Great — here’s a compact, actionable local-SEO playbook tailored for small businesses in Melbourne (what to do, why it matters, and a 90‑day plan).

Top-level summary

• The single most important things: a fully-claimed & verified Google Business Profile (GBP), consistent NAP (name/address/phone) citations across the web, strong review/activity signals, and a website optimised for Melbourne/suburb search intent (local pages + LocalBusiness schema). These together drive Map Pack and local SERP visibility. (brightlocal.com, thinklocaldigital.com.au)

Quick checklist (high priority)

1. Claim & verify your Google Business Profile (GBP)

   • Claim the listing for your exact business name. Add categories, services, up-to-date hours, website link, and many high-quality photos. Use GBP Posts for offers/events where relevant. (brightlocal.com)
   • Be prepared for modern verification methods (video, phone, postcard depending on Google). If you’re a service-area or home‑based business, set your listing as a service‑area business and gather supporting proof (site, licence, branded vehicle photos). (searchengineland.com, searchenginejournal.com)

2. Make NAP consistent everywhere (citations)

   • Pick one canonical format of your business name, address and phone, and use it exactly on your website, GBP, local directories and any social pages. In Australia, important local directories include TrueLocal and Yellow Pages — claim/list there (and other niche directories relevant to your trade). These citations help local prominence. (truelocal.com.au, yellowpages.com.au)

3. Reviews and reputation

   • Ask satisfied customers to leave Google reviews (and other platform reviews where relevant). Respond to every review (thank positives; resolve negatives publicly). Review volume, recency and responses all affect local prominence. (thinklocaldigital.com.au, brightlocal.com)

4. Localised website content

   • Create clear contact page and include NAP in site footer.
   • Build location/suburb pages (e.g., “plumber in Fitzroy”, “mechanic in Coburg”) with unique content about the service in that suburb.
   • Use “near me” and suburb-qualified keywords naturally in titles, headings and page copy.

5. Structured data (LocalBusiness schema)

   • Add JSON‑LD LocalBusiness schema on your site location pages (address, geo coordinates, opening hours, telephone, URL). This helps Google understand and surface local info. Test with Google’s Rich Results / Structured Data tools. (developers.google.com)

6. Technical & UX basics

   • Mobile-first responsive design, fast page speed (Core Web Vitals), secure site (HTTPS), crawlable pages and a simple contact form with a local phone number.

7. Local link building & PR

   • Build relationships with local organisations (Chamber of Commerce, suppliers, local bloggers, community events, sponsorships, councils). Local editorial mentions and links increase “prominence.”

8. Track & measure

   • Use Google Business Profile Insights, Google Search Console, and Analytics (or GA4) to monitor impressions, clicks, queries and map actions (calls/directions). Track keyword positions for target suburbs.

Practical 90‑day action plan (prioritised)

Days 1–7 (Immediate / High impact)

• Claim GBP, fill every field (categories, services, business description), add 10+ quality photos, set correct service area or store address, and initiate verification. (brightlocal.com)
• Make sure NAP on the website matches GBP exactly (footer + contact page).
• Add LocalBusiness JSON‑LD to your homepage/contact page (minimum: address, geo, phone, URL, opening hours). Validate it. (developers.google.com)

Days 8–30 (Build foundation)

• Claim/list your business on key Australian directories (TrueLocal, YellowPages, Hotfrog, local trade directories). Ensure consistency. (truelocal.com.au, yellowpages.com.au)
• Create 2–5 suburb-focused pages (short, useful, unique content aimed at real queries).
• Start an outreach list for local partnerships (community sites, suppliers, local press).

Days 31–60 (Reputation & content)

• Launch a review-request system (receipt/email template, SMS or in-person ask). Aim for steady weekly reviews; respond to every review.
• Publish 1–2 helpful blog posts or guides relevant to Melbourne customers (event round-ups, local tips, case studies showing local jobs).
• Add structured data to new pages and re-test.

Days 61–90 (Linking, testing, iterate)

• Reach out for local links and citations (sponsor an event, offer expert comment to local media).
• Check GBP performance (calls, direction requests, search queries). Double down on suburbs that show traction.
• Fix any technical SEO issues shown in Search Console; improve page speed where needed.

Tactics & tips specific to Melbourne / Australian context

• Target suburbs, not just “Melbourne” — many local searches are suburb-level (e.g., “dentist South Yarra”). Build short, unique pages for the busiest suburbs you serve. (brightlocal.com)
• Use Australian directories/networks (TrueLocal, Yellow Pages and other category-specific Australian sites) — claim and keep these up-to-date (some free, some paid). (truelocal.com.au, yellowpages.com.au)
• Be mindful of service-area rules: if you don’t want a public address, use GBP’s service-area settings and prepare supporting evidence for verification. (searchengineland.com)

What to avoid

• Inconsistent NAPs (different phone formats, abbreviations) — this confuses Google.
• Fake or incentivised reviews — they can cause penalties and hurt trust.
• Keyword-stuffing on GBP name (don’t add keywords to your business name field).

Tools that help (suggested)

• Google Business Profile dashboard & Insights (free)
• Google Search Console + Analytics (free)
• Structured Data testing (Google Rich Results Test)
• Citation monitoring / local rank trackers (BrightLocal, Whitespark, or similar — paid tools)
• Local directories: TrueLocal, YellowPages, Hotfrog (claim listings)

Key references (for the most important points)

• Google Local ranking pillars: proximity, relevance and prominence. (brightlocal.com)
• Why reviews, citation consistency and GBP completeness matter. (thinklocaldigital.com.au, brightlocal.com)
• How to add LocalBusiness structured data (official Google Search Central guidance). (developers.google.com)
• Claiming/listing guidance for TrueLocal and Yellow Pages (Australian local directories). (truelocal.com.au, yellowpages.com.au)
• Modern GBP verification (video / phone / postcard variations, service-area guidance). (searchengineland.com, searchenginejournal.com)

If you want, I can:

• Run a quick audit of your current GBP + website for Melbourne optimization (list exact fixes), or
• Draft a GBP description, a review-request email template, and one suburb landing‑page outline you can drop into your website.

Which of those would you like me to do next?