This free local SEO audit tool is a 15 point checklist that scores how ready your business is to rank in Google Maps and local search. Tick what you already have in place. Your score updates live, and the tool lists the gaps to fix first. It takes about two minutes and needs no signup.
How to use the local SEO audit
- Open your Google Business Profile and your website in another tab so you can check facts, not guess.
- Go through each group and tick only the items you can prove. Be strict with yourself.
- Read your score and the label: Needs work, Getting there or Strong foundation.
- Look at the “Fix these first” list. Those are your next tasks.
- Come back after you fix them and run it again to see the change.
What the checklist covers
I grouped the checks into four areas because that is how I audit client accounts. Each one maps to how Google says it picks local results.
- Google Business Profile. Verification, category, hours, photos and regular posts.
- Reviews and reputation. A steady flow of new reviews and a reply to every one.
- On-page and website. City and service pages, LocalBusiness schema, clear titles and a fast mobile site.
- Citations and links. The same name, address and phone everywhere, plus a few local backlinks.
Google's own help page on improving your local ranking names three factors: relevance, distance and prominence. Relevance is how well your profile matches the search. Distance is how far you are from the searcher. Prominence is how well known you are, which includes links and reviews. This checklist helps with relevance and prominence. Nobody can change distance, except by opening a new location.
What your score means, and its limits
The score is simple math: the share of checks you have ticked. It is not a Google number and it does not weigh one item more than another. In real life your primary category matters far more than weekly posts. So use the score as a progress bar, not a ranking forecast.
It also can't see your competitors. A dentist with a score of 70 may still beat one with 90 if the first one has hundreds more reviews and sits closer to the searcher. For that kind of side by side view, a proper competitor analysis is the next step.
When to use it
- Before you hire anyone, so you know where you stand.
- After you move, rebrand or change your phone number.
- When calls from Google Maps drop and you are not sure why.
- As a quarterly check to make sure nothing has slipped.
Common mistakes I see
- Picking a broad category. “Doctor” when “Pediatrician” fits. The most specific match usually wins.
- Ticking boxes on hope. If you are not sure your phone number matches on every directory, check it with the NAP consistency checker first.
- Asking for reviews once. A burst of reviews followed by silence looks odd. A small, steady flow is better. The review link generator makes asking easy.
- Skipping schema. It takes five minutes with the LocalBusiness schema generator.
What to do after the audit
Work the “fix first” list from the top. Most profile fixes take an afternoon. Citation cleanup and reviews take longer because they depend on other sites and on your customers. If you want me to take it from here, my website SEO audit goes deeper than any checklist, and my Google Business Profile service handles the profile work for you.