Complete Local SEO Audit Template for Improved Visibility

A local SEO audit is like a health check-up for your business, helping you identify areas for improvement and increase your online visibility. It's essential to conduct regular audits to stay ahead of the competition.

To start, gather all your online presence details, including your website, social media profiles, and Google My Business listing. This will help you track changes and updates.

A local SEO audit template can simplify the process, guiding you through the necessary steps to ensure you're optimizing your online presence. With the right template, you'll be able to identify and fix issues that might be hindering your visibility.

By following a structured audit process, you'll be able to pinpoint areas for improvement and create a plan to address them. This will help you stay focused and ensure you're making progress towards your goals.

Local SEO matters because search engines consider the geographical location of users to provide more useful results. This means that if you're a business in a small town, you need to optimize your website for local search results to increase your online visibility.

Search engines like Google and Bing use location-based data, such as IP addresses and geolocation, to give the most relevant results to users. This is why searching for a chiropractor in a specific area, like "chiropractor five points asheville", will yield different results than searching for a chiropractor near your current location.

Google will reward businesses that best fulfill the searchers' intent, also known as user intent. By concentrating on user intent for each given search query, you can boost your chances of ranking at the top and receiving higher click-through rates and traffic.

The search engines are picky about which websites deserve to be on the coveted top spots on the search results pages (SERPs). What matters most is whether you can be found online for what you offer and seen as the expert you are.

To set up for success with your local SEO audit, it's essential to have a clear understanding of your online presence. You can start by reviewing your Local SEO Checklist, which typically includes seven steps to assess your online presence.

These steps should be taken in order to properly assess your online presence. You can also refer to Your Monthly SEO Checklist, which provides a handy list of local SEO tasks to keep your marketing plan in top shape.

To ensure your website is technically sound, you should check if it's hosted within the United States, has a good page load speed, and is mobile-friendly. You can use the Google Page Speed tool to check your page load speed. Additionally, it's crucial to have a Google Search Console account and a Bing Webmaster Tools account properly configured.

Here's a quick checklist to help you get started:

To start setting up your Local SEO, you'll need to find and setup your local SEO software. This will help you scan your website and online presence to find issues and opportunities.

You can use local SEO software tools to get hundreds of relevant data points and comparisons. This will make the manual review much more efficient and effective.

The best part about using local SEO software is that it helps you stack up against your competition. This is especially useful if you're new to local SEO and want to see how you measure up.

To get started, you'll need to scan your website and online presence using your chosen local SEO software tool. This will give you a clear picture of your current online presence and where you need to improve.

To set up your Google Business Profile for success, you'll want to follow a checklist to ensure everything is in order. This includes having a Google Business Profile for each business, office location, and/or provider.

Having a Google Business Profile is crucial, as it provides accurate and up-to-date information about your business to potential customers. Each profile should be claimed and properly categorized.

To maximize the impact of your Google Business Profile, make sure it has accurate and up-to-date information. This includes your business hours, address, and contact details.

Having at least 30 positive reviews (4 to 5 stars) on your Google Business Profile is also essential. This will help improve your online reputation and attract more customers.

Responding to reviews is also a must. This shows that you value your customers' feedback and care about their experience.

Here is the Google Business Profile Checklist:

A technical audit is essential to ensure your website meets the technical requirements of modern search engines. This is crucial because it ensures that a website meets the technical requirements of modern search engines.

To start your SEO audit with technical aspects, you should address technical deficiencies first, laying the foundational groundwork for your content and on-page strategies to perform effectively.

Here's a quick checklist to get you started:

By addressing these technical issues, you'll ensure search engines can efficiently index and rank your site, maximizing visibility and traffic.

Checking page rendering is a crucial step in a technical audit, as it ensures that search engines like Google can properly index and rank your site. This involves Google rendering the page as a user would see it, executing your JavaScript, which is a programming language used to enhance webpages and add functionality beyond HTML.

If there are issues with your JavaScript, Google won't be able to see your pages properly, which could result in a broken reviews section or interactive buttons that don't work. You can check how Google renders your pages using Google Search Console, specifically the "URL Inspection Tool."

Testing a page and clicking the "View Tested Page" button will show you a screenshot on the right-hand side that shows how Google "sees" your rendered page. Look for differences between that and how your page should appear. The Semrush Site Audit tool can also quickly highlight any issues with your site's JavaScript.

To fix any issues, consider utilizing progressive enhancement, which ensures that SEO elements and content render in HTML. This is the recommended method, and Google has a helpful resource on rendering on the web. Other methods like initial static rendering and pre-rendering can also get the job done, but they should be your second option after progressive enhancement.

Fixing broken links is a crucial step in any technical audit. Google may not "lose sleep" over them, but they can still hurt your SEO and user experience. Broken links are bad for user experience, which can ultimately affect your search engine rankings.

To find broken links, you can use free tools like Broken Link Check, or crawling software like Screaming Frog. You can also use Semrush Site Audit to identify broken links on your site.

Here are some steps to fix broken links:

By fixing broken links, you can improve your user experience and search engine rankings. It's a simple step that can make a big difference in your website's performance.

Analyzing your competitors is a crucial step in a technical audit. You can find their best keywords using a tool like Semrush, which can also help you identify great keywords to target.

To do this, first find your competitors' best keywords using Semrush. If they rank for these keywords, you have a good chance to rank for them too.

Look at the pages that are ranking for those terms and figure out what they have in common. For example, our highest-ranking pages have long-form content (3k+ words), contain custom visuals and illustrations, and cite research studies, data, and statements from Google.

Analyze those competitors' backlink profiles using Semrush's Backlink Analytics tool. This will tell you what content gets links and what kinds of websites already link to the kind of content you might want to create.

Here are some common characteristics of top-performing pages:

Just repeat this process for your main competitors and their top-performing pages.

Your sitemap should reside in the root folder on the server. The most common place to find it directly is at mydomain.com/sitemap.xml or linked to/from the robots.txt file.

Start by crawling the sitemap URLs to make sure they are free of errors, re-directs, and non-canonical URLs. This means checking for URLs with canonical tags that point to another URL.

A good place to check for errors is in Google Search Console, where you can submit your XML sitemaps and investigate any URLs that are not indexed. They'll likely have an error, re-direct, or non-canonical URL.

Make sure to check the content management system (CMS) if you're using one, as it may show the URL if there is one.

Structured data, also known as schema markup, helps search engines understand your content.

Having schema markup can help you land rich snippets in search results, which can boost your visibility in the search engine results pages (SERPs).

Structured data can tell Google about the author of your post, information about your business, and more.

You can check that you've implemented your structured data correctly using a tool like the Schema Validator.

You can also use the Detailed SEO extension to verify your schema markup.

Checking your Site Audit report in Semrush is another way to ensure your structured data is accurate.

You can quickly improve your search traffic by tackling low-hanging fruit. One way to do this is by finding unlinked brand mentions and asking site owners to add a link. BuzzSumo makes finding unlinked brand mentions easy, and Google Alerts and Talkwalker can notify you of future occurrences.

To get started, set up alerts for your brand name on Google Alerts and Talkwalker. This will help you stay on top of mentions and potential link opportunities.

Internal linking is another area to focus on. Adding links to existing content can help boost traffic, especially if you use keyword-rich anchor text. You can check your internal links using Google Search Console's "Links" report.

LSI keywords can also be a game-changer. Use Google's autocomplete and "People Also Ask" functions to find new LSI keywords for existing content. Answer the Public is another great resource for LSI keywords.

For ecommerce sites, adding more content to neglected pages can make a huge difference. Product pages and category pages are often thin on content, making it hard to rank. Simply adding more unique copy can make a night-and-day difference.

To get a better understanding of your competition, check what top-ranked pages do differently. Do they use a different format? Do they have a higher Domain Authority? If so, try changing it up or building links to compete.

Finally, updating old content is a must. At Backlinko, they update all major posts every year, making sure the content is still accurate and adding new sections to spruce it up.

Optimize your title tags by including a geotargeted keyword, if possible, to help search engines understand your domain and serve it to readers.

Use meta descriptions to convince searchers to click through to your site, and make sure to include a local keyword if it applies to the particular landing page.

Use alt text and captions to expand keyword usage in your images, and simplify your navigation structure so users can find relevant information in as few clicks as possible.

Add local context to your URLs, such as including the city or region, like "/12-ways-to-shop-in-Austin/".

Include targeted keywords in the anchor text of your internal links to let site visitors and local customers know what to expect when they click on a link.

Use schema markup to properly mark your site with meta tags called "structured data", allowing search engines to crawl and index your site for results.

Here are some key areas to focus on for on-page optimization:

Avoid common mistakes like blank meta description tags, generic title tags, keyword stuffing, using marketing language instead of keywords in headers, and not using active or unique language in meta titles and descriptions.

Off-page Optimization is a crucial aspect of a local SEO audit. It involves analyzing and improving the signals that search engines use to determine the relevance and authority of your website.

To start, identify your top two competitors and run them and your site through a backlink network such as Majestic. This will help you understand where your competitors are getting their links from.

Review the top links pointing to your competitors to see what types of websites are linking to them. Then, do the same for your site to understand where your links are coming from.

Look at your analytics to see your referring sites - the best links are the ones that drive traffic because it's a path on the Internet that real people found useful. Google's innovations around off-page analysis will correspond with links that get traffic because they indicate quality.

Here are some key factors to consider when analyzing your competitors' backlink profiles:

By analyzing these factors and developing a plan to improve your off-page optimization, you can increase your website's visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).

A local SEO audit template helps you identify and fix issues that prevent your website from ranking well in local search results. This template typically includes a checklist of items to review, such as website content, technical setup, and online presence.

A well-structured website is essential for local SEO, which is why a local SEO audit template often includes a section on website structure and content organization. This ensures that your website is easy for search engines to crawl and understand.

A typical local SEO audit template will also include a section on keyword research, which helps you identify relevant keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for. This information is crucial for optimizing your website's content and meta tags.

Internal linking is a crucial aspect of maximizing your website's potential. It's one of the most underrated SEO strategies on the planet.

Make sure you link to high-priority pages as much as possible. Every page should have at least one relevant internal link pointing to it, which helps avoid "orphaned pages."

Aiming for 5+ internal links per page is a good start, as long as they're all relevant. As long as the links are relevant and add value for the reader, they're worth adding.

Internal links minimize your website's crawl or click depth, which ideally should be 3 clicks at most for your most important content. You can quickly find out if you have pages that are deeper than 3 clicks using the Semrush Site Audit tool.

Structured data is a powerful tool that helps search engines understand your content. It's a type of markup that adds semantic context to your website code.

Using schema.org, webmasters and SEOs can add structured data to their website, enhancing how Google displays search listings with details like telephone numbers, reviews, star ratings, and event information.

To implement structured data correctly, it's crucial to review the markup for errors and strategically plan the optimal schema for key website templates. This helps attract user attention and increase organic click-through rates.

You can use the Google's Rich Results tool to evaluate your schema markup and its eligibility to appear as a rich snippet on the SERP. Just grab a few important pages and enter them in.

Google Search Console also reports on potential issues with Schema under the Enhancements section, showing errors, warnings, and the number of valid URLs in total.

While Google's tools can get the job done, using an SEO platform to audit schema at scale is often more feasible for an enterprise site. This helps you identify and fix errors more efficiently.

Structured data can also tell Google about the author of your post, information about your business, and more. It's a great way to provide additional context and make your content stand out in search results.

You can use a tool like the Schema Validator or the Detailed SEO extension to check that you've implemented your structured data correctly.

Mobile friendliness is crucial for any local SEO audit. Over half of web searches come from mobile devices, making it essential to ensure that all basic mobile-friendly aspects are in place.

More than 55% of global traffic is on mobile devices. This is why Google started using mobile-first indexing, which means they now use the mobile version of your site for indexing and ranking in both mobile and desktop search results.

To check if your site is mobile-friendly, you can use a tool like PageSpeed Insights, as Google's quick mobile-friendliness test was discontinued in 2023.

Here are some tips to improve your site's mobile friendliness:

When performing a local SEO audit, it's essential to avoid common mistakes that can hinder your website's visibility. Duplication issues with SEO tags can lead to confusion for search engines, making it harder for your site to rank.

Blank meta description tags are a common oversight, indicating that SEO might be neglected. This can result in poor search engine rankings and fewer clicks to your site.

Incorrect placement of SEO tags can also cause problems. Generic title tags, such as just the product name or category name, are a semi-normal occurrence.

Keyword stuffing in page titles can be detrimental, as it includes 2-3 target keywords stringed together instead of a brief, clear title. This can lead to search engines penalizing your site.

Here are some common mistakes to watch out for during a local SEO audit:

Tracking Progress is a crucial step in your local SEO audit. You need a way to see if the changes you make are actually working.

To track your progress, you'll want to set up keyword rank tracking. This involves using a tool like Semrush's Position Tracking tool.

This tool doesn't just track the keywords you give it, but also automatically finds keywords that you rank for. It's a game-changer for monitoring your keyword rankings.

By tracking your keyword rankings, you can see if the changes you make based on your SEO audit are effective. You can use a free keyword rank checker to see where you rank for top keywords.

Use a site crawler to conduct a comprehensive site audit, even if it's not required. This will help you gather a list of technical issues.

A site crawler will give you a grade of pass, fail, or needs improvement for each issue. Fail issues are a big deal and can result in huge wins if fixed.

You'll also get a prioritized list of issues to tackle, starting with fail issues, followed by the most promising needs improvement issues based on your time and resources.

The best site crawlers, like seoClarity's built-in site crawler technology, can handle a large number of pages, such as more than 48 million pages, and give you full access to find SEO issues with no artificial limits.

You can prioritize your issues by focusing on the fail issues first, then the most promising needs improvement issues based on your time and resources.

Here's a simple way to think about it: