A comprehensive local SEO audit can reveal thousands in lost revenue. Here's the exact 47-point checklist we use to audit service businesses-yours free to use.
Most service businesses are leaving 40-60% of their local search visibility on the table. They don't know it because they've never done a proper audit.
This is the exact 47-point checklist we use when auditing local businesses. It covers Google Business Profile, website, citations, reviews, and technical factors.
Grab a spreadsheet. Set aside 2-3 hours. Let's find what's costing you leads.
Google Business Profile Audit (15 Points)
Your GBP is the foundation of local SEO. Start here.
Basic Information
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Business name matches legal name exactly (no keywords) | ☐ |
| 2 | Primary category is most specific option available | ☐ |
| 3 | Secondary categories include all relevant options (up to 9) | ☐ |
| 4 | Phone number is local (not toll-free) and trackable | ☐ |
| 5 | Address is complete and matches website exactly | ☐ |
| 6 | Service areas defined (up to 20 for SABs) | ☐ |
| 7 | Business hours are accurate (including special hours) | ☐ |
| 8 | Website URL is correct (not a redirect) | ☐ |
Profile Completion
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 9 | Business description uses full 750 characters | ☐ |
| 10 | All services listed with descriptions | ☐ |
| 11 | Products/services have pricing where appropriate | ☐ |
| 12 | All relevant attributes selected | ☐ |
| 13 | Logo uploaded (square, high resolution) | ☐ |
| 14 | Cover photo uploaded (relevant, high quality) | ☐ |
| 15 | 25+ photos uploaded (mix of work, team, office) | ☐ |
GBP Red Flags:
- Keyword stuffing in business name (suspension risk)
- Using tracking phone number different from website
- Incomplete service list
- Only stock photos or no photos
- Outdated information
Website Local SEO Audit (18 Points)
Your website supports and extends your GBP visibility.
NAP Consistency
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 16 | NAP in website footer (all pages) | ☐ |
| 17 | NAP on dedicated contact page | ☐ |
| 18 | NAP matches GBP exactly (format, punctuation) | ☐ |
| 19 | Click-to-call phone number on mobile | ☐ |
On-Page Local Optimization
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 20 | Homepage title includes primary city + service | ☐ |
| 21 | Homepage H1 includes primary location | ☐ |
| 22 | City/region mentioned naturally in homepage content | ☐ |
| 23 | Local keywords in meta descriptions | ☐ |
| 24 | Service pages exist for each main offering | ☐ |
| 25 | Location pages exist for each service area | ☐ |
| 26 | Location pages have unique content (not templates) | ☐ |
| 27 | Testimonials include customer name and city | ☐ |
Technical Local SEO
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 28 | LocalBusiness schema implemented correctly | ☐ |
| 29 | Schema includes all service areas | ☐ |
| 30 | Google Map embedded on contact/location pages | ☐ |
| 31 | Mobile-friendly (passes Google's mobile test) | ☐ |
| 32 | Site loads in under 3 seconds | ☐ |
| 33 | SSL certificate installed (HTTPS) | ☐ |
Website Red Flags:
- No NAP on website
- Different phone number than GBP
- No service area pages
- Thin/duplicate location page content
- Missing schema markup
- Slow mobile load times
Citation Audit (7 Points)
Citations validate your business information across the web.
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | Top 5 directories claimed (Google, Yelp, Facebook, Apple, Bing) | ☐ |
| 35 | Data aggregators submitted (Data Axle, Localeze, Foursquare) | ☐ |
| 36 | Industry-specific directories claimed | ☐ |
| 37 | NAP consistent across all citations | ☐ |
| 38 | No duplicate listings exist | ☐ |
| 39 | Closed/old locations removed or corrected | ☐ |
| 40 | Local directories and Chamber of Commerce listed | ☐ |
How to Check: Use a tool like Moz Local, BrightLocal, or Whitespark to scan your citations. Or manually search your business name + city in Google to find listings.
Citation Red Flags:
- Inconsistent business name variations
- Old phone numbers still listed
- Duplicate Yelp or Google listings
- Missing from major directories
Review Audit (5 Points)
Reviews impact both rankings and conversions.
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 41 | Average rating 4.0+ on Google | ☐ |
| 42 | 50+ Google reviews (or matches top competitor) | ☐ |
| 43 | Reviews received in last 30 days | ☐ |
| 44 | All reviews responded to (positive and negative) | ☐ |
| 45 | Reviews exist on multiple platforms (not just Google) | ☐ |
Review Benchmarks by Industry:
| Industry | Target Review Count | Target Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Plumbing/HVAC | 75-100+ | 4.5+ |
| Contractors/Remodeling | 50-75+ | 4.5+ |
| Legal Services | 30-50+ | 4.7+ |
| Medical/Dental | 50-100+ | 4.5+ |
| Cleaning Services | 40-60+ | 4.6+ |
Review Red Flags:
- Below 4.0 average rating
- No reviews in past 90 days
- Negative reviews without responses
- All reviews are generic (no specific service mentions)
Competitive Analysis (2 Points)
Local SEO is relative. You need to know where you stand.
| # | Check | Status |
|---|---|---|
| 46 | Identified top 3 local pack competitors | ☐ |
| 47 | Documented competitor advantages (reviews, categories, content) | ☐ |
Competitive Benchmarking Template
For each top 3 competitor, document:
| Factor | Competitor 1 | Competitor 2 | Competitor 3 | Your Business |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Google reviews | ||||
| Avg. rating | ||||
| Primary category | ||||
| # of GBP photos | ||||
| # of location pages | ||||
| Domain authority |
What to look for:
- Where do they beat you?
- What categories are they using that you're not?
- Do they have more/better reviews?
- More location-specific content?
The Scoring System
Rate each item: Pass (2 points) | Partial (1 point) | Fail (0 points)
Your Score:
| Section | Points Possible | Your Score |
|---|---|---|
| GBP Audit (15 items) | 30 | |
| Website Audit (18 items) | 36 | |
| Citation Audit (7 items) | 14 | |
| Review Audit (5 items) | 10 | |
| Competitive (2 items) | 4 | |
| Total | 94 |
What Your Score Means
| Score Range | Status | Priority |
|---|---|---|
| 85-94 | Excellent | Maintain and optimize |
| 70-84 | Good | Address gaps systematically |
| 55-69 | Needs Work | Significant opportunities exist |
| Below 55 | Critical | Major issues costing you leads |
Priority Fix Matrix
Not all issues are equal. Here's how to prioritize:
Fix Immediately (This Week)
- GBP primary category is wrong
- NAP inconsistencies between GBP and website
- Negative reviews without responses
- Website not mobile-friendly
- Missing SSL certificate
Fix Soon (This Month)
- Incomplete GBP services section
- Missing location pages for service areas
- Citation inconsistencies on major directories
- Below-average review count
- Missing LocalBusiness schema
Fix Next (This Quarter)
- Secondary category optimization
- GBP photos less than 25
- Minor citation issues
- Testimonials without city mentions
- GBP posts not being utilized
Ongoing (Continuous)
- Review generation
- GBP posting
- New photo uploads
- Content creation for location pages
- Citation building/maintenance
Tools for Your Audit
Free Tools
| Tool | Use For |
|---|---|
| Google Search Console | Website indexing, search performance |
| Google PageSpeed Insights | Site speed, mobile-friendliness |
| Google's Mobile-Friendly Test | Mobile usability |
| Google's Rich Results Test | Schema validation |
| Manual Google search | Citation checking, competitor research |
Paid Tools (Optional)
| Tool | Use For | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| BrightLocal | Full local SEO audit | ~$30/month |
| Moz Local | Citation management | ~$14/month |
| Whitespark | Citation building, tracking | ~$20/month |
| SEMrush/Ahrefs | Competitive analysis | ~$100+/month |
The 30-Day Post-Audit Action Plan
Week 1: Foundation Fixes
- Fix any GBP issues flagged as critical
- Correct NAP inconsistencies on website
- Respond to all unresponded reviews
Week 2: Citation Cleanup
- Claim/correct top 10 citation sources
- Submit to data aggregators
- Remove any duplicate listings
Week 3: Website Optimization
- Implement LocalBusiness schema
- Optimize homepage for primary location
- Fix any mobile/speed issues
Week 4: Content and Growth
- Create first location page (if missing)
- Implement review generation system
- Set up GBP posting schedule
When to Re-Audit
| Event | Trigger Full Re-Audit |
|---|---|
| Quarterly | Quick check (Tier 1 items) |
| Bi-annually | Full 47-point audit |
| After ranking drop | Immediate full audit |
| After business change | Audit affected sections |
| After algorithm update | Focus audit on impacted areas |
The Bottom Line
This audit reveals gaps. But knowledge without action is worthless.
Your next steps:
- Complete the audit (set aside 2-3 hours)
- Score yourself honestly
- Prioritize fixes by impact
- Create a 30-day action plan
- Re-audit in 6 months
Every point you improve is potentially more leads, more customers, more revenue.
Want us to do this audit for you? Our free local SEO audit covers all 47 points plus competitive analysis with specific recommendations.