SEO4 min readChapter 4

SEO Basics: Getting Found on Google

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimisation. In plain English: making your website show up when people search for what you offer. It's not magic, and it's not as complicated as the industry makes it sound.

How Google Actually Works

Google sends out "crawlers" — little bots that visit every page on the internet, read the content, and decide what each page is about. When someone searches for something, Google tries to show the most relevant, trustworthy results.

Your job is to make it easy for Google to understand what your business does and why you're the best option in Raglan.

Local SEO vs Regular SEO

For a business in Raglan, local SEO is what matters. You're not competing with businesses in Auckland or Wellington — you're competing with other businesses in your area.

Local SEO factors (in order of importance):

  • Google Business Profile (covered in Chapter 1)
  • On-page SEO (what's on your website)
  • Reviews (quantity, quality, and recency)
  • Citations (your business listed on other websites)
  • Backlinks (other websites linking to yours)

    • On-Page SEO: The Basics

    Title Tags

    Every page on your website has a title tag — it's what shows up in Google search results as the clickable headline.

    Bad: "Home | My Business"

    Good: "Raglan's Best Coffee & Brunch | The Morning Fix Cafe"

    Include your location and main keyword naturally.

    Meta Descriptions

    The short description under your title in search results. Think of it as a mini ad for your page.

    Bad: "Welcome to our website. We offer many services."

    Good: "Family-owned cafe in Raglan serving locally roasted coffee, fresh brunch, and the best ocean views in town. Open 7 days."

    Headings (H1, H2, H3)

    Use headings to structure your content. Your main heading (H1) should include your primary keyword. Sub-headings (H2, H3) help Google understand your page structure.

    Content

    Google loves helpful, original content. For each service page:

  • Write at least 300 words
  • Include your location naturally ("here in Raglan", "serving the Waikato region")
  • Answer common questions your customers ask
  • Use simple, natural language

    • Images

  • Name your image files descriptively ("raglan-cafe-ocean-view.jpg" not "IMG_4521.jpg")
  • Add alt text to every image (a short description of what's in the image)
  • Compress images for fast loading

    • Citations: Get Listed Everywhere

    A citation is any mention of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) online. Consistency is critical — the same name, address, and phone number everywhere.

    Essential NZ citations:

  • Google Business Profile
  • Yellow Pages NZ (yellow.co.nz)
  • NZ Locallist
  • Facebook Business Page
  • Apple Maps
  • Bing Places

    • Industry-specific directories for your niche (tourism, hospitality, trades, etc.)

    Getting Reviews

    We covered this in the Google Business chapter, but it's worth repeating: reviews are massive for local SEO.

    Quick wins:

  • Add your Google review link to your email signature
  • Print a QR code for your counter or receipt
  • Send a follow-up text/email after service with the review link
  • Respond to every single review

    • Content Marketing (Blogging)

    A blog isn't just for fun — it's an SEO machine. Every blog post is a new page Google can index, and a new opportunity to rank for relevant searches.

    Blog ideas for local businesses:

  • "Best [your category] in Raglan" guides
  • Seasonal content ("Summer in Raglan: What's On")
  • How-to content related to your industry
  • Local event coverage
  • Customer stories and case studies

    • What to Avoid

  • Keyword stuffing — Writing "best cafe Raglan coffee Raglan brunch Raglan" over and over. Google hates this.
  • Duplicate content — Don't copy text from other websites
  • Buying backlinks — Google will penalise you
  • Ignoring mobile — Google uses mobile-first indexing
  • Expecting overnight results — SEO takes 3-6 months to show real results

    • Track Your Progress

    Set up Google Search Console (free) to see:

  • What searches bring people to your site
  • How often you appear in search results
  • Which pages perform best
  • Any technical issues Google has found

    • Google Analytics (also free) shows you:

  • How many visitors your website gets
  • Where they come from
  • What pages they visit
  • How long they stay

    • The Bottom Line

    SEO isn't a one-time thing. It's an ongoing process of creating helpful content, keeping your information consistent, and building trust with both Google and your community.

    Start with the basics in this guide, and you'll already be ahead of most local businesses.

    Want a professional SEO audit of your website? Get in touch — we'll show you exactly where you stand and what to fix first.

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