SEO for Melbourne Tradies

Keywords: What Customers Search

Trade searches are often urgent — burst pipes, power outages, broken locks. Being visible in emergencies is crucial. Here's what Melbourne customers are searching:

Keyword	Monthly Volume	Competition	Avg CPC
plumber near me	8,100	High	$18.50
electrician melbourne	2,900	High	$15.20
plumber melbourne	2,400	High	$16.80
emergency plumber melbourne	880	High	$24.50
locksmith melbourne	1,600	High	$12.40
carpenter melbourne	1,300	Medium	$8.60

Lower Competition Opportunities

Real SEO Examples: Who's Doing It Right (And Wrong)

Let's look at real Melbourne trade businesses and analyse what makes their SEO work — or fail. Learn from their successes and avoid their mistakes.

Your First 30 Days: Step-by-Step Implementation

Don't try to do everything at once. Here's the priority order that gets results fastest:

Schema Markup: Ready-to-Use Code

Schema markup helps Google understand your business and can get you rich snippets in search results. Copy this code and customise it for your business:

LocalBusiness Schema (Required)

Add this to your homepage. Replace the placeholder values with your actual information:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Plumber",
  "name": "Your Business Name",
  "description": "Licensed plumber servicing Melbourne's eastern suburbs. Emergency callouts, hot water, blocked drains.",
  "url": "https://yourdomain.com.au",
  "telephone": "+61-3-XXXX-XXXX",
  "email": "info@yourdomain.com.au",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "Your Street Address",
    "addressLocality": "Melbourne",
    "addressRegion": "VIC",
    "postalCode": "3000",
    "addressCountry": "AU"
  },
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": -37.8136,
    "longitude": 144.9631
  },
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],
      "opens": "07:00",
      "closes": "18:00"
    },
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Saturday","Sunday"],
      "opens": "08:00",
      "closes": "16:00"
    }
  ],
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "areaServed": [
    {"@type": "City", "name": "Melbourne"},
    {"@type": "City", "name": "Richmond"},
    {"@type": "City", "name": "South Yarra"}
  ],
  "hasOfferCatalog": {
    "@type": "OfferCatalog",
    "name": "Plumbing Services",
    "itemListElement": [
      {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Emergency Plumbing"}},
      {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Blocked Drains"}},
      {"@type": "Offer", "itemOffered": {"@type": "Service", "name": "Hot Water Systems"}}
    ]
  },
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.8",
    "reviewCount": "127"
  }
}
</script>

Change "@type": "Plumber" to match your trade: Electrician, Locksmith, RoofingContractor, HVACBusiness, GeneralContractor

FAQ Schema (For Rich Snippets)

Add this to pages with FAQ sections to potentially show expanded results in Google:

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "FAQPage",
  "mainEntity": [
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "How much does a plumber cost per hour in Melbourne?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Standard hours: $80-120/hour. After-hours/emergency: $150-250/hour. Call-out fees of $50-100 usually apply."
      }
    },
    {
      "@type": "Question",
      "name": "Do you offer emergency plumbing services?",
      "acceptedAnswer": {
        "@type": "Answer",
        "text": "Yes, we offer 24/7 emergency plumbing across Melbourne. Call us anytime for burst pipes, blocked drains, and gas leaks."
      }
    }
  ]
}
</script>

12-Month Content Calendar

Consistent content signals to Google that your business is active and authoritative. Here's what to post each month:

Monthly Content Rhythm

Competitor Analysis: How to Research Your Competition

Understanding what your competitors do well (and poorly) helps you find opportunities they're missing.

Free Tools for Competitor Research

• Google Search ↗ — Search your target keywords and study who ranks
• Google PageSpeed Insights ↗ — Test competitor site speeds
• Ubersuggest ↗ (free tier) — See competitor keywords and backlinks
• SimilarWeb ↗ (free tier) — Estimate competitor traffic
• BuiltWith ↗ — See what technology competitors use

The Cost of NOT Doing SEO

Every day you're not visible in Google, your competitors are winning jobs that could be yours. Let's do the maths:

Now multiply that across dozens of keywords you COULD rank for: general trade terms, emergency terms, suburb-specific terms, service-specific terms...

Technical SEO Checklist

Technical issues can tank your rankings no matter how good your content is. Here's what to check:

Google Business Profile Checklist

Your GBP is often the first thing customers see. Make it count:

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does a plumber cost per hour in Melbourne?

Standard business hours: $80-120/hour. After-hours and emergency rates: $150-250/hour. Most plumbers charge a call-out fee of $50-100 on top of hourly rates. Always get a written quote before work begins, especially for larger jobs.

How do I find a licensed tradie in Victoria?

Check licence numbers on the relevant authority websites: VBA (Victorian Building Authority) ↗ for builders and carpenters, ESV (Energy Safe Victoria) ↗ for electricians and gas fitters, Plumbing Industry Commission ↗ for plumbers. Always ask for certificates of currency for public liability and WorkCover insurance.

Should I get multiple quotes for trade work?

For non-emergency work over $500, we recommend getting 2-3 quotes. Compare like-for-like (same scope of work), check online reviews, and don't automatically choose the cheapest option. Quality, reliability, and warranty matter more than saving a few dollars.

Do tradies need to provide warranties in Victoria?

Yes. Victorian law requires warranties on workmanship — typically 6 years for major domestic building work. Products have separate manufacturer warranties. Always get warranty details in writing before paying the final invoice.

How long does SEO take to work for tradies?

Expect to see initial improvements in 3-6 months, with significant results in 6-12 months. Local SEO (Google Maps) typically shows faster results than organic search rankings. Consistency is key — SEO is a long-term investment, not a quick fix.

Should I do SEO myself or hire an agency?

Here's the honest truth: SEO done well takes 10-15 hours per week. Most tradies are too busy running their business to dedicate that time consistently. The businesses dominating Google search have either a dedicated marketing person or an agency handling their SEO. Professional SEO typically pays for itself within 2-3 months through increased leads. The question isn't really cost — it's whether you want to spend your evenings learning SEO or growing your business.