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SEO services in Wellington.
I live here, so we can meet in person, usually the same week you get in touch.
Why Wellington is an easier city to rank in
Wellington is small and vertical. The CBD is walkable, the region has roughly a fifth of Auckland's population, and most trades and services can genuinely cover the whole city from one base. That combination makes local SEO cheaper here than almost anywhere else in the country.
In Auckland a business usually has to win its own suburb before it wins anything. In Wellington a single well-run Google Business Profile, properly categorised and kept current, can put you in the map pack for searches from Johnsonville to Island Bay. Less competition, and one listing covers more of the city.
The catch is that the Hutt Valley and Porirua behave as separate search markets. Someone in Lower Hutt searching for a plumber gets Hutt results, not Te Aro results. If your customers are out there, that needs its own page and its own listing strategy, and I'll tell you that before you pay for anything.
The Wellington businesses this works best for
Consultancies and contractors
Wellington runs on small consultancies serving government and corporates. You win work through panels and networks, then a procurement manager googles you before signing. They already have your name and just want to check you're legit, and that needs a different kind of page.
Trades across the region
Electricians, builders and plumbers covering Wellington, Porirua and the Hutt. Map pack placement and service area pages are most of the job here.
Hospitality
Cafes, bars and restaurants in Te Aro, Cuba Street and Newtown, where turnover is high and being findable in the first week matters more than a perfect site.
Clinics and practices
Physios, dentists and allied health in Karori, Kelburn, Miramar and Petone, where patients search by suburb and reviews decide the click.
I am actually here, which matters more than it should
Google's map pack is built around physical location. A business with a real Wellington address, verified, with real reviews from real Wellington customers, has an advantage that no amount of content writing replaces.
I'm in Wellington, so for me that's easy. Plenty of agencies rent a virtual office in a city they have never worked in so they can claim a listing there. It is against Google's guidelines, it gets listings suspended, and the business whose name is on the listing wears the consequence, not the agency.
Common questions
How long does SEO take to work in Wellington?
Three to six months before the numbers move in a way you would notice, which is the same anywhere. Google Business Profile work is the exception and can shift map pack placement within a few weeks, which is why I usually start there for Wellington businesses.
Can you get me into the Google map pack?
Sometimes, and it depends on how far you are from the searcher and how strong the incumbents are. Wellington's small geography helps: a correctly set up profile with steady reviews often reaches most of the city. I'll tell you when I quote whether your category is winnable.
Is Wellington less competitive than Auckland for SEO?
Yes, quite a bit. Fewer businesses chasing the same terms, fewer funded agencies buying links, and a city compact enough that one listing covers most of it. It is the best value SEO market of the three main centres.
Do you charge Wellington businesses differently?
No. SEO is $1,500 to set up and from $600 a month everywhere, with no lock-in and a month's notice to leave. Prices are published on the pricing page rather than quoted after a discovery call.