SEO basics for local businesses: a plain-English guide

SEO, or search engine optimisation, has a reputation for being mysterious and full of jargon. For a local business, it's simpler than it sounds: it's about making sure that when someone nearby searches for what you do, Google sees your business as a good answer.

Here are the basics, in plain English.

How Google decides who to show

For local searches, Google broadly weighs up three things:

• Relevance: does your business match what was searched?
• Distance: how close are you to the searcher, or the area they mentioned?
• Prominence: how well known and trusted is your business, based on things like reviews, links and mentions around the web?

You can't change where the searcher is standing, but you can do a lot about relevance and prominence.

1. Know what your customers search for

Keyword research sounds technical, but it's really just finding the words customers use. A homeowner probably searches "geyser repair Durbanville", not "heating system remediation services". Make a list of your main services and the towns you cover, and make sure your website uses those exact phrases naturally.

2. Give each service its own page

A single page listing everything you do is hard for Google to match to specific searches. Separate pages for your main services, each with a clear heading, a helpful description and your service area, give you far more chances to appear.

3. Get the on-page basics right

• Page titles: the blue headline in search results. Include the service and location, e.g. "Emergency Plumber in Centurion | Smith Plumbing".
• Headings: one clear main heading per page that says what the page is about.
• Meta descriptions: the short summary under the title. Write it to persuade someone to click.
• Helpful content: answer the questions customers actually ask. Prices, process, areas, guarantees.

4. Make sure your site is fast and works on phones

Google uses the mobile version of your site to judge it, and slow pages lose visitors. Compress images, avoid bloated themes and plugins, and test your site on your own phone over 4G. Google Search Console will flag pages with problems.

5. Build your local prominence

• Google Business Profile: complete every section and keep it active. See my Business Profile guide.
• Reviews: ask every happy customer, and reply to every review.
• Citations: list your business on reputable directories with exactly the same name, address and phone number everywhere.
• Local links: trade associations, suppliers, local news and community sponsorships can all link to your site.

How long does SEO take?

Usually three to six months to see real movement, sometimes longer in competitive trades or big cities. SEO is a steady build rather than a switch. Anyone promising guaranteed #1 rankings is guessing, because nobody controls Google's results.

What you can do this week

1. Search for your main service and town. Note who appears, and why they might be ahead.
2. Check your Google Business Profile is complete and your hours are right.
3. Ask three recent happy customers for a review.
4. Check your home page title mentions what you do and where.
5. Open your site on your phone. Is your number easy to tap?

Want help?

My SEO service starts from R2,500/month for a local business in one town or area, covering keyword research, on-page and technical SEO, local citations and a monthly ranking report. Every Professional Website also comes with advanced on-page SEO built in from day one.