Opening a new business in Melbourne is exciting, and crowded. Whether you’re launching a cafe in Hawthorn, a clinic in Camberwell, a studio on Chapel Street in South Yarra or a trade business serving the eastern suburbs, you’ll be competing with businesses that have years of reviews, followers and Google history behind them.
The good news: you don’t need a big budget to catch up. You need the right things done in the right order. This plan walks you through your first 90 days, from before you open to your first steady stream of customers.
Before you open: get the foundations right
These are the things that are hardest to fix later, so do them first.
Choose your business name carefully. Check that it’s available as a registered business name, as a domain, and on Instagram and Facebook. A name customers can spell and search for easily is worth a lot.
Decide your details and never change them. Your exact business name, address (or service area), phone number and hours should be identical everywhere from day one. Inconsistent details are one of the most common reasons new businesses struggle on Google Maps.
Claim your Google Business Profile early. Verification can take time, and Google may ask you to verify with a video showing your location or business. Start as soon as you have a real location or service area, so your profile is live by opening day.
Weeks 1–4: get found
Task
Why it matters
Complete every section of your Google profile: category, services, description, hours, attributes
Complete profiles are more likely to show in local results
Add at least 10 good photos: shopfront, inside, team, products or work
New customers judge you on photos before they visit
Launch a simple website with a page for each main service
Gives Google and customers something to check your profile against
List your business on Apple Business Connect, Bing Places and key directories
More places to be found, all with matching details
Set up Google Analytics and Search Console
So you can see what’s working from day one
Setting up your profile for the first time? Avoid the 10 most common Google Business Profile mistakes from the start.
Weeks 3–8: build trust
A new business with no reviews is a hard choice for customers, especially in competitive Melbourne suburbs. Building trust quickly is your biggest job in this phase.
Ask every happy customer for a review. Make it easy with a QR code at the counter or a link in your follow-up message. Never offer anything in return; Google doesn’t allow incentivised reviews.
Reply to every review, good or bad. As a new business, your replies show customers who you are.
Post short videos twice a week. Behind the scenes, your team, your products, your opening week. New businesses have a story people want to follow, so tell it.
Get involved locally. A collaboration with the business next door, a stall at a local market, a post about your street. Melbourne loves supporting new local businesses that feel part of the neighbourhood.
Get a free audit and we’ll map out your first 90 days with you: Google profile, website, reviews, reels and ads.
Weeks 6–12: bring in more customers
Once your profile, website and first reviews are in place, it’s time to add fuel.
Start a small, focused ad campaign. If customers find you by searching, start with Google Ads targeted to your suburb and the ones next to it. If they find you by seeing you (food, beauty, fitness, retail), start with Facebook and Instagram ads using your best short videos.
Track every lead. Calls, website forms, bookings and messages. In week 12, you want to know exactly which channels brought your first customers.
Keep your profile active. One post and a few new photos every week. Profiles that stay active keep building momentum.
Your 90-day checklist
Before opening
- Business name checked and consistent everywhere
- Google Business Profile claimed and verification started
- Domain and social handles secured
Month 1
- Google profile complete with photos
- Website live with service pages
- Directory listings created
- Analytics and Search Console set up
Month 2
- Review requests going to every happy customer
- Two short videos a week
- Replies to every review
Month 3
- First ad campaign running and tracked
- Weekly Google profile posts
- First review of results: which channel brought the most customers?
Mistakes new Melbourne businesses make
- Waiting until opening day to start on Google. Verification and reviews take time.
- Spending the whole budget on a fancy website and nothing on being found.
- Running ads to a homepage that doesn’t make it easy to book or call.
- Trying to target all of Melbourne. Win your suburb first.
- Going quiet after launch. The first 90 days build habits that decide the next three years.
Frequently asked questions
How soon can a new business appear on Google Maps?
As soon as your profile is verified. Ranking well for competitive searches takes longer, but a complete profile with good photos and early reviews gives you the best start.
Do I need a website if I have a Google profile and Instagram?
Yes. A website gives Google and customers a place to confirm who you are and what you offer, and it’s the one channel you fully own.
Should a new business spend money on ads straight away?
Usually not on day one. Get your profile, website and first reviews in place first, so the people your ads bring in see a business they can trust.
