12 Simple SEO Strategies You Can Use Right Now To Boost Your Australian Website's Google Ranking!
Updated 8 May 2024
Australian business owners find that getting visible on Google isn't easy. Those businesses that do rank owe their success from two things:
But you no doubt are asking....
- First, they carefully apply SEO techniques that get them results.
- Second, they through all their weight into expanding these techniques to ensure a sustainable website.
But you no doubt are asking....
- How do I, a business owner, find "SEO techniques" that get results?”
- How will I know when I'm on the right track and not simply wasting my efforts and money?
Small Business Web Design Sydney has worked with 1000+ clients across Australia and has formulated a list of 12 actionable techniques that provide quick SEO wins and work in the long term! We just ask you to put some time aside each day to make your way through our list.
Quick Win 1: Update the content on your website REGULARLY
CONTENT IS KING when it comes to website rankings. The best advice we have is to make sure to only add good quality, descriptive and relevant content to your site. Don't publish rubbish that no one will engage with. Google, and Australian customers, like when you outline relevant details about your business - make sure to have the latest staff profiles visible, publish relevant articles to your business, make useful blog posts, outline your products and services and business news (our clients have the freedom and the access with our easy self-management access to your site).
Why this works
The more quality information you have online, the better the chance of getting found by searchers who use the keywords you are naturally writing about and the Google ranking becomes natural to match your site with their query.
Actionable Quick Win:
1. Schedule 15 minutes per week to make updates to your website, or work on new content that is powerful - for example, if you are a legal firm, prepare a page outlining heplful FAQs that potential clients will find useful.
2. Remember for EFFECTIVE results, SHARE your content so that everyone who needs to know about it, does. This means via email lists, social media.
Why this works
The more quality information you have online, the better the chance of getting found by searchers who use the keywords you are naturally writing about and the Google ranking becomes natural to match your site with their query.
Actionable Quick Win:
1. Schedule 15 minutes per week to make updates to your website, or work on new content that is powerful - for example, if you are a legal firm, prepare a page outlining heplful FAQs that potential clients will find useful.
2. Remember for EFFECTIVE results, SHARE your content so that everyone who needs to know about it, does. This means via email lists, social media.
Quick Win 2. Create a Google places for Business listing
A Google Places for Business listing allows your website to come up on Google with a prominent map and your contact details on the right side of the search results when someone searches for your business. An example from one of our clients can be seen here (you can do this yourself, otherwise we can do this professionally and effective for a one-off fee of $100).
If you already have a listing which was automatically generated by Google, you can connect your listing to your URL. Simple type in your business name and if a map comes up, click “Manage this business”. If it’s not already under management, follow the steps to complete verification.
Why this works
A Google Places/Google My Business page is ESSENTIAL for geo-targeting your business. Your Google page will show up when someone searches for your business name, as well as for your profession i.e. "speech therapist Bondi".
Actionable Quick Win:
1. Go to Google My Business and create an account.
2. For the BEST results, add lots of PHOTOS of your business - your team, your office/building....make it a complete customer experience!
Quick Win 3. Create a social media campaign and use it
Social Media pages provide high quality backlinks (links from other websites to your website), which strengthen its importance for search engine ranking purposes. We strongly encourage you to create and maintain social media pages that can be relevant to your business; the more, the better. While you may think that social media is not relevant for your business, think again. You can almost always find ways to be relevant, and it is to your advantage to do so. For example, share content about happy customers, new products and services etc.
Why this works
Google loves to see active social media accounts, especially those that have a following and interaction.
Actionable Quick Win:
You can create any (or all!) of these social media accounts by following the guidance below:
Essential Information
For more helpful information, please see the SEOMoz Beginner's Guide to Social Media.
Why this works
Google loves to see active social media accounts, especially those that have a following and interaction.
Actionable Quick Win:
You can create any (or all!) of these social media accounts by following the guidance below:
- Facebook Business page (www.facebook.com/pages/create.php) and link your website to the page (free) - Connecting your site to social media provides strong backlinks that Google loves for ranking sites higher and it is also a great way to spread communications about your business developments.
- Twitter: Start tweeting your business news, promotions, offers and whatever else will be of interest to your clients - set up via https://twitter.com/signup
- Google for Business: Local SEO power like no other. Access via https://accounts.google.com/signup?service=mail
- Youtube: Business videos, client interaction or promotional material - upload anything you want, you must sign up for a Google Account first before creating your YouTube profile via https://accounts.google.com/signup?service=mail
- Linkedin: The business professionals calling card - sign up via https://www.linkedin.com/signup
- Other examples include Pinterest, Instagram and Reddit.
Essential Information
- Please note, when you make updates/posts to your social media, make sure you include a link back to your website in order to gain the long-term benefit for ranking purposes.
- It is up to you to maintain regular updates of your social media accounts - the more you put in, the more you will get out of it.
- Google perceives sites that have a lot of social media activity to be better authority sites because they are "interacted" on social media through likes, comments and shares across the web. If this is happening to your site, then you are providing good things that the internet wants to see and social media is one way for Google to measure this.
For more helpful information, please see the SEOMoz Beginner's Guide to Social Media.
Quick Win 4. Network with websites in your industry and cross link your site
This is known as "backlinking" and is the process of exchanging links between sites in your industry. You may want to ask other website owners if you can post a guest blog on their site to share some interesting industry knowledge. When you visit other websites, it's a great idea to contribute thoughtful comments and ideas to articles, blogs and places that encourage sharing. You should request from the owner if they can allow you to include a link back to your site so readers can find you and in exchange it's a great idea to suggest that you will post a link back to their site from your own website.
Why this works
Getting a link back to your site on high quality, high ranking and relevant websites as this is one of the most important things that Google looks for when it's algorithm calculates your ranking. It shows how well networked your site is on the Internet.
Actionable Quick Win:
Why this works
Getting a link back to your site on high quality, high ranking and relevant websites as this is one of the most important things that Google looks for when it's algorithm calculates your ranking. It shows how well networked your site is on the Internet.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Share your website with friends and family via your social media accounts, mention your web address in your email signature and keep awareness of your website high.
- Create useful, industry-specific content and share it within your industry. If you are a Sydney electrician, make sure your website is linked to the relevant electrical authorities. Also, you can create a "power page" that outlines useful electrical tips that has appeal. Whatever you create, just make sure it's creative!
Quick Win 5. List your business on Directory Listings
Research Australian directories and list your business profile on them. Make sure you create a strong profile with a link back to your website and if possible, make use of the additional review features on these sites (see the next tip below). This will help you leverage off the existing traffic from these websites, your business can show up more regularly in search results and you get the benefit of good quality backlinks from these pages to your website.
Important - please do your due diligence before signing up to any paid services from these directories. We do not vouch for any paid services as they can come with mixed results and may not deliver leads as promised. Free listings are generally safe and provide all the necessary benefits for backlinking and search purposes.
Why this works
Business directory websites carry authority and get traffic, so listing on them is an assurance that your business is REAL and ready to hear from customers.
Actionable Quick Win:
Important - please do your due diligence before signing up to any paid services from these directories. We do not vouch for any paid services as they can come with mixed results and may not deliver leads as promised. Free listings are generally safe and provide all the necessary benefits for backlinking and search purposes.
Why this works
Business directory websites carry authority and get traffic, so listing on them is an assurance that your business is REAL and ready to hear from customers.
Actionable Quick Win:
- List your website and business widely - recommended examples include Yellow Pages, TrueLocal, Yelp, HotFrog, StartLocal, Womo, AussieWeb.
- For more examples of directories and more tips on how to create your listings, see this handy SEO tips page for local directories.
Australian 1 Search Engine - Fair dinkum Australian search engine and directory.
Quick Win 6. Gather and present customer testimonials and social proof on third party feedback review websites.
Having third party review sites is critical for SEO value and business verification. Potential customers can check your business is real and reliable, and will engage with your website for longer. Testimonials sell businesses and we rely on them for our business.
Why this works
Your business is real, credible and you have the testimonials to prove it, so make these external proofs visible to give reassurance of your service.
Actionable Quick Win:
Why this works
Your business is real, credible and you have the testimonials to prove it, so make these external proofs visible to give reassurance of your service.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Contact a range of your clients over the last 12 months and request their feedback.
- We recommend setting up Social Media links such as a TrueLocal listing, a Google Plus/Places listing and/or a Facebook Business page with reviews on it, these links are highly valuable to have to your site and more so when there are reviews on there.
- Include the testimonials on your website, share them on your social media pages and link them back to your site from your review pages.
Quick Win 7. Create reassurances, regular discounts and promotions to stimulate interest
Promotions create a sense of urgency for readers to enquiry, especially when the offer is time limited. It's a great idea to write on your website "Call now for our special new customer promotion" or similar. For best results, place your discounts on the top-of-the-fold of your page, so they can be viewed as a user immediately lands on the page without having to scroll down.
By adding reassurances (guarantees) to your work for leads who will approach you. Assurances make your services more enticing and less risky for the potential client, so they are more likely to be interested and get in touch with you when they are comfortable and have low risk.
Why this works
Having a series of promotions and reassurances means viewers will take note of your website, possibly save is a favourite, and generally place more trust in it. Google places better trust in it as well, with positive results.
Actionable Quick Win:
By adding reassurances (guarantees) to your work for leads who will approach you. Assurances make your services more enticing and less risky for the potential client, so they are more likely to be interested and get in touch with you when they are comfortable and have low risk.
Why this works
Having a series of promotions and reassurances means viewers will take note of your website, possibly save is a favourite, and generally place more trust in it. Google places better trust in it as well, with positive results.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Brand your website with offers and reassurances - look at your competitors' websites and see how you can present your service or products better.
- Zone in one promotions that are meaningful and induce reactions. Be inventive, be catchy and be honest.
Quick Win 8. Experiment with “attention grabbing” headlines on your website
This strategy is aimed at getting visitors to stay on your website - strong, convincing headlines can have more impact. When you emphasise the benefits of the offer, make sure offers are compelling (and not unresponsive promotions such as 5% discounts etc). An example may be: "30% Off For All New Customers in April - Call Now For a Free Quote".
Why this works
Having attention headlines make your website more relevant and engaging to browsers, and that combined to deliver a better website experience, and invariably higher rankings.
Actionable Quick Win:
Why this works
Having attention headlines make your website more relevant and engaging to browsers, and that combined to deliver a better website experience, and invariably higher rankings.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Craft some quality heading - be inventive, be catchy and be original on your website.
Quick Win 9. Create clear, prominent and increased calls-to-action on your pages
The effect of having excellent content, promotions and attention-grabbing headlines is limited without prominent calls to action, urging your reader to act or do something - eg "Call now for a free quote", "Email your details and we will get back to you within 24 hours", "Like our Facebook page to win a free prize".
Our web design services ensure we optimise your site displaying phone numbers and enquiry forms, but it can be a matter of personal taste as to how much you want to repeat these and it may not suit all industries to have a sales-focused feel to them.
Why this works
Having leads generated from your website is an immediate measure of your website's success - the more calls, the more effective your website. In saying this, NOT receiving calls prompts action.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Create a series of offers/promises and promote them on your website.
- Measure which ones work (get calls or emails), and which ones don't, and revise your website as needed.
Quick Win 10. Publish a Photo gallery
Visuals on a website are essential for prospective customers to look at. They enhance cognitive engagement with what they are reading and generally have more impact on a user experience. If you have photos of your work, make sure you add them to a gallery on your site to showcase your work.
Why this works
Having a gallery means you can tag your images with relevant titles and keywords, such as "psychologist st kilda" etc to better represent your website. Google loves images on websites, as do browsers, do a gallery that's properly configured delivers a better website experience, and invariably higher rankings.
Actionable Quick Win:
Why this works
Having a gallery means you can tag your images with relevant titles and keywords, such as "psychologist st kilda" etc to better represent your website. Google loves images on websites, as do browsers, do a gallery that's properly configured delivers a better website experience, and invariably higher rankings.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Create an image gallery and insert relevant keywords and tags. Make sure you only include quality images that represent your business.
Quick Win 11. Make a video to upload to Youtube
Videos have been shown to have a higher conversion rate in terms of leading a potential client to call or email you. Consider making a video for your site; as video has a high conversion rate. It also does not have to be too difficult or expensive to create a video, you can try "Fiverr" or "Upwork" for some cheap and good quality introductory videos.
Why this works
Youtube is the second biggest search engine after Google. If you have a popular video in your industry (i.e. "how to ensure you are council compliant for plumbing in Sydney") you will invariably see more popularity in your website.
Actionable Quick Win:
Why this works
Youtube is the second biggest search engine after Google. If you have a popular video in your industry (i.e. "how to ensure you are council compliant for plumbing in Sydney") you will invariably see more popularity in your website.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Compose ideas for a video that would be useful to your industry and its customers. Look at what you are asked frequently, and create content around that for a video.
- Record your video, using an iPhone or similar, make sure it represents your business well and upload it onto Youtube.
- Make sure to link back to your website in the "description" setting, and also fill out all the tags to make sure your video is found and viewed.
Quick Win 12. Change your domain name to an exact match domain for a highly searched keyword
You can change your domain name to an exact match domain for a highly searched keyword. For example a highly searched keyword in your industry may be "Builders Melbourne", so having the domain www.buildersmelbourne.com.au gives it more ranking strength when users search this keyword. Most of the time your business name is most relevant as your domain, however if an 'exact match domain' is still available for registration, it may be worth considering depending on your circumstances. If your chosen domain is available we can register it for you for a one-off fee of $45, and we can offer guidance if you need help making this decision.
Why this works
Having an exact match domain, backed by a quality website will put you overall in a stronger position. For example, if you have two exactly equal websites and one has the domain www.buildersydney.com.au and the other is www.mikejonesltd.com.au it's likely the first domain will serve the website better. This isn't guaranteed nor is there a science, but an EMD can be of benefit.
Actionable Quick Win:
Why this works
Having an exact match domain, backed by a quality website will put you overall in a stronger position. For example, if you have two exactly equal websites and one has the domain www.buildersydney.com.au and the other is www.mikejonesltd.com.au it's likely the first domain will serve the website better. This isn't guaranteed nor is there a science, but an EMD can be of benefit.
Actionable Quick Win:
- Search for a domain on GoDaddy or similar, using keywords for your business industry and location. i.e. check for domains like plumbernewcastle.com.au, accountantbrisbane.com.au etc.
- If you find one that is available, you can re-direct your existing domain to the new domain so there is no loss of traffic from existing users.
Further Resources And Information About SEO:
Always Remember:
- Most importantly, the ranking of a website takes time, often 3-6 months to see an effect.
- Aged websites that are several years old can get more Google preference, so a new website's success can't be controlled unless you implement as many of the below suggestions as possible and focus on quality content that you promote.
- With time and taking advantage of the these suggestions, we can give assurances that your website will have the best chance when it comes to search ranking and client engagement.
