Local SEO Checklist for Small Businesses
In short: a local SEO checklist covers four areas: a complete and verified Google Business Profile, a website whose details and service pages match that profile, consistent listings across directories, and genuine local authority from reviews and links. Work through them in that order.
Use this checklist to find the gaps in your local visibility. Work through it in order: each section builds on the one before.
Google Business Profile
- Profile claimed and verified by the business owner
- Specific primary category, relevant secondary categories
- Services listed with short descriptions
- Accurate hours, including holiday hours
- Real photos of your team, premises and work
- A routine for asking for and replying to reviews
Website
- Name, address and phone number match your profile exactly
- A dedicated page for each main service
- Location or service-area pages where they make sense
- Click-to-call phone number on mobile
- Fast loading and easy to use on a phone
- LocalBusiness structured data
Citations
- Listed on the main directories for your country
- Listed on directories for your industry
- Old addresses and phone numbers corrected
- Duplicate listings removed
Local authority
- Links from local partners, suppliers or associations
- Mentions from community events or sponsorships
- Useful local content other sites want to reference
Measurement
- Calls and website visits from your profile tracked
- Form enquiries tracked on your website
- Visibility checked regularly across your service area
Want a second opinion on your local visibility? Book a free strategy call and we’ll tell you what we’d fix first.
Sources
- Tips to improve your local ranking on Google (Google Business Profile Help)
- Guidelines for representing your business on Google (Google Business Profile Help)
