Local SEO is the process of optimising your online presence so your business appears in local search results. It’s important because it helps nearby customers find you on Google Maps and search, boosts your visibility in your service area, and drives more foot traffic and local enquiries from people ready to buy.

At Digital Hitmen, we’ve seen local SEO transform small businesses, from driving 73% more calls for E Eye Place to generating consistent enquiries for Aussie Patio Designs through local intent optimisation.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ve outlined everything you need to know about local SEO (and why it matters).

Quick summary

• •  Local SEO improves your visibility in Google Maps and local search results
• •  It’s essential for attracting customers ready to buy in your area
• •  Google Business Profile optimisation, reviews, and location keywords are key
• •  Results are measurable: more calls, visits, and conversions
• •  Small businesses can compete with larger brands using the right local strategy

What is local SEO?

Local SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) is the process of improving your business’s online visibility for location-based search queries such as “plumber near me” or “Perth cafe.” It focuses on optimising your website, Google Business Profile, and local citations to increase your visibility for nearby searches.

When done correctly, local SEO makes your business show up in three main areas:

1. Google’s local map listings (Map Pack)

2. Organic search results

3. Voice and mobile searches based on proximity

It’s not about tricking algorithms. It’s about helping real people find you faster, with trust and accuracy.

How does local SEO work?

Google determines local rankings using three main factors: relevance, distance, and prominence.

• •  Relevance: How well your listing or website matches the search query. Using accurate categories, keywords, and services on your Google Business Profile improves this.
• •  Distance: How close your business is to the person searching. Optimising your service areas helps Google understand your reach.
• •  Prominence: How well-known your business is online, driven by reviews, backlinks, and local mentions.

Optimising each of these signals tells Google your business is legitimate, trusted, and relevant to local customers.

Why local SEO matters for your business

Local SEO benefits businesses of every size. Whether you’re a local startup, a growing SME, or a multi-location brand, the ability to rank where your customers are searching directly affects your bottom line.

If you’re running a small business, you can explore our local SEO guide for small businesses for practical insights. Below, we outline how businesses of different sizes achieve measurable growth through the right local strategy.

1. It drives real local customers

Local SEO connects you with customers who are ready to act. When someone searches “electrician near me” or “physio Perth,” they’re not researching, they’re ready to buy or book.

For small businesses, local SEO can be the difference between competing or disappearing. Our campaign for Physio & Exercise Lab proved this. By targeting condition-specific keywords such as “vestibular physio Perth” and optimising their Google Business Profile, we helped the clinic achieve a 567% traffic increase and 63% more bookings through organic search.

For larger businesses, the same principle applies. Our Elite Tune campaign focused on high-value performance tuning services. Through precise keyword mapping and local intent optimisation, we achieved a 73% increase in calls and a 678% ROI, showing that enterprise-level businesses also benefit when local visibility is engineered with precision.

2. It boosts visibility and trust

Your Google Business Profile acts as a digital storefront for your business. A well-optimised profile with reviews, categories, and visual branding builds credibility and earns clicks.

• •  Small and medium businesses gain local recognition and repeat customers by appearing in the Map Pack for high-intent searches.
• •  Larger brands use local SEO to maintain consistency across multiple locations, reinforcing trust and visibility at scale.

At Digital Hitmen, we refine every Google Business Profile to highlight expertise, quality, and accessibility, building the kind of trust that drives conversions.

3. It supports sustainable growth

Paid ads stop performing the moment your budget ends. Local SEO builds long-term visibility that compounds over time. Each review, page, and backlink strengthens your authority and lowers future acquisition costs.

Whether you’re focused on local growth or regional expansion, local SEO provides lasting visibility that paid campaigns can’t sustain.

4. It’s measurable and cost-effective

Every local SEO activity can be tracked, from keyword rankings to calls, direction requests, and form submissions.

• •  Small businesses often see immediate returns through increased call volume and local visibility.
• •  Larger businesses benefit from measurable results across multiple locations and campaigns.

Local SEO is one of the most effective and scalable ways to connect your brand with customers already searching for your services. Whether you’re a local clinic or a nationwide company, the result is the same: higher visibility, stronger trust, and more customers who convert. 

Key elements of a strong local SEO strategy

At Digital Hitmen, our local SEO services combine technical precision with location-driven optimisation. Here’s what makes it work:

1. Google Business Profile optimisation

Refine categories, add service areas, photos, and accurate contact details. Encourage reviews and respond to them regularly.

2. Local keyword targeting

Focus on location-based terms such as “SEO Perth” or “physio in Fremantle.” We target these across site content, meta tags, and headings.

3. Schema markup

Implement LocalBusiness schema to help search engines understand your business location, opening hours, and services.

4. NAP consistency

Your name, address, and phone number must match across your website, Google, and directories. Inconsistency confuses both users and Google.

5. Local backlinks

Earn links from community organisations, industry directories, and local blogs to increase authority and visibility.

6. Reputation management

Proactively collect and manage reviews to enhance trust and ranking signals.

Common local SEO mistakes to avoid

Even small errors can limit your visibility. Watch out for:

• •  Using inconsistent business names or addresses across platforms
• •  Stuffing city names unnaturally into content
• •  Ignoring Google reviews or failing to respond
• •  Forgetting to add service areas to your Google Business Profile
• •  Relying only on paid ads without building organic visibility

•  Fixing these issues is often enough to see noticeable ranking improvements.

How to measure local SEO success

Local SEO performance isn’t guesswork. Track these metrics to measure progress:

• •  Calls, direction requests, and website clicks from your Google Business Profile
• •  Organic traffic and conversions through GA4
• •  Growth in Map Pack and local search rankings
• •  Review volume and customer engagement

We monitor all of these to fine-tune your strategy and demonstrate real business outcomes.

See local SEO in action (real results)

Our campaigns for E Eye Place and Aussie Patio Designs show what happens when local SEO is executed with precision.

• •  E Eye Place: Optimising their Google Business Profile and on-page SEO led to a 46% increase in calls and stronger Map Pack visibility.
• •  Aussie Patio Designs: Strategic keyword targeting and content architecture delivered consistent local enquiries and helped dominate the Perth patio market.

These results prove that when strategy aligns with search intent, visibility and leads follow.

How local SEO fits into your broader marketing strategy

Local SEO is one part of a holistic approach. When combined with a comprehensive SEO campaign including content marketing and conversion optimisation, it amplifies your overall visibility.

For small and medium-sized businesses, this integrated strategy builds trust, authority, and predictable lead flow without relying solely on paid media.

Boost your local SEO

After hundreds of local SEO campaigns across Perth and regional WA, we’ve learned that every suburb behaves differently online. 

For example, refining a client’s Google Business Profile categories and service areas increased Map Pack visibility within three weeks.

In another, adding LocalBusiness schema and encouraging reviews resulted in a 46% rise in calls.

Small, targeted adjustments often deliver big returns when they’re backed by data and search intent.

If you want to dominate your local market, let’s talk about what a tailored local SEO strategy could do for your business.

Matt Lenzo is an SEO Executive at Digital Hitmen with 3 years of hands-on experience helping businesses convert search visibility into genuine enquiries. He focuses on local SEO and has a strong interest in supporting clients in the health sector and trade-based industries.