Local SEO
Checklist.
Everything that helps nearby customers find you on Google, in the order that matters most. Tick tasks off as you go.
Local SEO Checklist · 0 of 38 done · prmrmarketing.com/free-tools/local-seo-checklist/
Google Business Profile
The listing that shows in the map pack and on Google Maps, often the first thing a new customer sees.
Search your business name on Google Maps. If a profile exists, claim it. If not, create one at business.google.com and complete verification.
Pick the category that describes your main service, such as Dentist or Personal injury attorney, not a broad one. Add a few accurate secondary categories.
Use your real business name with no extra keywords, and the exact same address and phone number that appear on your site.
Keep hours current and add special hours for holidays, so people do not show up to a closed door.
Add each main service with a short, plain description. This helps Google match you to more specific searches.
Explain what you do, who you help and where, in up to 750 characters. Lead with the most important part.
Add your logo, a cover photo, the outside so people can find you, the inside, and your team at work. Add new photos every month.
Point the website link to your homepage or the matching location page, and add UTM tags so this traffic shows up separately in analytics.
If you take appointments online, add the booking link to your profile so people can book straight from Google Search and Maps.
Share offers, news and events a few times a month. Posts appear on your profile and give people one more reason to choose you.
Reviews
Review count, rating and recent activity shape who gets the call, and Google lists prominence as a local ranking factor.
Make asking part of your routine: a text or email right after the visit, with a direct link to your Google review form.
Copy the Ask for reviews link from your Business Profile and use it in emails, texts, receipts and a QR code at the front desk.
Thank people for positive reviews. For negative ones, stay calm, keep private details out, and offer to continue the conversation offline.
Never pay for reviews, offer discounts in exchange for them, or only ask customers you expect to be happy. Google can remove reviews and restrict profiles for this.
Facebook, Yelp and the directories in your industry also influence where people choose to go.
Your website
Google looks at your site to understand what you offer and where. Visitors use it to decide whether to call.
Usually in the footer, as real text rather than an image, matching your Business Profile exactly.
Use a tel: link and keep a call or book button easy to reach on phones.
One clear page per service, with what it is, who it is for, the cost range if you can share it, and how to book.
Each office gets its own page with its address, hours, map, directions, photos and local details. Avoid copy pasted city pages with only the town name changed.
For example, Emergency Dentist in Pasadena | Practice Name. Check the length before you publish.
Structured data confirms your name, address, phone and hours to search engines. Our generator builds it for you.
Add a map of your location to the contact or location page, with parking and entrance notes.
Most local searches happen on phones. Test your key pages and fix the biggest issues first.
Every page should load securely, with old http addresses redirecting to the https version.
Submit your sitemap in Google Search Console and check that key pages are not blocked by robots.txt or a noindex tag.
Listings and citations
Your business details on other websites. Consistent listings help Google trust your information and help people find you.
Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, Facebook, Yelp and the Better Business Bureau are the usual starting set.
For example, health directories for medical practices, legal directories for law firms and trade sites for home services.
Same name, address format, phone number and website on every listing. Fix old addresses and old phone numbers after a move.
Duplicates split your reviews and confuse search engines. Merge or request removal of any you find.
Your chamber of commerce, neighborhood business groups and local sponsorships often come with a listing and a link.
Local content and links
Helpful local content and real local relationships make you the obvious choice in your area.
Turn the questions you hear every week into short articles or FAQ sections on the matching service pages.
Share local events, partnerships, sponsorships and projects with the real names of nearby places.
Local news, schools, charities, suppliers and partner businesses linking to you are strong local signals.
Real team and location photos build more trust than stock images and can be reused on your profile.
Tracking
Measure what local search brings in, so you know what is working.
See which searches show your site, how often people click, and any problems Google finds.
Set up analytics so a call click, a form submission and a booking are counted as conversions.
Your profile shows calls, direction requests, website clicks and the searches that found you. Watch the trend.
Search your main services from different parts of town, since map results change from one street to the next.
How to use it
4 steps.
No account needed.
Start with high impact
Tasks marked High impact move the needle most. The Up next card always points to the next one you have not finished.
Tick as you go
Progress saves in this browser automatically, so you can come back tomorrow and pick up where you left off.
Share or print it
Copy the remaining tasks into an email or task app, or print a clean copy for whoever handles your listings.
Repeat every quarter
Hours change, listings drift and new reviews come in. A quick pass every few months keeps everything accurate.
Questions
About the
Local SEO Checklist.
What is local SEO?
Local SEO is everything that helps a business show up when people nearby search for what it offers, such as dentist near me or plumber in Pasadena. It covers your Google Business Profile, reviews, your website, your listings on other sites and the links that point to you.
How does Google rank local businesses?
Google says local results are based mainly on three things: relevance, meaning how well your profile matches the search; distance from the searcher or the place they named; and prominence, meaning how well known and trusted the business is, which includes reviews, links and other mentions across the web.
What should I do first?
Claim and complete your Google Business Profile, make sure your name, address and phone number match everywhere, and start asking every happy customer for a review. Those three steps are the foundation everything else builds on.
How long does local SEO take to work?
Fixes to your Business Profile can show up within days. Reviews, content and links build over months. Results build steadily when the checklist becomes a routine rather than a one time project.
Do I need a separate page for each city?
You need a page for each real location you have. Pages for nearby cities without an office only help when they offer genuinely useful local information. Copied pages with only the town name changed can hurt more than they help.
Where is my progress saved?
In this browser's local storage, on this device only. Nothing is sent to us. Clearing your browser data or using a private window starts a fresh checklist, and Reset clears it on purpose.
Ready to grow?
Own your neighborhood.
Let's put you on the map.
Showing up first when people nearby search is one of the fastest ways to grow. Let's talk about getting more local customers to call.