Local SEO Audit
A local SEO audit is a structured review of how well a business appears, ranks, and converts in local search across its Google Business Profile, website, citations, reviews, and local links.
Key takeaways
- Start with Google Business Profile — it’s the highest-impact local asset.
- Check NAP consistency across website, citations, and directories.
- Audit reviews for rating, count, recency, sentiment, and response.
- Review visibility in map pack, Maps, and organic results for key queries.
- Assess local backlinks from chambers, news, and community sites.
Start with the highest-impact asset: your Google Business Profile.
Example: Auditing a plumber in Austin
- GBP: Profile is claimed but missing services ("drain cleaning") and has no photos. Hours are not updated for weekends.
- NAP: Website shows "512 Main St" but Yelp lists "512 Main Street" — inconsistency.
- Reviews: 4.2 stars, 15 reviews, but no responses in 6 months. Recent negative review unanswered.
- Citations: Missing from Angi and HomeAdvisor. Duplicate listing on YellowPages.
- Website: Location page has generic content, no schema, no local backlinks.
- Result: After fixing GBP completeness, NAP consistency, and adding LocalBusiness schema, the practice moved from page 2 to top 3 in map pack for "Austin dentist".
Quick-start: 5-step local SEO audit
- Audit Google Business Profile — Check completeness of name, address, phone, categories, services, hours, photos, and description. Verify ownership.
- Check NAP consistency — Compare business name, address, and phone across website, GBP, and top 10 citation sites (Yelp, Facebook, Apple Maps, etc.).
- Review performance — Look at GBP insights (views, searches, actions) and Google Search Console for local queries. Note map pack ranking for top 5 service + city terms.
- Audit citations — Use a tool like BrightLocal or manually check 10–15 directories for accuracy and duplicates.
- Evaluate website local signals — Review location pages for unique content, local titles, headings, LocalBusiness schema, and internal links. Check for local backlinks from chambers, news, or community sites.
How to judge audit results
- GBP completeness: Score 0–100% based on filled fields. Aim for 100%.
- NAP consistency: Count mismatches across 10+ sources. Target 0 mismatches.
- Review health: Rating ≥ 4.0, review count ≥ 20, response rate ≥ 80%, recency within 30 days.
- Map pack ranking: For top 5 queries, note position (1–3) vs. competitors.
- Citation accuracy: Duplicates found? Incorrect NAP? Fix all.
- Local schema: Is LocalBusiness schema present on location pages? Is it valid?
- Local backlinks: Count links from local domains (chambers, news, schools). Target ≥ 5.
Common mistakes
- Auditing the website first and ignoring the Google Business Profile and map results.
- Treating NAP consistency as optional instead of checking every major citation source.
- Using template location pages with little unique local content.
- Focusing only on rankings instead of reviews, citations, engagement, and conversion signals.
Next step
FAQ
How often should I run a local SEO audit?
Every 3–6 months, or after major changes to GBP, reviews, or citations.
What is the most important part of a local SEO audit?
The Google Business Profile — it directly influences map pack and Maps visibility.
Related topics
Sources
- Google Business Profile Help — Primary source for GBP setup, ownership, edits, categories, hours, and profile behavior.
- Google Search Central — Authoritative guidance on SEO basics, structured data, and site quality signals.
- BrightLocal — Well-known local SEO reference with practical audit categories and checklists.
- Search Engine Land — Widely cited industry guide covering local audit fields, rankings, citations, reviews, and website factors.
- Semrush — Useful for technical and process-oriented local audit workflows.
Reviewed by Lucía Marín, Founding editor.