If you’re a Western Sydney business owner and you’re not showing up when locals search “near me” on Google, you’re missing out on customers who are ready to buy right now. Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is the single most important tool for getting found by local customers in the Hills District, Blacktown, and surrounding areas.
The good news? Google has rolled out some significant updates in 2024 that make it easier than ever for local businesses to stand out. Even better, setting up and optimizing your profile properly takes less time than you’d think—and the results can transform your business.
In this guide, I’ll walk you through everything Western Sydney businesses need to know about Google Business Profile in 2024, including the latest features, step-by-step optimization strategies, and local ranking factors that matter most for Hills District and Blacktown businesses.
Why Your Google Business Profile Matters More Than Ever in 2024
Google processes over 8 billion searches every single day, and a huge percentage of those are local searches—people looking for businesses “near me” or in specific suburbs like Castle Hill, Bella Vista, or Parramatta. When someone searches for what you offer, your Google Business Profile is often the first thing they see, appearing in Google Maps and the local “3-pack” at the top of search results.
Here’s why this matters for Western Sydney businesses right now: Google’s 2024 updates have made local search even more prominent. The search giant is prioritizing businesses that keep their profiles up-to-date, respond to customers, and provide accurate information. If your competitor down the road has optimized their profile and you haven’t, guess who’s getting the phone calls?
Local businesses in Western Sydney face unique opportunities. Areas like the Hills District and Blacktown have strong “shop local” communities, active Facebook groups, and customers who prefer supporting local businesses over big chains. Your Google Business Profile helps you connect with these customers exactly when they’re looking for what you offer.
What’s changed in 2024: Google has introduced new AI-powered features, enhanced review management tools, and better ways to showcase your products and services. These updates give small businesses in Western Sydney more power to compete—if you know how to use them.
Setting Up Your Google Business Profile the Right Way
If you haven’t claimed your Google Business Profile yet, start here. If you already have one, skip ahead to the optimization section to make sure you’re using all the latest features.
Step 1: Claim or Create Your Profile
- Go to google.com/business and sign in with your Google account
- Click “Manage now” and enter your business name
- Choose your business category (be specific—“Plumber” is better than “Home Services”)
- Add your physical address if customers visit your location, or select “I deliver goods and services to my customers” if you’re a mobile business
For Western Sydney businesses: Make sure your address is accurate and complete. Include the suburb (e.g., “123 Windsor Road, Bella Vista NSW 2153”) so you appear in local searches.
Step 2: Verify Your Business
Google needs to verify you’re the actual business owner. You’ll typically receive a postcard with a verification code at your business address within 5-7 days. Some businesses may qualify for instant verification via email or phone.
Pro Tip: Don’t make any major changes to your profile until after verification. Google can reset your verification status if they detect unusual activity.
Step 3: Complete Every Section
This is where most Western Sydney businesses drop the ball. A complete profile performs significantly better than a partial one. Here’s what you need to fill out:
Business Name: Use your actual registered business name. Don’t stuff keywords here (like “Castle Hill Plumbing | 24/7 Emergency Plumber”)—Google can penalize you for that.
Address: Use your exact physical address. If you serve customers at their location, you can set a service area covering Western Sydney suburbs.
Phone Number: Use a local number if possible. Western Sydney customers appreciate seeing a familiar area code.
Website: Link to your actual website, not your Facebook page. If you don’t have a website yet, consider getting one—it boosts your credibility significantly.
Hours: Keep these accurate and update them for public holidays. Nothing frustrates customers more than driving to a business that’s actually closed.
Business Description: You get 750 characters to describe what you do. Use natural language and mention Western Sydney if that’s your service area. Example: “Family-owned electrical services serving Castle Hill, Bella Vista, and the Hills District since 2010. We specialize in residential repairs, LED upgrades, and safety inspections.”
The 2024 Features That Western Sydney Businesses Need to Use
Google has added several powerful features this year that make your profile more attractive and functional for local customers.
Product and Service Listings
You can now add specific services with prices directly to your profile. For example, a Blacktown plumber might list:
- Emergency callout: $150
- Toilet repairs: From $120
- Hot water system installation: From $900
This transparency helps customers know what to expect and filters out price shoppers if you’re a premium provider. You can add up to 100 services, each with a description, price range, and even photos.
How to add services: In your Google Business Profile dashboard, go to “Products” or “Services” (the menu name depends on your business type) and click “Add product” or “Add service.”
Business Updates and Posts
Think of this like a mini social media feed on your Google listing. You can post special offers, events, new products, or general updates. These appear directly in your profile and can help you stand out in search results.
What works for Western Sydney businesses: Post about local events you’re attending, seasonal offers (“Beat the Sydney winter with our heating service special”), or community involvement (“Proud sponsor of Castle Hill Little Athletics”).
Posts stay visible for 7 days, so update them weekly if you can. Even one post per week shows Google—and your customers—that your business is active and engaged.
Enhanced Q&A Section
Customers can now ask questions directly on your profile, and your answers appear publicly. This is a gold mine for local SEO because Google reads these Q&As as additional content about your business.
Pro strategy: Don’t wait for questions—add your own. Think about common questions Western Sydney customers ask:
- “Do you service the Hills District?”
- “Are you available on weekends?”
- “Do you offer free quotes?”
Answer these yourself to preemptively address customer concerns and include valuable keywords naturally.
Optimization Strategies for Local Rankings in Western Sydney
Having a complete profile is great, but optimizing it for local search is what gets you to the top of results when people search in your area.
The NAP Consistency Rule
NAP stands for Name, Address, Phone number. These three pieces of information need to be identical everywhere they appear online—your Google Business Profile, your website, social media, online directories, everywhere.
If your Google profile says “123 Windsor Rd” but your website says “123 Windsor Road,” Google gets confused about whether they’re the same business. Fix any inconsistencies you find.
Choose the Right Categories
Your primary category is crucial—it tells Google what you do. Choose the most specific category that describes your main business. You can add secondary categories too.
Example for a Hills District cafe:
- Primary: Cafe
- Secondary: Breakfast restaurant, Coffee shop
Example for a Blacktown electrician:
- Primary: Electrician
- Secondary: Emergency electrician, Lighting contractor
Avoid the temptation to choose categories you don’t actually serve. Google is smart enough to figure it out, and you’ll hurt your rankings.
Get More Google Reviews (The Right Way)
Reviews are one of the strongest ranking factors for local search. Businesses with more positive reviews rank higher and get more clicks. Here’s how to get them:
Ask at the right time: When a customer is happy with your service, ask them right then if they’d leave a review. Don’t wait until later—they’ll forget.
Make it easy: Send them a direct link to your review form. You can find this link in your Google Business Profile under “Get more reviews.”
Respond to every review: Both positive and negative. Thank customers for positive reviews. For negative reviews, apologize, address their concern, and offer to make it right. This shows potential customers that you care about service quality.
Never buy reviews: Google will catch you and can suspend your profile. It’s not worth the risk.
Use High-Quality Photos
Profiles with photos get 42% more requests for directions and 35% more clicks through to websites. Here’s what to upload:
- Logo: Clear, professional, on a transparent or white background
- Cover photo: Your storefront, team, or best product
- Interior and exterior photos: Help customers know what to expect
- Product/service photos: Show your work—finished projects, products, your team in action
- Team photos: Put a face to your business
Photo tips for Western Sydney businesses: Take photos in good lighting, avoid blurry shots from phones, and update them seasonally. If you’re at a Hills District location, consider photos that show local landmarks in the background to reinforce your local presence.
Understanding Local Ranking Factors in 2024
Google uses three main factors to determine which businesses appear in local search results:
1. Relevance
How well does your business match what the searcher is looking for? This is why your categories, business description, and services matter. Use natural language that matches how Western Sydney customers actually search.
If customers search “emergency plumber Blacktown,” make sure “emergency” and “Blacktown” appear naturally in your profile.
2. Distance
How far is your business from the searcher’s location? You can’t change your physical location, but you can set service areas to appear in searches across multiple Western Sydney suburbs.
Under your business address, you can list service areas like “Castle Hill, Bella Vista, Baulkham Hills, Rouse Hill” to indicate where you work.
3. Prominence
How well-known is your business? Google measures this through:
- Number and quality of reviews
- Links from other websites
- Your presence in online directories
- How often people search for your business by name
Building prominence takes time, but consistently asking for reviews, getting listed in local directories, and being active in the Western Sydney business community all help.
Common Mistakes Western Sydney Businesses Make
After helping dozens of local businesses optimize their Google profiles, I’ve seen these mistakes repeatedly:
Inconsistent business hours: Forgetting to update hours for public holidays or permanently changed schedules. Set a reminder to review your hours quarterly.
Ignoring the dashboard: Google posts insights about how people find and interact with your profile. Check it monthly to see what’s working.
Not using all the features: If you’re not using posts, Q&A, products, and photos, you’re making it harder for customers to choose you.
Keyword stuffing: Don’t add keywords unnaturally to your business name or description. Google’s algorithm is sophisticated enough to penalize this.
Neglecting negative reviews: Ignoring bad reviews makes them more visible. Responding professionally shows you care and often converts the reviewer into a repeat customer.
Getting Found by Western Sydney Customers: Your Action Plan
Here’s your step-by-step plan to optimize your Google Business Profile starting today:
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Week 1: Claim or verify your profile if you haven’t already. Complete every section of your profile with accurate information.
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Week 2: Add at least 10 high-quality photos covering your logo, storefront, products/services, and team. Upload your service list with accurate pricing.
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Week 3: Start asking happy customers for reviews. Set a goal of getting 5 reviews in the next month. Respond to all existing reviews.
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Week 4: Create your first Google post about a special offer, event, or company update. Set a weekly reminder to post something new.
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Ongoing: Check your Google Business Profile dashboard monthly. Respond to reviews within 24 hours. Update hours, services, and photos as your business evolves.
Time investment: Initial setup and optimization takes about 2-3 hours total. Ongoing maintenance is 15-30 minutes per week.
Expected results: Most Western Sydney businesses see increased profile views within 2-3 weeks and more customer actions (calls, direction requests, website clicks) within 4-6 weeks.
What’s Next for Local Search in Western Sydney
Google continues to prioritize local search results, and 2024’s updates show they’re committed to helping small businesses compete. The businesses that win are the ones that keep their profiles updated, engage with customers through reviews and posts, and provide accurate, helpful information.
For Western Sydney businesses specifically, the “shop local” trend continues to grow stronger. Customers actively want to support local businesses in the Hills District, Blacktown, and surrounding areas—your Google Business Profile is how they find you.
Start with the basics: claim your profile, complete every section, and ask for reviews. Those three things alone will put you ahead of most of your local competition. Then build on that foundation by posting regularly, adding photos, and staying engaged with customer questions.
The best time to optimize your Google Business Profile was six months ago. The second best time is right now.
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