The Local SEO Audit Checklists provide essential tools for evaluating and enhancing your local search engine optimization efforts.

Below you’ll gain free access to a set of comprehensive checklists tailored to various aspects of local SEO.

These include the GBP Audit Checklists to ensure compliance with Google Best Practices, the Local SEO Audit Check List for a thorough examination of your local SEO performance, and the Google Business Checklist to optimize your presence on Google My Business.

Additionally, you’ll find the Location Page Checklist for optimizing individual location pages.

Use these invaluable resources and elevate your local SEO strategy.

 

Local SEO Audit Checklist by Chaz Edward

• Identify Top Competitors – identify both organic local and map competitors. Use a tool like Local Viking ( https://localviking.com ) to identify the competitor that has the best 3-Pack visibility (Share of Local Voice aka SOLV) across the entire region 
• Brand Audit – check for inconsistent, missing, or under-optimized top-level brand profiles:
  • Facebook Business Page
  • YouTube Channel
  • Instagram
  • X
  • LinkedIn Company Page 
• Local Listings Audit – check for inconsistent, missing or under-optimized Local Listings on:
  • Google Maps (GBP)
  • Bing Places
  • Apple Maps 
• Google Search Console – check that Google Search Console is set up 
• Google Analytics – check that Google Analytics is set up 
• Branded Google Account – check that the Google Business email login should be on the customer’s domain name 
• Site: – check “site:” for the Target Site and the Top Organic and Maps Competitors
  • Check that the home page and location page are indexed
  • Check the total indexed pages vs competitors
  • Check for any obvious missing pages
  • Check if tags and categories are indexed 
• Content Gaps – check for Content Gaps vs Competitors
  • Manually compare the sites looking for obvious missing pages or topics
  • Use a tool like SearchAtlas ( https://searchatlas.com ) to run a Content Gap Analysis 
• Topical Gaps – check the existing website against a topical map for the niche looking for topical weakness and missing topics ( use our topical map AI prompt https://localseo.community/portfolio/semantic-seo-ai-processes/ ) 
• Link Authority Disparity – check for link disparity using a tool like Search Atlas
  • Check total referring domains vs top organic competitors
  • Check total backlinks vs top organic competitors
  • Check for any notable or high authority links the competitor has 
• Site Authority – check that the site has recent organic traffic and keywords 
• Keyword Cannibalization – check for Keyword Cannibalization using a tool like Search Atlas 
• Tech SEO – run a Technical SEO Audit Using a tool like Screaming Frog (https://www.screamingfrog.co.uk/seo-spider/ ) looking for significant issues
  • Check for missing page titles, H1, and H2 tags
  • Check HTTPS status
  • Check for redirect chains and excessive redirects
  • Check for 404 pages
  • Check the slugs of the website URLs looking for URLs with underscores, capitalization, and symbols 
• Penalties – check for manual actions GSC 
• Security – check for security issues in GSC 
• Malware – check for malware using a free scan tool like https://sitecheck.sucuri.net 
• Page Speed – check the page speed of the home page and/or the location page using https://pagespeed.web.dev/ 
• Mobile-Friendly – check that the site is mobile-friendly (https://search.google.com/test/mobile-friendly/result ) 
• Data Consistency – check for public and consistent WHOIS information using ( https://who.is ) 
• Multiple Versions – check if there is more than one site variant in the search index (http v https, www vs non www, etc.) 
• Brand/Site Relation – check that the Website is #1 in Search for Its Brand Name 
• Brand Prominence – check the brand prominence, i.e. does the brand control page one or more in Google Search for its brand name
  • Do many brands share the same name
  • Is a different brand ranking highly
  • Is the target brand non-existent  
• Competitor Brand Mentions Audit – use our free competitor citation tool script (https://localseo.community/portfolio/local-signal-toolkit/ ) to compare indexed brand mentions between the target brand and the top competitors 
  • Check for discrepancies in citations and brand mentions 
• Top Directories Audit – check for the existence and consistency of business listings on top business directories and listing sites
  • Foursquare
  • Data Axle
  • Yelp Page
  • Better Business Bureau
  • Chamber of Commerce
  • NextDoor
  • Waze
  • MapQuest
  • Alignable
  • The Real Yellow Pages
  • ProvenExpert 
• 3rd Party Reviews Audit – check for the presence of 3rd party reviews that rank for the competitors’ brand search, note the discrepancies between the target brand and top-ranking competitors 
• Location Page Audit – perform a Location Page Audit using the checklist linked below for the URL that is linked to the Google Business Profile (for single locations this should generally be the homepage, for multiple locations it is generally a standalone location page except when dealing with two listings in the same city, then it can be a single page) 
• Google Business Profile Audit – perform a Google Business Profile Audit using the checklist linked below

Make A Copy of the Local SEO Audit Checklist Here

 

Google Business Audit Checklist by Chaz Edward

• Local Viking Audit Report – use a tool like Local Viking (https://localviking.com) to analyze the target listing vs top ranking competitors in Google Maps
  • Add Listing to Local Viking and Set Up the Audit Configuration 
  • -> Reports -> Audit Config -> New Config
  • Check Primary Category 
  • Check for Missing Secondary Categories
  • Check Missing Services
  • Check Service Areas for SABs/Hybrids
  • Check Target Zip Codes
  • Check Review Count
  • Check Review Frequency

• Manual GBP Audit – check In Google Maps https://www.google.com/maps using the Pleper Chrome Extension
  • Check for Brand Prominence/Dilution by Clicking the Knowledge Graph ID
    • Problem: The company doesn’t control the SERPs for its brand name
    • Solution: Tiered Links to Brand Mentions that are indexed
  • Check for Possum filtering by Zooming into the listing and then searching Nearby for the category or top-level keyword (looking for competing businesses within a close distance)
    • Problem: Strong nearby competitors in the same category will filter our listing
    • Solution: Extra emphasis on signals and website authority (backlinks)
  • Check that the listing is in the target city by starring the listing and then searching for the city in maps (G Maps will outline the city boundary)
    • Problem: Listing is outside the city limits and will not rank as highly inside the city
    • Solution: Focus on establishing local/city relevance by creating local signals)
  • Check for Duplicate listings

• Manual GBP Audit – In Google Search
  • Check that the  Address is not a virtual office by checking in Google Search
  • Check that the Phone is Unique to the Business by Searching for the Phone on Google

• GBP Listing Audit 
  • Check if the correct business name is used
  • Check if the correct address is used
  • Check if the Correct Phone Number is used
  • Check if the correct URL (home or location page) is used
  • Check the proper formatting of the URL (http/s, www/non-www)
  • Check the opening hours are correct and consistent
  • Check if the description is complete
  • Check if the are plenty of high-quality photos
  • Check for Profile completeness (attributes, products, welcome offer)
  • Check for GBP Posts activity

Make a copy of the Google Business Profile Audit here