What Is Local SEO?
By Christopher Reid ·
What local SEO means
Local SEO helps people find businesses serving a particular area. It matters most when customers search with a location in mind, such as “electrician near me” or “accountant Canberra”.
These searches often show a map with a short list of businesses, followed by regular results. Local SEO aims to improve how your business appears in both.
Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that appears on Google Maps and in local results. Keep it complete and accurate:
- Choose the most accurate primary category for your business.
- Add your opening hours, phone number, website and service areas.
- Upload genuine photos of your work, team or premises.
- Respond politely to reviews, both positive and negative.
Keep your business details consistent
Your business name, address and phone number should match everywhere they appear: your website, Google Business Profile, social media and directories. Inconsistent details can confuse customers and search engines.
Create useful content about your areas
Write helpful pages about your services and the areas you serve. A landscaper might create a page about garden design for coastal properties in their region, with photos of real local projects. Avoid copying the same page and swapping suburb names, as it adds little value for visitors.