Local SEO for tradies
8 min read · Updated
When someone searches “plumber near me” or “electrician Parramatta”, Google shows a map with three businesses, then a list of websites. Getting into those results is what local SEO is about. For most tradies, it’s worth more than any other kind of marketing, because the people searching need someone now.
Here’s what actually makes a difference, in rough order of impact.
1. Your Google Business Profile
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that shows on Google Maps and in the map results. For local searches, it matters as much as your website.
Get the basics right:
- Claim and verify it if you haven’t already.
- Choose the right primary category. “Plumber” beats “Contractor”. Add secondary categories for other work you do.
- Set your service area to the suburbs you actually cover. Service-area businesses can hide their street address.
- Add real photos of your work, your van and your team. Profiles with photos get far more clicks.
- Keep hours and phone number accurate, and make sure they match your website exactly.
2. Reviews
Reviews are one of the strongest local ranking signals, and they’re what convinces people to call. You don’t need hundreds. You need a steady stream of recent, genuine ones.
- Ask every happy customer, ideally with a direct link sent by text straight after the job.
- Reply to every review, good and bad. A calm, helpful reply to a bad review reassures future customers more than a perfect score.
- Show reviews on your website too. It helps visitors who land on your site first, and AI tools that read your pages.
Never buy fake reviews. Google removes them, and the ACCC takes fake reviews seriously.
3. Say what you do and where, clearly
Google, and increasingly AI tools like ChatGPT, need to understand two things from your website: what you do and where you do it. Many tradie websites are surprisingly vague on both.
- Put your trade and main area in your homepage heading, like “Emergency plumber in Parramatta and the Hills District”.
- List the suburbs you service somewhere on your site. A simple “Areas we service” section is enough.
- Include your phone number and address (or service area) in the same format as your Google Business Profile.
4. A page for each main service
If you do blocked drains, hot water systems and bathroom renovations, give each its own page. Someone searching “hot water system replacement” wants to land on a page about exactly that, not a general services page.
Each service page should say what’s involved, roughly what it costs or what affects the price, how quickly you can come out, and the areas you cover. Add a photo or two of real jobs and a clear way to call.
5. Page titles and descriptions
Each page has a title (the blue link in Google) and a description (the text under it). These are small but they decide whether people click.
- Titles should include the service and area, like “Blocked Drains Parramatta | Same-Day Plumber | Smith Plumbing”. Keep them under about 60 characters.
- Descriptions should give a reason to click, like “Blocked drain? We’re usually there within 2 hours across Parramatta and the Hills. Upfront pricing, no call-out fee.” Around 150 characters.
Our guide to meta descriptions explains this in more detail.
6. Make your site work on phones
Most people searching for a tradie are on their phone, often in a hurry. If your site is slow or your phone number isn’t tappable, they’ll go back and pick the next result.
- Make your phone number a tap-to-call link, and put it at the top of every page. See making your phone number easy to tap.
- Check your site loads in under about 3 seconds on mobile.
- Make sure buttons are big enough to hit with a thumb.
7. Get mentioned elsewhere
Google trusts businesses that other sites mention. Local directories, your suppliers’ “find an installer” pages, industry associations and local news all count. Keep your name, address and phone number the same everywhere.
What not to worry about
Local SEO attracts a lot of advice that doesn’t matter much for a small trade business. You don’t need to blog every week, chase hundreds of backlinks or create a page for every suburb in the state. Get the basics above right and keep the reviews coming.
Check where you stand
A free scan checks the website side of local SEO: page titles, descriptions, headings, whether Google can index your pages, structured business details and whether your site says where you work. It takes about a minute and lists what to fix first. Read more about the SEO audit, or see our website audit for tradies.
Want the full picture? See what our free SEO audit checks
Common questions
How long does local SEO take to work?
Some changes, like fixing your Google Business Profile, can help within days. Website changes usually take a few weeks to show, because Google needs to re-read your pages. Reviews build up over months.
Should I make a page for every suburb?
Only if you have something genuinely different to say about each one. Dozens of near-identical suburb pages can hurt more than help. A clear list of areas you service, plus pages for your main hubs, is usually enough.
Do I need to pay for Google Ads to show up?
No. The map listings and normal results are free. Ads can bring in work faster, but they stop the moment you stop paying, while good local SEO keeps working.
Can I do local SEO myself?
A lot of it, yes. Setting up your Google Business Profile, asking for reviews and adding your service areas to your website are all do-it-yourself jobs. Technical fixes may need your web person.