonts
A smoother user experience increases the chance that visitors will turn into enquiries or bookings.
SEO case studies
We’ve helped many clients see real results from improving their SEO for local business. Here are two examples.
Swoop - internet service provider SEO
Swoop, an Australian internet provider, wanted to improve their visibility for high-speed NBN searches…especially around the new nbn® 1000 plan tier.
Instead of relying on one generic NBN plans page, they built a dedicated, fully optimised page for each speed tier, including a new nbn® 1000 page targeting exact-match keywords such as ‘nbn 1000 plan’, ‘best gigabit NBN’ and ‘nbn 1000 providers’.
This plan-based SEO approach was supported with internal linking, speed-tier comparisons, technical optimisation and in-depth FAQs designed for Google and AI search. The result was a strong content cluster around NBN speeds, signalling to search engines that Swoop was an authority in the high-speed fibre category.
The impact was significant. Swoop quickly secured top positions for multiple high-intent gigabit keywords and saw a strong uplift in both visibility and enquiries from customers actively searching for the fastest available plans.
Sydney Spinal Care local SEO
Sydney Spinal Care is a Sydney-based chiropractic clinic. By targeting keywords like ‘chiropractor Maroubra’ and ‘chiropractor pagewood’, and optimising their website, and regularly publishing patient-focused content, they achieved first-page rankings for multiple services. You can take a look at what a local ‘service + suburb’ SEO page looks like here, on this page ‘Chiropractor Pagewood’.
If you want to appear in more local searches, creating suburb-specific service pages is one of the most effective strategies.
As a result, they now attract a steady flow of new patient enquiries each month.
Each suburb page should include:
- A clear heading using the suburb name and service
- A tailored introduction mentioning the suburb and what you offer
- Local landmarks, neighbourhood references or transport links to improve relevance
- Suburb-specific FAQs and problems you commonly see in that area
- Your full NAP details (Name, Address, Phone) and service radius
- Internal links to nearby suburb pages to build a strong content cluster
Both examples show you how consistent local SEO can lead to measurable business growth. SEO for local business is one of the smartest ways you can attract more customers without overspending on ads.
By focusing on your website, reviews, content, and user experience, you can build long-term visibility that keeps delivering results.
SEO for local business quick-win checklist
Here are simple steps you can take today:
- Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile
- Create dedicated service pages with suburb keywords
- Ask customers for Google reviews and reply to each one
- List your business in reputable directories with consistent details
- Publish blog posts answering common customer questions
- Improve site speed and mobile usability
Author: Marshall Thurlow is Director and Founder of Orion Marketing Pty Ltd. He is a digital marketer with expertise in SEO, website design, content marketing, and project management.
