Local SEO helps get your business noticed by the people who matter most – those right around the corner.
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is a search engine optimisation strategy that helps your business stand out in geographically relevant search results. In short, when someone nearby searches for your services, your business appears front and centre.
Ever searched for “best sushi near me” and seen a map with three businesses listed at the top of your Google search results? That’s the magic of local SEO, helping businesses just like yours stand out when it matters most.
Why local SEO is important
Local SEO isn’t just for big chains with nationwide reach. If you’re a local business, this is your ticket to being the one in your neighbourhood (or city, or even street).
While search results are typically tailored to a user’s country, local SEO zooms in on customers who are close enough to actually visit. So, when your neighbours Google “coffee near me,” you want your business to be the first thing they see.
Foot traffic is great, but local SEO is what turns visibility into sales. With local SEO you can dominate the search results in your area and win the hearts of the passionate local community.
Scroll on for our local SEO checklist to amplify your visibility – from optimising your Google Business Profile to gathering reviews, creating meaningful backlinks, and tracking your progress.
What businesses need local SEO the most?
A local SEO strategy is essential for:
- Businesses with a physical location – like a gym, a restaurant or a retail store.
- Those providing services in a particular region or area – like hairdressing, window repairs or guitar lessons.
The difference between local SEO and traditional SEO
While traditional SEO casts a broad net, local SEO is geographically focused. Think of it like dropping off a flyer to the people in your postcode versus sending out an eDM to your entire email list.
For example, searching for “bakery” may prioritise high-authority websites based on content and backlinks. It might even return results for “Bakery” as a suburb name in Australia. But searching for “bakery near me” triggers Google’s Local Pack—a set of local business listings tailored to your location.
Unriddling Google Local Search: how does it work?
Google’s goal? To be so helpful that people keep coming back for more. To achieve this, it relies on billions of algorithms to rank thousands of websites in just a few seconds.
When you search, Google scans its vast index and returns a ranked list of websites based on factors like relevance, prominence, and authority of inbound links. When the right elements of your digital footprint are optimised, your website rises through the ranks.
If you’re not showing up in local search results, you’re missing out on valuable visibility and in turn, foot traffic and sales – essentially hiding in the digital shadows.
Aside from featured snippets and other SERP features,Google displays results in two key ways:
1. Map pack results:
- The map pack (aka. local pack) is a Google SERP feature that showcases the top three local businesses related to a search query – displayed alongside a handy map. This prime real estate helps local businesses stand out at the top of search results.
2. Organic search results:
- Below the map pack, you have your “classic” organic search results – the trusted list of “ten blue links” where businesses and websites compete for visibility.
The benefits of local SEO for your business
Reach customers wherever they are:
- People want local: After trillions of searches (and a few million more), Google discovered that when people search, they want local results. This means that when you search for something that seems local, Google considers a proximity factor – even if you don’t specify a city or say ‘near me’.
- Capitalise on your hungry customers: Imagine you’re at work and suddenly craving some sushi for lunch. A quick search for ‘sushi’ will pull up a list of tasty options close to your office. But if you search from home? You’ll see a whole array of delicious choices tailored to your neighbourhood, so you’re always rolling with the best sushi spots nearby.
Showcase customer trust and reviews:
Search engines like Google love a good buzz. When it comes to local businesses, they pay close attention to online reviews. Here’s how reviews can improve your visibility and credibility with local SEO:
- Quantity: The more reviews you gather, the merrier! A higher number of reviews suggests a higher customer base, which helps your business shine in local search results.
- Quality: Happy customers lead to glowing reviews, and those positive signals to search engines that you’re trustworthy and provide a great service. On the flip side, negative reviews can put a damper on your reputation, so keeping tabs on your reviews and responding is key.
- Recency: The newer the better! New reviews show that your business is actively serving the community, which can give your local SEO ranking a nice little boost.
Tap into the rise of mobile and voice search:
- On the go: When we think about how people search, they’re often on the go. Local SEO becomes increasingly important for businesses to stay relevant in their community.
- The moment matters: With everyone glued to their mobile, quick location-based searches are becoming the norm. Think “best coffee nearby” or “locksmith open now” – these are the moments when your local SEO strategy really matters.
- Real-time connection: It helps businesses polish their online presence so they pop up right when potential customers need them most. This means not just being found, but connecting with customers in real time to meet their needs.
Key local SEO strategies to get your business seen
If you’re looking for ways to improve your local SEO strategy, here’s where to start:
1. Google Business Profile optimisation:
Your Google Business Profile (GBP, previously known as Google My Business (GMB) is your virtual storefront. Keeping it accurate, up-to-date,, and consistent across all platforms is essential for building trust with both Google and local customers. Here’s why:
Consistency is key:
- Make sure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are the same across your GBP and website.
- If your info is all over the place, it raises a red flag, making Google question your reliability. So be sure to update your details across every platform when there’s a change.
Completeness of your profile:
- While Google loves to see a complete profile, simply filling in the basics won’t cut it in competitive areas. Go the extra mile!
- One area people often forget? Picking the right top-level category that matches Google’s existing options. This helps you stand out from the crowd!
Keeping information up-to-date:
- Keep your business details fresh and up-to-date – especially your hours of operation.
- While this might not directly boost your search rankings, it sure helps your customers avoid disappointment. No one likes to find a “closed” sign when they’re craving a delicious doughnut.
Encourage customer reviews:
- Want to boost your reviews? Be proactive! Ask your customers to leave feedback and make it easy for them. A friendly email with a direct review link is a great way to do this.
- Bonus tip: Turn your link into a QR code that you can point to and make the process even smoother.
2. On-page keywords and content
Integrate local keywords into metadata:
- To help your business pop up in local search results, on-page SEO is extremely important. Start by integrating local keywords into your title tags and meta descriptions – think of them as your business’ first impression!
- Short and sweet, these snippets should tempt potential customers to click by highlighting what you offer in their area.
Structure your content:
- When writing content for your core pages, weave local keywords into the headers (H1, H2, H3) and main paragraphs to make your page informative for readers and improve its local relevance.
Think about content strategy:
- Take it a step further by writing engaging blog posts and FAQs that capture the unique charm of your neighbourhood.
- Mention nearby parks, local hangouts and current community happenings – this doesn’t just help with SEO; it connects with your local audience and builds trust.
3. Building local citations:
Local citations are like digital signposts guiding customers to your business. They refer to your name, address and phone number (or NAP) listed across various online directories and platforms, like your Google Business Profile, TripAdvisor, Booking.com and OpenTable.
These references are powerful tools in local SEO because they help search engines understand that your business is legitimate, well-established and located exactly where you say it is.
It’s important to keep your NAP information consistent across all listings to boost your credibility. To keep everything neat and tidy, you can use tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal to track and update your local citations in one go.
4. Making sure your website is mobile-friendly:
If your website looks like it was designed in the 90s, don’t be surprised if Google gives you the cold shoulder. Mobile-friendly is the bare minimum – no exceptions.
With mobile traffic now raking in up to 60% of web activity worldwide, if your site doesn’t look and work like a dream on a phone, you’re basically begging to fall off Google’s radar.
5. Competitor analysis:
Take a look at your local competitors’ backlinks, keywords, and overall SEO moves to find opportunities for your site.
If a high-authority site links to them, there’s a good chance they’d be interested in your business too, giving you a credibility boost in Google’s eyes.
Here are some additional tips when it comes to staying ahead of your competitors:
- Local keyword research: Focus on the keywords your competitors rank highly for to draw in similar audiences. And don’t forget to look for keyword gaps they’re missing—those could be golden opportunities to cover local topics they haven’t yet touched.
- By borrowing and building on top-performing tactics, you’ll stay visible, relevant, and competitive in the local search arena.
- Refresh your content: Make sure to keep updating your content so it stays fresh – this also sends signals to Google that all the information is current and your site is active.
Tracking and Measuring Success
So, you’ve implemented your local SEO strategies – now what? Time to track your progress! Here are some key ways to keep tabs on your success:
1. Organic traffic:
Check GA4 or Google Search Console to see how many users are finding you via organic search, and track these numbers over time to spot growth.
2. Keyword rankings:
Use SEO tools like Semrush or Ahrefs to track how your site ranks for the most coveted search terms. Watching these rankings can help you see what’s working and what needs a little more love.
3. Local pack rankings:
Make sure your business is appearing in the ‘local pack’ for results on Google. Showing up here means you’re on the map (literally) for potential customers.
4. Conversions!
Keep an eye on how many visitors from organic search are taking action – whether it’s calling your store, requesting a quote, or making a purchase.
Book a complimentary consultation with Aperitif Agency
Local SEO isn’t just about finding the right audience; it’s all about connecting with them at the perfect moment. Many factors influence how visible your business is in local searches, and with local SEO constantly evolving, if you blink, you might miss the next big opportunity.
Trends shift, new signals pop up, and if you’re not on top of it, you’re basically setting yourself up for invisibility. Whether you’re a brick-and-mortar shop, a service provider or an online brand with local roots, staying ahead is critical.
Want to stop being the best-kept secret in town? Book a complimentary consultation with Aperitif Agency today. We’ve helped heaps of businesses get in tune with their local crowd with our local SEO services. It’s time to shake up your visibility and transform your local SEO strategy!
