Local SEO checklist (2026): 35 checks to show up on Google
35 local SEO checks, each with a 'done when' test: Google Business Profile, website, citations, reviews and links. Printable, with a 90-day plan.
By James Olawale · · 7 min read
A local SEO checklist covers five areas: your Google Business Profile (verified, right category, complete, active), your website (a page per service, your city in titles, fast on phones, LocalBusiness schema), your citations (the same name, address and phone on every directory), your reviews (a steady flow with replies) and your links and mentions (local sites that point to you). Below are 35 specific items (32 core plus 3 bonus), each with a "done when" test, so you can work through it in a weekend and then keep it up in about an hour a month.
Print it, copy it into a spreadsheet, or work down it with your website open in another tab. If you want a head start, run the free Scala SEO check first: it flags most of the website items below automatically.
How to use this checklist
- Do the sections in order. The Google profile is the fastest win for most local businesses, so it comes first.
- Mark each item done only when it passes the "done when" test. "Sort of" doesn't count.
- Re-check every quarter. Hours change, staff change, and directories go out of date.
Priority tags: High items affect whether you show up at all. Medium items help you rank higher or convert more. Low items are polish.
Part 1: Google Business Profile (items 1–10)
Google says local ranking is based mainly on relevance, distance and prominence. Most of that starts here. Setup instructions are in our Google Business Profile setup guide.
| # | Item | Done when | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Profile claimed and verified | You see "Your business on Google" when you search your name while signed in, with no "Verify" banner | High |
| 2 | Owned by a business Google account | The primary owner is a business email you control, not a staff member's personal account | High |
| 3 | Most specific primary category | It's the narrowest true option ("Pizza restaurant", not "Restaurant") and matches what top local competitors use | High |
| 4 | Accurate secondary categories | Each one is something a customer could actually come to you for | Medium |
| 5 | Regular hours and special hours | Hours match your door sign, and holiday hours are set at least a week ahead | High |
| 6 | Services, products or menu added | Every main service or menu section is listed with a short description | Medium |
| 7 | Description written | Uses most of the 750 characters, says what you are and where in the first 250, no links or promos | Medium |
| 8 | Attributes ticked | Every true attribute (accessibility, Wi-Fi, outdoor seating, owner identity) is selected | Low |
| 9 | 20+ real photos | Logo, cover, exterior, interior, products and team, all your own, none older than a year for the exterior | Medium |
| 10 | Weekly updates | At least one update posted in the last 7 days | Medium |
For a deeper version of items 3–10, see how to optimize your Google Business Profile.
Part 2: Your website (items 11–21)
Google's relevance signal includes your linked website, and AI answer tools read it too. Our website SEO basics guide explains each item in more depth.
| # | Item | Done when | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 11 | Name, address and phone on every page | NAP in the footer, matching your Google profile character for character | High |
| 12 | Homepage title names your service and city | The title tag reads like "Crumb & Co. · Bakery in East Austin" and is under about 60 characters | High |
| 13 | Unique meta description on key pages | Each main page has its own 1–2 sentence description, not a blank or a copy | Medium |
| 14 | One page per main service | "Custom cakes", "Wedding cakes" and "Sourdough" each have their own page, not one "Services" list | High |
| 15 | One clear H1 per page | Each page has one main heading that says what the page is about | Medium |
| 16 | Location page(s) if you serve several areas | Each area page has real local details (landmarks, parking, service notes), not just a swapped city name | Medium |
| 17 | Fast on a phone | Your homepage loads and is usable in about 3 seconds on mobile data; check Google's PageSpeed Insights | High |
| 18 | Works on a phone | Text readable without zooming, buttons easy to tap, tap-to-call phone number | High |
| 19 | Photos have descriptive file names and alt text | "sourdough-loaf-crumb-and-co.jpg" with alt text "Sourdough loaf on a wooden board", not "IMG_4821" | Low |
| 20 | LocalBusiness schema added | Structured data with name, address, phone, hours and geo coordinates, and it passes Google's Rich Results Test | Medium |
| 21 | HTTPS and no broken pages | The padlock shows, and no menu link leads to a "page not found" | High |
Part 3: Citations and NAP consistency (items 22–26)
A citation is any online mention of your business name, address and phone number. Google's prominence factor draws on information from across the web, including directories. Mismatched details create doubt.
| # | Item | Done when | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | One master NAP written down | You have a single exact format (suite numbers, "St" vs "Street", phone format) saved for copying | High |
| 23 | Core listings claimed | Apple Business Connect, Bing Places, Yelp, Facebook page and Instagram profile all claimed and matching | High |
| 24 | Industry directories | Listed on the 1–3 sites your customers use: TripAdvisor or OpenTable (restaurants), Healthgrades or Zocdoc (clinics), Mindbody or ClassPass (fitness), Houzz or Angi (home services) | Medium |
| 25 | Local directories | Listed with your chamber of commerce, neighborhood association or city business directory | Low |
| 26 | Old details cleaned up | Searching your old phone number or old address finds no live listings with outdated info | Medium |
Tip: when you move or change your phone number, update Google first, then the rest of the list the same week. Set a calendar reminder to search your business name in a private browser window every three months.
Part 4: Reviews (items 27–29)
Google states that review count and rating factor into local ranking. Full scripts and templates are in our guide on how to get more Google reviews.
| # | Item | Done when | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 27 | A simple way to ask | Your review link is saved as a short link and a QR code at the counter, on receipts or in follow-up emails | High |
| 28 | A steady flow | You get new Google reviews every month, not just in one burst | High |
| 29 | Every review answered | All reviews from the last 90 days have an owner reply, including the negative ones | Medium |
Two rules: never offer anything in exchange for a review, and ask every customer, not only the happy ones. Google's policy prohibits incentives and selectively asking for positive reviews.
Part 5: Links and local mentions (items 30–32)
Links from other websites, especially local ones, are part of how Google judges prominence. They also feed the AI answer tools that now recommend businesses (more on that in our guide to showing up in AI search).
| # | Item | Done when | Priority |
|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Local partners link to you | 3+ local organizations you work with (suppliers, venues, schools, charities you sponsor) link to your site | Medium |
| 31 | Local press or blogs | You've pitched one story to a local paper, neighborhood blog or newsletter in the last 6 months | Low |
| 32 | Social profiles link back | Instagram bio, Facebook page and any other social profiles link to your website | Medium |
Easy link ideas for a local business: sponsor a youth sports team, host a free class for a community group, give a talk at the library, or partner with the shop next door on a joint event. Each one usually comes with a mention on their site.
Bonus items for active businesses (33–35)
| # | Item | Done when |
|---|---|---|
| 33 | You post on social media every week | Instagram and Facebook show posts from the last 7 days (see how often a small business should post) |
| 34 | You track calls and direction requests | You check the Performance tab in your Google profile monthly and note the trend |
| 35 | You check what AI tools say about you | You've asked ChatGPT or Google's AI Mode "best [your service] in [your city]" and noted whether you appear and what sources it cites |
Your 90-day plan
- Weekend 1: Part 1 (Google profile) and items 11, 12, 22 and 23.
- Weeks 2–4: The rest of Part 2 (website), with help from a developer if needed.
- Month 2: Part 3 (citations) and start the review routine from Part 4.
- Month 3: Part 5 (links), then repeat the whole checklist.
If the website items look daunting, start with the free SEO check. Scala scans your site, explains each problem in plain words and writes the fixes (titles, descriptions, page copy) for you to paste in.
Frequently asked questions
What is the most important local SEO task?
For most local businesses, it's claiming and verifying your Google Business Profile with the most specific primary category and complete details. It controls whether you appear in the map results at all.
How long does local SEO take to work?
Fixes to your Google profile can show up in days, but ranking changes usually take weeks to a few months. Treat it as a monthly routine rather than a one-time project.
What does NAP consistency mean?
NAP stands for name, address and phone number. NAP consistency means those details are written exactly the same way on your website, Google profile and every directory, so search engines trust which details are correct.
Do I need a website for local SEO?
You can appear in Google Maps without one, but Google's relevance signal includes your linked website, and AI search tools read websites too. A simple site with a page per service and your address on every page is enough to start.
How often should I go through a local SEO checklist?
Do the full checklist once, then repeat it every quarter. Weekly tasks like posting updates and replying to reviews take about 15 minutes.
