How to Perform a Comprehensive Local SEO Audit (Step-by-Step Guide)

Is your local business invisible on Google? Are you seeing traffic drop inexplicably? Before you start throwing money at ads or writing random blog posts, you need to diagnose the problem. This is where a Local SEO Audit comes in.

A Local SEO audit is a comprehensive health check of your digital presence. It identifies what's working, what's broken, and where the biggest opportunities for growth lie. In this guide, we will walk you through a professional-grade Local SEO audit checklist that you can perform today.

Step 1: Google Business Profile (GBP) Audit

Your GBP is the heart of your local presence. Start here.

• Verification: Is your listing verified? Unverified listings can't rank well.
• NAP Accuracy: Ensure your Business Name, Address, and Phone Number match your website exactly.
• Categories: Check your primary category. Are you listed as a "Pizza Restaurant" or just a "Restaurant"? Specificity wins.
• Photos: Do you have high-quality, recent photos? Listings with photos get 42% more requests for directions.
• Reviews: Are you responding to reviews? Unanswered reviews tell Google (and users) you don't care.

Step 2: On-Page Website Audit

Your website needs to be locally optimized to support your GBP.

• Homepage Title Tag: Does it include your main keyword and city? E.g., "Best Plumber in Dallas, TX".
• Location Pages: If you serve multiple cities, do you have a unique page for each (e.g., /locations/plano)?
• NAP in Footer: Is your name, address, and phone number in the footer of every page?
• Embedded Map: Do you have a Google Map embedded on your contact page?

Step 3: Technical SEO Check

If Google can't crawl your site, you won't rank.

• Mobile-Friendliness: Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test tool. It is non-negotiable.
• Page Speed: Check your Core Web Vitals using PageSpeed Insights. Slow sites are penalized.
• Broken Links: Use a tool like Screaming Frog to find and fix 404 errors.
• Schema Markup: Do you have LocalBusiness Schema implemented? This helps Google understand your data.

Step 4: Citation & Directory Audit

Inconsistent information confuses Google. Check your listings on major directories (Yelp, YellowPages, Facebook, Apple Maps). Tools like Moz Local or BrightLocal can scan this instantly. Ensure your NAP is 100% consistent across the board.

Step 5: Competitor Analysis

Who is ranking #1? Look at their profile. Do they have more photos? More reviews? Better content? An audit isn't just about looking at yourself; it's about seeing what the benchmark is and exceeding it.

Step 6: Backlink Profile Analysis

Use a tool like Ahrefs or Semrush to check who is linking to you. Are they local links (local news, chamber of commerce) or spammy directory links? Quality beats quantity in Local SEO. A few strong local links are worth hundreds of low-quality generic ones.

Why Regular Audits Matter

SEO isn't a "set it and forget it" task. Algorithms change, competitors emerge, and links break. Conducting a quarterly audit ensures you stay ahead of the curve and catch issues before they impact your revenue.

Conclusion

A Local SEO audit is the roadmap to your digital success. It tells you exactly where you are and how to get to where you want to be—the #1 spot.

Feeling overwhelmed by the technical details? You don't have to do it alone. Vix Local offers comprehensive, professional Local SEO audits that dive deep into the data. Request your professional audit today and stop guessing about your growth.