SEO
SEO Questions From The Field – Answered By Experts With 20+ Years In Australia
Two Decades of Australian SEO Experience
Search engine optimisation in Australia has distinct characteristics that separate it from other markets. These answers are based on over 20 years of SEO implementation across Australian businesses, from local service providers to national brands operating across multiple cities.
Addressing Real Australian Business Challenges
The questions here reflect actual challenges faced by Australian companies. Local search dynamics in Sydney differ from Melbourne, Brisbane, or Perth. National businesses face different optimisation requirements than location-specific operations. Industry sectors from professional services to retail, hospitality to trades each present unique SEO considerations.
These responses address those specific scenarios based on proven results across hundreds of Australian websites and campaigns.
Strategic and Technical Depth
The content covers both strategic SEO direction and technical implementation. Questions range from fundamental ranking factors through to complex technical issues, local search optimisation for specific Australian markets, competitive analysis, algorithm update impacts, and industry-specific strategies.
Each answer is written for business owners, marketing managers, and decision-makers who need to understand what will actually move their search rankings and drive qualified traffic. The focus is on strategies that have demonstrated results in the Australian market, not theoretical approaches or overseas case studies with limited local relevance.
This is professional SEO guidance from practitioners who have optimised Australian websites since before Google dominated the market.
Is SEO a good investment in 2026 or should I just pay for Google Ads?
Both Search Engine Optimisation (SEO) and Google Ads are valuable marketing channels in 2026, but they function very differently: Google Ads provides immediate, paid visibility
My SEO company said it will take 6 months – is this true or are they stalling?
A timeframe of 6 months for seeing significant SEO results is plausible, as search engine rankings are influenced by complex algorithms and require consistent effort
How do I know if my SEO company in Australia is doing a good job?
Determining SEO performance relies on tracking data within platforms like Google Search Console and analysing keyword rankings using tools such as Semrush or Ahrefs; a
I’m getting traffic but zero leads or sales – is this an SEO problem?
While high traffic indicates successful keyword ranking, zero leads or sales suggest an issue *beyond* basic Search Engine Optimisation (SEO); it points to a disconnect
My website traffic dropped 50% after a Google update – can I recover?
Yes, recovery is possible, but a significant traffic drop following a Google algorithm update indicates a mismatch between your website’s current performance and Google’s evolving
I hired an SEO company and my rankings got worse – what went wrong?
A drop in rankings after hiring an SEO company often stems from Google’s algorithm updates, particularly its increasing sophistication in identifying and devaluing manipulative SEO
My Google Business Profile was suspended – how do I fix this fast?
A Google Business Profile (GBP) suspension means Google has temporarily or permanently removed your profile from search results due to a violation of its guidelines;
Google Search Console shows “Crawled – currently not indexed” for all my pages – help!
The “Crawled – currently not indexed” status in Google Search Console, as of December 2025, indicates Googlebot has visited your pages but hasn’t yet added
My competitor is outranking me with worse content – what’s happening?
Your competitor may be outranking you despite weaker content due to Google’s evolving Search Generative Experience (SGE) and its increasing reliance on RankBrain, a machine
My website disappeared from Google overnight – is this a penalty or something else?
A sudden disappearance from Google Search isn’t usually a manual penalty, but more commonly relates to indexing issues or significant changes to Google’s core algorithms,
How do I know if my website is penalised by Google Australia?
Determining if your website has received a manual action penalty from Google Australia involves monitoring your site’s performance in Google Search results and checking for
I cannot find my website in Google.com.au – what do I do?
If your website isn’t appearing in Google.com.au search results, it’s likely due to the process Google uses to discover, crawl, and index web pages –
My organic traffic is dropping – what do I do right now?
A drop in organic traffic often signals changes in search engine rankings, and Google’s Search Generative Experience (SGE) – now widely available in Australia as
How to rank higher on Google in Australia 2026?
Ranking higher on Google in Australia in 2026 will increasingly rely on demonstrating Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T) to Google’s systems, particularly through structured data
How long does SEO take to work in Australia 2026?
Google’s AI Overviews, currently appearing at the top of select search results in Australia, are AI-generated summaries created by Google’s Gemini model to directly answer
How do Australian small businesses best prepare their websites for Google’s AI Overviews in 2026?
As of December 2025, Australian small businesses should prioritise creating comprehensive, high-quality content that directly answers user questions to maximise their chances of appearing in
How do Australian small businesses best prepare for Google’s AI Overviews in 2026?
As of December 2025, Australian small businesses must prioritise creating comprehensive, authoritative content that directly answers user queries to perform well in Google’s evolving AI
Is Your Aussie Business Missing Out on Customers Searching Online?
Did you know that an estimated 97% of consumers use online searches to find local businesses? For Australian small and medium businesses (SMBs), this isn’t
Is Your Aussie Business Getting Lost in the Digital Crowd?
Did you know that a staggering 97% of consumers use online searches to find local businesses? For Australian small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), this isn’t
Is Your Aussie Business Being Found Online by the Right Customers?
Did you know that over 90% of Australian online searches are made on Google? For small and medium businesses across the country, this isn’t just