Here’s how to show up on Google, starting with the part that’s free.

The short version: “Getting on Google” is two things. The map (the local results with the pins and stars, plus Google Maps) is run by your free Google Business Profile. The blue links below it point to pages on websites Google has added to its index (its list of pages it can show), so that half runs on your website. Google says local results turn on relevance, distance and prominence, and that businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up. So the job is a complete profile, real reviews you reply to, and a fast website backing both up.

Who builds the website and sets up the Google listing?

We do both. CatalystHub builds the website, and our Growth packages look after your Google Business Profile and local SEO (SEO means getting found on Google and other search engines). Here’s what each part covers:

Every website build (from $500): a basic SEO setup is included. The site is fast (Lighthouse 95+ on mobile), every page gets a clear title and description, and we add schema markup: code that tells Google and AI search tools what you sell and where. Before launch we set up Google Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics, send them your sitemap, and keep an eye on them until handover, generally one to two weeks after the site goes live. Setting up your Business Profile is not part of the build.
Growth Advanced Local (priced on a call): this is where we set up and optimise your Google Business Profile. It also covers local SEO foundations (citations, meaning your business details listed on other sites, plus categories and service areas), a review-generation strategy wired to your profile, local keyword targeting for your suburbs, and a monthly local-visibility report. Growth Advanced sits on top of Growth Pro, and we scope the price to your goals on a call.
Growth Pro ($297 a month): we tune your site and Google Business Profile for the searches your customers actually make: your trade, your suburbs, “near me”. It comes with a managed 10 to 20 page website, review requests and lead follow-up, with no setup fee, and you can cancel anytime. On Growth Pro the website is rented, not owned.

Not sure which fits? We work it out with you on the call. See Growth for the full breakdown, our pricing for the one-off builds, or start your project.

Doing it yourself? Keep reading. Your Business Profile costs nothing to create and run.

”On Google” means two different things

The map. The little pack of local businesses with the map and the star ratings, plus Google Maps itself. This is driven by your Google Business Profile, a free listing that’s separate from your website.
The blue links. The normal search results below the map. These point to pages on websites in Google’s index, so this half is your website’s job.

So here’s both, in order.

Start with your free Google Business Profile

In Google’s own words, local results are based on three things: relevance, distance and prominence. Your Business Profile is where you hand Google what it needs to judge them.

Create or claim it. Google says you can “Create your profile at no cost.”
Pick the category that matches what you do. Google describes relevance as “how well a Business Profile matches what someone is searching for,” so pick the category that matches what you do.
Fill in everything. Hours, phone, service area, services, a real description and photos. Google puts it simply: “Businesses with complete and accurate info are more likely to show up in local search results.”
Keep your name, address and phone identical on your profile, your website and every other listing, so your details are accurate everywhere.

Get reviews and reply to them

Reviews feed the “prominence” part. Google says: “More reviews and positive ratings can help your business’s local ranking.” On replies, Google says: “When you reply to customer reviews, it shows that you value their feedback,” and “Positive reviews and helpful replies can help your business stand out.”

Ask every customer.
Reply to them, all of them, the good and the bad.
Never buy or reward reviews.

Then make your website pull its weight

Your Business Profile gets you on the map. The blue links point to pages on websites, so that half is your website’s job. For local search, a good site:

Loads fast and works on a phone. Ours score Lighthouse 95+ on mobile.
Says where you are and who you serve: your suburb and service areas, in real sentences, not a keyword list.
Carries schema markup: code that hands Google and AI search tools your business details, what you sell and where.
Matches your name, address and phone exactly to your Business Profile.

No site yet, or one that misses these? This is the half we build, and our packages start at $500 for five pages.

Do it the honest way, with no shortcuts

Google is blunt about this: “There’s no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google.” The honest path is the one above: a complete and accurate profile, real reviews you reply to, and a fast local website.

How CatalystHub helps

We build the website half of this properly, so you’re not starting a step behind. Every CatalystHub build comes with the basic SEO setup described above. The Standard build is five pages for $500 flat including GST, live in seven business days, with free hosting on your own account. Cover a lot of suburbs or services? The Specialist build runs to 15 pages from $1,500. When you want us to look after the map side as well, Business Profile setup and optimisation is part of Growth Advanced Local, and Growth Pro tunes your site and profile for local searches. The reviews are always yours to earn, never faked.

For the website half, start with what a small business website should include and what a small business website should cost. See our pricing for exactly what’s included, or tell us about your business when you’re ready.

Frequently asked questions

Is a Google Business Profile free? Yes. In Google’s words, “creating a Business Profile and listing your business on Google is free.”

Is Google Business Profile setup included in your $500 website? No. Every build includes the basic SEO setup: page titles and descriptions, schema markup, and Search Console, Bing Webmaster Tools and Google Analytics set up before launch. Setting up and optimising your Business Profile is part of Growth Advanced Local, priced on a call. Growth Pro, at $297 a month, tunes your site and profile for local searches.

Can I pay Google to rank higher on the map? No. Google says “There’s no way to request or pay for a better local ranking on Google.” What helps is complete and accurate info, reviews, and a profile that matches what people search for.

What can I do today, for free? Claim and complete your Google Business Profile, then ask your recent customers for a review.