In the early days of SEO, ranking was all about keywords. Today, Google uses 'entities'—distinct, well-defined objects or concepts—to understand the world. For a Brisbane business owner, entity optimisation means proving to Google that your business is a legitimate, authoritative entity connected to a specific location and service, making you the obvious choice to show in the Local Map Pack.
Prerequisites: What You’ll Need
Before we dive in, ensure you have the following ready:- An active Google Business Profile (GBP).
- Access to your website’s backend (WordPress, Shopify, etc.).
- Your Australian Business Number (ABN) and official registered business name.
- A list of your core services and the specific Brisbane suburbs you serve.
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Step 1: Define Your Business Entity Core
Google needs to reconcile your business data across the web. Start by documenting your 'NAP' (Name, Address, Phone Number) exactly as it appears on your official Australian business registration. Screenshot Description: You should be looking at your ASIC registration or your ABN Lookup page. Ensure the spelling of your street (e.g., 'Street' vs 'St') is consistent.Step 2: Optimise Your Google Business Profile (GBP)
Your GBP is your primary entity signal. Ensure every field is filled out including 'Services', 'Products', and 'Opening Hours'.- Tip: Don't just tick 'Plumbing'; add custom services like 'Emergency Hot Water Repair Brisbane' to define sub-entities.
- Australian Context: Use your local (07) landline number if possible, as it reinforces your physical presence in Queensland better than a mobile number alone.
Step 3: Implement Local Business Schema Markup
Schema is a code language that tells search engines exactly what your data means. You need to add 'LocalBusiness' or a more specific type (like 'Dentist' or 'HVACBusiness') to your website. How to do it: Use a tool like Merkle’s Schema Generator. Include your ABN in thetaxID field and link to your social profiles using the sameAs attribute to connect your different digital 'nodes'.
Step 4: Map Your Entity to Local Landmarks
Google understands entities through their relationship to other entities. To dominate Brisbane search, mention your proximity to well-known local landmarks or hubs. Example: Instead of just saying "We serve Brisbane," say "Located just 5 minutes from the Gabba" or "Serving clients across the Moreton Bay Region."Step 5: Clean Up Your Digital Citations
An entity is weakened if there is conflicting information. Search for your business on Yellow Pages Australia, True Local, and Yelp. If your old office address in Milton is still listed while you’ve moved to Fortitude Valley, Google gets confused and your rankings will drop.Step 6: Create Service-Location Entity Pages
Don't just have one 'Services' page. Create dedicated pages that pair your service entity with a location entity. Structure:[Service] in [Suburb].
Example:* "Specialist Conveyancing in Chermside".
Include a Google Map embed of your location on these pages to solidify the geographic entity connection.
Step 7: Build Relevance with 'SameAs' Links
In your Schema markup and on your 'About Us' page, link to your profiles on authoritative third-party sites. This tells Google: "This profile on True Local and this profile on Facebook are the same entity as this website."Step 8: Use Entity-Rich Content
When writing blog posts or service descriptions, use 'LSI' (Latent Semantic Indexing) terms—words that are naturally related to your main entity. If your entity is a "Brisbane Cafe," your content should naturally mention "barista," "espresso," "breakfast menu," and "South Bank."Step 9: Leverage Google Maps Direct Citations
When people search for directions to your business or mention your name in a Google Review, it strengthens your entity. Encourage customers to mention specific services and your location in their reviews. Mistake to avoid: Don't ask customers to 'keyword stuff' reviews. A natural mention like "Best mechanic in Brendale" is perfect.Step 10: Audit Your Backlink Profile for Entity Alignment
A backlink from a local Brisbane community group or a Queensland industry body is worth ten links from generic international sites. These links act as 'votes' for your entity's local relevance.---
Pro Tips for Entity Dominance
- The Wikipedia Connection: If your industry has a Wikipedia page, look at the 'Related Concepts' section. Use those terms in your website copy to help Google categorise your entity correctly.
- Image Metadata: Before uploading photos to your GBP, ensure the file name describes the entity (e.g.,
emergency-plumber-brisbane-northside.jpg) rather thanIMG_1234.jpg.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- NAP Inconsistency: Having different phone numbers across different social media platforms is the fastest way to dilute your entity strength.
- Over-optimisation: Don't force-feed keywords. Google's AI is smart enough to understand that "The River City" refers to Brisbane.
- Ignoring Brand Searches: If people aren't searching for your business by name, Google doesn't see you as a strong entity. Invest in local brand awareness.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
Problem: My business isn't showing up for my suburb, only for 'Brisbane'.- Solution: Check your Schema markup. Ensure your
postalCodeandaddressLocalityare specific to your suburb. Add more suburb-specific content to your homepage.
- Solution: They likely have stronger 'Entity Authority'. Check if they have more high-quality local citations or if their 'LocalBusiness' Schema is more detailed than yours.
- Solution: This is a common entity break. You must update your address on your website, GBP, and all major Australian directories simultaneously. Then, use Google Search Console to 'Request Indexing' on your contact page.
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Next Steps
Entity optimisation is an ongoing process of proving your relevance and reliability to Google. Once you have your Schema and NAP sorted, your next focus should be on building local authority through content.- Audit your current Schema: Use the Google Rich Results Test.
- Update your Citations: Spend an hour cleaning up old directory listings.
- Refine your Content: Add local landmarks and related terms to your service pages.
If you find the technical side of Schema and entity mapping a bit daunting, the team at Local Marketing Group is here to help. We specialise in helping Brisbane businesses navigate the complexities of local SEO.
Contact us today to strengthen your digital footprint: https://lmgroup.au/contact