Get found on Google: SEO basics for NZ SMEs

How to find your keywords:

• Start typing your service into Google and note the autocomplete suggestions
• Look at "People also ask" boxes on search results
• Check "Related searches" at the bottom of Google results
• Ask existing customers: "How did you find us?" or "What did you search for?"
• Use free tools: Google Keyword Planner, AnswerThePublic, Ubersuggest

Local keyword modifiers for NZ:

Most NZ small businesses should target local keywords. Add location modifiers:

• "electrician new plymouth" (not just "electrician")
• "cafe taranaki"
• "accountant wellington"
• "physio lower hutt"
• "builder nz" (broader, but still local)

Competition drops dramatically when you add location. You can rank for "plumber porirua" far easier than "plumber nz".

Long-tail keywords (your secret weapon):

Instead of targeting broad terms (hard to rank), target specific long-tail phrases:

• "emergency electrician new plymouth weekend"
• "how much does rewiring cost nz"
• "best cafe for laptop work wellington"
• "mobile massage therapist home visits auckland"

Lower search volume, but higher intent and easier to rank. 10 long-tail rankings beat 1 competitive ranking every time.

Page title (most important)

Your page title appears in browser tabs and Google search results. It should include your primary keyword and location.

Formula: [Primary Keyword] + [Location] + [Brand/Differentiator] | Keep under 60 characters

Meta description

Appears under your page title in search results. Doesn't directly affect rankings but hugely impacts click-through rate.

Formula: What you do + Location + Key benefit + Call-to-action | Keep under 155 characters

Heading structure (H1, H2, H3)

One H1 per page (your main heading, should match your page title). Multiple H2s for major sections. H3s for subsections under H2s. Keep it logical and hierarchical.

Example structure:

What are Core Web Vitals?

Three metrics Google uses to measure user experience:

• LCP (Largest Contentful Paint): How long until main content loads. Target: under 2.5 seconds.
• FID (First Input Delay): How quickly site responds to clicks. Target: under 100ms.
• CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift): How much page jumps around while loading. Target: under 0.1.

Test your site at pagespeed.web.dev. If you're scoring under 50 on mobile, you're losing rankings and customers.

Quick mobile speed fixes:

• Compress all images (use TinyPNG or Squoosh)
• Enable browser caching
• Remove unused plugins (WordPress sites)
• Use a CDN (Cloudflare is free)
• Lazy-load images below the fold
• Minimise JavaScript and CSS

Why JAMstack sites score 95-100:

Pre-rendered HTML served from a global CDN. No database queries, no server processing, no plugin overhead. It's architecturally impossible to be slow. This is why we build with Astro/JAMstack.

Google Business Profile (critical)

Your Google Business Profile appears in Maps and local search results. Optimise it:

• Complete every section (hours, phone, address, categories)
• Add 10+ quality photos
• Get 15+ reviews with 4.5+ star average
• Post weekly updates (photos, offers, news)
• Respond to all reviews within 48 hours

NAP consistency (Name, Address, Phone)

Your business name, address, and phone must be identical across your website, Google Business Profile, and all directories. Even small differences ("St" vs "Street") confuse Google.

Use the exact same format everywhere. Pick one version and stick to it religiously.

Local structured data (schema markup)

Add LocalBusiness schema to your website with your address, phone, hours, and service area. This helps Google understand you're a local business and show you in local results.

Most NZ small business websites don't have this. Adding it gives you an immediate edge.

Service area pages

Create separate pages for each area you serve. A Wellington plumber should have pages for Wellington CBD, Lower Hutt, Porirua, Upper Hutt—not just one generic page. Each targets different local searches.

Write for humans first, Google second

Don't stuff keywords unnaturally. Write clear, helpful content that answers customer questions. Google's algorithm is sophisticated enough to understand synonyms and context.

Good: "We provide emergency electrical services across New Plymouth and Taranaki..." Bad: "Emergency electrician New Plymouth electrician Taranaki electrical services..."

Content length guidelines:

• Homepage: 300-600 words
• Service pages: 400-800 words
• Blog posts/guides: 1,000-2,000 words
• Location pages: 500-800 words

Quality over quantity. 400 words of clear, helpful content beats 1,500 words of fluff.

Internal linking

Link related pages together. Your service page should link to relevant blog posts. Blog posts should link to service pages. This helps Google understand your site structure and keeps visitors engaged longer.

Use descriptive anchor text: "our emergency electrical services" not "click here".

External links (backlinks)

Links from other websites to yours signal authority. For NZ small businesses, get listed in:

• Local directories (Yellow Pages, Finda, Localist)
• Industry directories (NoCowboys for trades, etc.)
• Chamber of Commerce
• Local news mentions (sponsor events, get featured)
• Supplier or partner websites

How long does SEO take?

Realistic timeline: 2-4 months to see meaningful results for local keywords, 6-12 months for more competitive terms. SEO is a marathon, not a sprint. But unlike paid ads, results compound—rankings you earn in month 6 keep delivering in month 18.

Do I need a blog?

Not essential to start. Your service and location pages are more important. Add a blog later when you have time to publish consistently (minimum monthly). One great page beats ten mediocre blog posts.

What's the best local SEO quick win?

Optimise your Google Business Profile completely (2 hours work) and get 10 reviews (2-3 weeks). This alone can put you in the top 3 local results. Easier than any other SEO tactic and delivers faster results.

How do I track rankings?

Google Search Console shows average position for your keywords (free). For more detailed tracking, use tools like SEMrush, Ahrefs, or SERPWatcher (paid, $30-100/month). Start with Search Console—it's enough for most small businesses.