THE SIMPLE VERSION
SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization. Fancy term for "making your business show up when people Google stuff you do."
That's it. No mystery. You want to be visible when someone searches for "plumber near me" or "Bairnsdale hairdresser" or whatever your thing is.
The rest is just figuring out what Google actually cares about. And it's not as complicated as the "experts" make it sound.
LOCAL VS EVERYTHING ELSE
Here's the thing — if you're a local business, you don't need to worry about most SEO advice on the internet.
Those articles about backlinks and domain authority and all that? That's for big companies trying to rank nationally. You're not competing with them.
You're competing with the three other plumbers in Mallacoola. Or the cafe down the street. Different game entirely.
Local SEO is simpler, faster, and way more effective for small businesses. It's what I focus on, because it's what actually matters out here in regional Victoria.
WHAT GOOGLE LOOKS AT
For local businesses, Google cares about three main things:
Your Google Business Profile. This is the big one. If you don't have it set up properly, nothing else matters. It's the panel that shows up on the right when someone Googles your business name. Here's how to set it up right.
Reviews. More reviews, better ranking. Simple as that. Good reviews, bad reviews — doesn't matter as much as quantity. But yeah, obviously good ones help more.
Your website. Doesn't need to be fancy. Just needs to exist, load fast, work on mobile, and mention where you are and what you do. That's enough.
Those three things will get you 90% of the way there. Everything else is bonus.
WHY IT MATTERS
Because that's how people find you now. Yellow Pages are dead. Facebook ads are expensive. Word of mouth is great but slow.
Google is where people go when they need something right now. And if you're not there, your competitor is.
Real example: I set up Studio at 65's Google Business Profile properly, got them to #1 for "Mallacoola hairdresser." They got 274 clicks from Google in November. That's 274 people who might not have found them otherwise.
That's what SEO does. It puts you in front of people who are already looking for what you offer.
WHAT YOU CAN DO YOURSELF
Honestly? Most of it.
Set up your Google Business Profile. Fill it out completely. Add photos. Ask customers for reviews. Reply to every review you get.
Post on your Google Business Profile once a week. Doesn't need to be fancy — a photo of a recent job, a quick update, whatever. Just show Google you're active.
Make sure your website says where you are and what you do. Use your town name on the page. That's it.
Those basics will get you further than most businesses bother to go.
WHEN YOU NEED HELP
You'll know when DIY stops working. You've done everything above and you're still not showing up. Or you're showing up but getting beaten by competitors who don't deserve it.
That's when there's probably something technical going on. Duplicate listings, broken website links, inconsistent info across the internet — stuff that takes time to track down and fix.
Or maybe you just don't want to deal with it. Fair enough. It's not everyone's thing.
That's what I'm here for. I can do a free audit and tell you exactly what's holding you back. And if you're already doing it right? I'll tell you that too.
THE BOTTOM LINE
SEO isn't magic. It's just showing up where your customers are looking.
For local businesses, that means Google Maps, Google Business Profile, and a basic website that works.
Do those things properly and you'll outrank 80% of your competitors. Because most businesses don't even bother with the basics.
Want help getting it sorted? Chat with me here →