Your Progress: 0
of 25 items completed
0
Your Score (out of 50)
Priority Legend & Scoring:
HIGH
= 3 points
MEDIUM
= 2 points
LOW
= 1 point
⚡ QUICK WIN
= <30 min
Google Business Profile Audit
Points 1-8: Foundation of local search success
1. Profile Completeness and Accuracy
HIGH
⚡ QUICK WIN
Verify every field contains accurate, complete information. Check business name consistency, address formatting matches website exactly, and phone numbers connect to actual business line.
💡 Takes ~15 minutes | Review all fields in GBP dashboard
2. Category Optimization
HIGH
Review primary and secondary categories for accuracy and relevance. Primary category should match main service offering, secondary categories capture additional services. Example: Plumber (primary), Emergency Plumber, Water Heater Repair (secondary).
3. Business Description Quality
MEDIUM
Optimize 750-character business description for keywords, unique value proposition, and compelling call-to-action while highlighting local market differentiation.
4. Visual Content Strategy
MEDIUM
Audit photos/videos for quality and relevance. Include exterior shots, interior photos, service demonstrations, team photos, and customer results. Upload new photos monthly for engagement.
5. Review Management System
HIGH
Analyze review acquisition rate, response consistency, and reputation management. Calculate monthly review velocity and evaluate response quality. Aim for 5+ new reviews monthly.
6. Q&A Optimization
LOW
⚡ QUICK WIN
Actively manage Questions & Answers section. Proactively add 5-10 FAQs with optimized answers and monitor/respond to new questions promptly.
💡 Takes ~20 minutes | Add your top FAQs from customer calls
7. Insights and Performance Tracking
MEDIUM
Review GBP insights for customer behavior patterns, peak search times, and effective content types. Use data to optimize posting schedule and strategy.
8. Local SEO Integration
MEDIUM
Ensure GBP integrates with broader local SEO strategy. Verify connections to Google Analytics, Google Ads, and website local optimization.
Website Local SEO Audit
Points 9-16: On-page optimization for local search
9. Local Landing Page Optimization
HIGH
Create dedicated pages for each service area with location-keyword combinations, unique area content, and clear contact information. Structure: H1 with [Service] in [City], local content, customer testimonials, contact CTAs.
10. Schema Markup Implementation
MEDIUM
Check proper local business schema markup throughout website. Ensure structured data matches GBP information exactly for consistency signals.
🔧 Tools: Google's Rich Results Test, Schema.org validator
11. NAP Consistency Site-Wide
HIGH
⚡ QUICK WIN
Audit Name, Address, Phone consistency across every website page. Check headers, footers, contact pages for exact GBP matches. Even small differences hurt rankings.
💡 Takes ~30 minutes | Check header, footer, contact page, about page
12. Mobile Optimization for Local Search
HIGH
Test mobile experience for 78% of local searches. Verify fast loading (<3 seconds), easy navigation, and prominent contact information display. Click-to-call buttons essential.
🔧 Tools: Google PageSpeed Insights, Mobile-Friendly Test
13. Local Content Quality and Relevance
MEDIUM
Review content for local relevance and optimization. Address local customer needs, reference local landmarks, demonstrate community involvement. Blog about local events and issues.
14. Contact Information Prominence
MEDIUM
Ensure easy access to contact information. Clickable phone numbers, map-linked addresses, and accessible contact forms within two clicks from any page.
15. Service Area Page Strategy
MEDIUM
Create comprehensive service area pages with local needs content, area-specific keywords, and relevant local information for each served location.
16. Local Internal Linking Structure
LOW
Review internal linking for local SEO support. Create topic clusters linking service pages to area pages and relevant local content.
Citation and Online Presence Audit
Points 17-21: Building local authority and consistency
17. Citation Consistency Analysis
HIGH
Audit business citations across major directories for NAP consistency. Priority directories: Google, Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing Places, Facebook, Yellow Pages, BBB. Use tools like Whitespark or BrightLocal to identify and fix inconsistencies.
🔧 Tools: Whitespark, BrightLocal, Moz Local
18. Industry-Specific Directory Presence
MEDIUM
Evaluate presence in industry-relevant directories and associations. Identify authoritative directories for your field and ensure optimized listings (e.g., Avvo for lawyers, Healthgrades for doctors).
19. Local Community Listings
MEDIUM
Check presence in local directories, chambers of commerce, and area-specific business listings for hyperlocal authority signals.
20. Social Media Local Optimization
MEDIUM
Audit social profiles for local optimization. Facebook pages with location info, LinkedIn with local expertise, Instagram with community involvement and location tags.
21. Review Platform Optimization
MEDIUM
Assess presence across relevant review platforms beyond Google. Yelp, Facebook, industry-specific sites with consistent information and active management.
Technical and Performance Audit
Points 22-25: Advanced optimization and ROI measurement
22. Local Search Performance Analysis
MEDIUM
Review local search rankings for target keywords across different locations. Track comprehensive visibility and identify missing opportunities by area.
🔧 Tools: Google Search Console, BrightLocal, Local Falcon
23. Competitor Local SEO Analysis
LOW
Analyze top 3-5 local competitors' strategies. Examine their GBP, citations, content approaches, and keyword targeting to identify opportunity gaps.
24. Local Traffic and Conversion Analysis
MEDIUM
Analyze website analytics for local traffic patterns, conversion rates, and customer behavior. Identify top-performing local keywords and pages. Track: phone calls, form submissions, direction requests.
🔧 Tools: Google Analytics 4, Google Tag Manager, Call tracking
25. Local SEO ROI Assessment
LOW
Calculate ROI from local SEO efforts by tracking: leads from organic local search, cost per lead, customer lifetime value from local customers, GBP actions (calls, messages, directions).
📝 Implementation Notes & Action Items
Ready to Transform Your Local Search Presence?
Use this checklist quarterly to maintain your competitive edge and drive sustained local business growth.
Created by Forget Me Never Media- Helping businesses get more traffic, more leads, and more customers through strategic digital marketing.