If you run a small business in New Zealand, being found by customers in your local area can be just as important as appearing in general Google searches.
Local SEO helps connect your business with people searching for the products or services you offer in a particular location. For a plumber in Christchurch, a builder in Hawke's Bay or a café in Wellington, showing up when people search for businesses like yours nearby can be an important source of new customers.
Local SEO involves more than adding your town or city to your website. Your website, Google Business Profile, business information, reviews and other online signals all contribute to how your business is represented in local search.
What Is Local SEO?
Local SEO is the process of improving your online presence so your business can be found in relevant local searches.
These searches might include:
- Plumber in Hamilton
- Hairdresser near me
- Builders Christchurch
- Accountant in Auckland
- Café New Plymouth
- Electrician Wellington
Google uses information about businesses to determine which local results are relevant to a search. Local results are primarily influenced by relevance, distance and prominence. Your goal is to make it clear what your business does, where you operate and which customers you serve.
Start With Your Google Business Profile
For many local businesses, Google Business Profile is an important part of local SEO. A Business Profile allows you to manage how your business information appears across Google Search and Google Maps.
Make sure your profile includes accurate information such as:
- Business name
- Business category
- Address or service area
- Phone number
- Website
- Opening hours
- Business description
- Photos
Keep this information up to date when anything changes.
Google recommends providing complete and accurate business information because this helps it understand your business and match it with relevant searches.
Make Your Website Clearly Local
Your website should make it obvious where your business operates. Include relevant location information naturally throughout your website.
This might include:
- Your town or city
- Your wider service area
- Areas you regularly serve
- Your physical address, where appropriate
- Local contact information
- Location-specific services
You don't need to add your location to every sentence. Instead, make sure customers and search engines can understand where your business operates.
Create Useful Local Pages
Some businesses need more than one location page. For example, a business serving several areas might create useful pages explaining the services it provides in those locations.
A good local page should contain genuinely useful information about:
- The location
- The services you provide there
- The customers you serve
- Relevant local information
- How customers can contact you
Don't create dozens of near-identical pages simply by changing the name of the town. Each page should have a genuine purpose and useful information for people in that area.
Use the Words Your Customers Search For
Think about how someone in your area would search for your business.
They might search for: service + location or: business type + location or: service + near me
Use the language your customers actually use when describing your business and services. You can include relevant location and service terms in your page titles, headings and website content, but keep the writing natural. SEO works best when your website clearly explains what you do rather than trying to repeat the same keyword as many times as possible.
Create Individual Service Pages
If your business provides several services, consider giving each important service its own page.
For example, a building company might have separate pages for:
- New home builds
- Renovations
- Extensions
- Architectural design
This gives each service a clear place on your website and allows you to explain how you provide that service to customers in your area.
It also gives Google clearer information about the topics your website covers.
Keep Your Business Information Consistent
Make sure your important business details are consistent wherever customers can find them online.
Check your:
- Business name
- Address
- Phone number
- Website address
- Opening hours
- Service area
Google uses information from your website and other publicly available sources when compiling information about businesses.
Inconsistent information can make it harder for customers to know which information is correct.
Get Genuine Customer Reviews
Reviews are another part of your local online presence. Encourage genuine customers to leave reviews and respond appropriately to the reviews your business receives. Google says reviews and positive ratings can contribute to a business's prominence in local search.
Don't try to manufacture reviews or pressure customers into providing particular wording. Focus on providing a good customer experience and making it easy for genuine customers to share their experience.
Add Local Information to Your Website
Local businesses have an opportunity to provide information that a large national website can't. Talk about the areas you serve, the types of customers you work with and the local experience you bring to your business.
For example, a local builder could explain:
- Which parts of the region they build in
- What types of homes they build
- How local conditions influence their work
- Which local services or suppliers they work with
Useful local information can make your website more relevant to the people you actually want to reach.
Add Your Business Details to Your Contact Page
Your Contact page should make it easy for customers to find and contact you.
Depending on your business, this could include:
- Business address
- Phone number
- Email address
- Opening hours
- Service area
- Map
- Contact form
If you operate as a service-area business rather than from a customer-facing premises, make sure your service area is represented accurately. Google's guidelines distinguish between storefront and service-area businesses.
Think About Mobile Customers
Local searches often happen when people are looking for a business while they're out and about. Your website therefore needs to work well on mobile devices.
Make sure customers can quickly:
- Read your information
- Find your phone number
- Get directions
- Submit an enquiry
- View your services
- Find your opening hours
A mobile-friendly website is part of providing a good experience for people finding your business through search.
Consider Local Business Structured Data
Structured data can provide search engines with additional information about your business. Google's LocalBusiness structured-data documentation explains how businesses can provide information such as their name, address and other business details in a standard format.
This is a more technical part of SEO, so it isn't something every small business owner needs to manage manually. However, it's worth considering when setting up or improving your website.
Don't Create Pages Just for Locations
Creating a page for every nearby town isn't automatically a local SEO strategy. If you don't genuinely serve a location or have useful information to provide about it, creating a page simply to target its name can result in thin, repetitive content. Instead, focus on the locations that are genuinely important to your business and create useful content for the people you serve there.
Local SEO Is More Than Google
Google is an important part of local search, but your overall online presence matters too.
Customers may discover your business through:
- Your website
- Google Maps
- Business directories
- Reviews
- Social media
- Local organisations
- Industry websites
- Recommendations
Keep your business information accurate and make sure your website provides a clear source of information about your business.
A Local SEO Checklist
Use this checklist when reviewing your local SEO:
- Claim and verify your Google Business Profile
- Check your business name is accurate
- Choose the correct business category
- Check your address or service area
- Add your website and phone number
- Check your opening hours
- Add useful business photos
- Keep your Business Profile updated
- Make your website clearly local
- Create useful service pages
- Include relevant location information
- Keep your business details consistent
- Make your website mobile-friendly
- Encourage genuine customer reviews
- Review your local SEO regularly
Local SEO Is an Ongoing Process
Local SEO isn't something you set up once and forget. Your business may add services, move premises, change opening hours or expand into new areas. Your website and Google Business Profile should reflect those changes. Regularly check your business information, website content and customer reviews to make sure everything remains accurate and useful.
Build a Website That Supports Local SEO
Your website is an important part of your local online presence. A good website should clearly explain what your business does, where you operate and how customers can contact you. It should also give you the ability to create useful pages, update your content and manage the information your customers need. If you're building a new website, choose a website builder that gives you the tools to create a clear, search-friendly website.
Help Your Local Business Get Found
Website World gives you the tools to create and manage a website for your business, with features that help you build useful pages and manage your website content.
If you're ready to create a website that supports your local business, explore Website World.
Build Your Website with Website World
You can also learn more about Website SEO and Website SEO Basics.
