Local SEO Checklist for Small Businesses: 2026 Edition

Complete step-by-step checklist to dominate local search and attract nearby customers.

📋 How to Use This Checklist

Priority 1 (Foundation): Essential tasks every small business must complete. Start here.
Priority 2 (Growth): Important optimizations to increase visibility and rankings.
Priority 3 (Advanced): Competitive tactics to dominate your local market.
Ongoing: Regular tasks to maintain and improve your Local SEO.

Google Business Profile Checklist:

• ☐ Claim your business at business.google.com
• ☐ Verify your listing (via postcard, phone, email, or video)
• ☐ Enter exact legal business name (no keyword stuffing)
• ☐ Select best primary category (be specific, not generic)
• ☐ Add up to 9 relevant secondary categories
• ☐ Enter complete physical address or service areas
• ☐ Add local phone number (not toll-free)
• ☐ Include website URL
• ☐ Set accurate business hours (+ special hours for holidays)
• ☐ Write compelling 750-character business description
• ☐ Add booking/appointment URL if applicable
• ☐ Enable messaging feature
• ☐ Select all accurate attributes (accessibility, amenities, etc.)

Photo Checklist:

• ☐ Upload logo (square, minimum 720x720px)
• ☐ Add cover photo (landscape, high-quality)
• ☐ Include 3-5 exterior photos (storefront, building, signage)
• ☐ Add 5-10 interior photos (atmosphere, workspace, facilities)
• ☐ Upload 10-20 product/service photos
• ☐ Include 3-5 team photos (staff at work, group photos)
• ☐ Add action shots (team providing services)
• ☐ Upload videos if available (30-60 seconds, tour or demo)

NAP Consistency Checklist:

• ☐ Add NAP to website header or footer (appears on every page)
• ☐ Create dedicated Contact page with full NAP
• ☐ Use identical formatting as Google Business Profile
• ☐ Ensure phone number format is consistent (e.g., (555) 123-4567)
• ☐ Match street abbreviations exactly (Street vs. St.)
• ☐ Include/exclude suite numbers consistently
• ☐ Use same business name (don't add keywords)

Schema Markup Checklist:

• ☐ Add LocalBusiness schema to homepage
• ☐ Include name, address, phone, hours in schema
• ☐ Add geographic coordinates (latitude/longitude)
• ☐ Include price range indicator
• ☐ Add department/location schema for multi-location businesses
• ☐ Validate with Google's Schema Validator

Essential Citation Checklist:

• ☐ Yelp for Business
• ☐ Facebook Business Page
• ☐ Bing Places for Business
• ☐ Apple Maps
• ☐ Better Business Bureau
• ☐ YellowPages
• ☐ Local chamber of commerce
• ☐ Industry-specific directories (e.g., Healthgrades for medical, Avvo for legal)

Review Generation Checklist:

• ☐ Get your Google review link from GBP dashboard
• ☐ Create short branded URL (e.g., yoursite.com/review)
• ☐ Train staff to ask for reviews verbally
• ☐ Send email requests post-purchase/service
• ☐ Add review request to receipts/invoices
• ☐ Create QR code linking to review page
• ☐ Display QR code in-store at checkout
• ☐ Send SMS follow-ups with review link
• ☐ Target: 3-5 new reviews per month minimum
• ☐ Respond to ALL reviews within 24-48 hours
• ☐ Implement review response templates

Google Posts Checklist:

• ☐ Post at least once per week
• ☐ Include high-quality images with each post
• ☐ Write 100-300 words of compelling copy
• ☐ Add call-to-action buttons (Learn More, Call, Book, etc.)
• ☐ Use relevant keywords naturally
• ☐ Create posts for: updates, offers, events, products
• ☐ Set specific start/end dates for offers and events
• ☐ Repurpose blog content and social media posts
• ☐ Track post engagement in GBP Insights

Website Local Optimization Checklist:

• ☐ Add city/region to homepage title tag
• ☐ Include location in H1 tag
• ☐ Write location-specific content on homepage
• ☐ Create dedicated service pages for each service
• ☐ Add location modifiers to service pages (e.g., "Plumbing Services in Austin")
• ☐ Create location pages for multi-location businesses
• ☐ Embed Google Map on contact page
• ☐ Add location to meta descriptions
• ☐ Include NAP in footer (linked to contact page)
• ☐ Create local content (city guides, local events, community involvement)
• ☐ Add location to image alt text naturally
• ☐ Ensure mobile-friendly design (test with Google's tool)

Extended Citation Checklist:

• ☐ Submit to 20+ general directories (Manta, Superpages, Citysearch)
• ☐ Add to 10+ industry-specific directories
• ☐ Get listed in local newspaper/news sites
• ☐ Join local meetup/event platforms
• ☐ List on chamber of commerce directory
• ☐ Add to neighborhood/community websites
• ☐ Submit to government/city business directories
• ☐ Use citation finder tools to discover opportunities
• ☐ Audit existing citations for accuracy monthly

Q&A Optimization Checklist:

• ☐ Seed 10-15 common questions (use different accounts)
• ☐ Answer all questions within 24 hours
• ☐ Include keywords naturally in answers
• ☐ Provide detailed, helpful responses
• ☐ Monitor weekly for new questions
• ☐ Flag inappropriate or spam questions
• ☐ Correct misinformation from other users

Local Link Building Checklist:

• ☐ Sponsor local sports teams or events
• ☐ Join local business associations
• ☐ Get featured in local news/press
• ☐ Partner with complementary local businesses
• ☐ Host or sponsor community events
• ☐ Contribute to local charity fundraisers
• ☐ Guest post on local blogs
• ☐ Get listed on "best of" local lists
• ☐ Offer scholarships (generates .edu links)
• ☐ Speak at local events or workshops

Local Content Checklist:

• ☐ Write city/neighborhood guides related to your industry
• ☐ Create "best [your service] in [city]" comparison content
• ☐ Cover local events and how they relate to your business
• ☐ Share customer success stories (with location mentions)
• ☐ Create seasonal content (e.g., "Winter Preparedness for [City] Homeowners")
• ☐ Publish local industry statistics and trends
• ☐ Interview local customers or partners
• ☐ Document community involvement
• ☐ Create location-specific FAQs
• ☐ Target: 1-2 local blog posts per month

Voice Search Optimization Checklist:

• ☐ Create FAQ content answering natural language questions
• ☐ Target long-tail keywords ("where can I find...")
• ☐ Implement FAQ schema markup
• ☐ Optimize for "near me" searches
• ☐ Ensure fast page load times (voice prioritizes speed)
• ☐ Keep business hours updated (voice assistants pull this data)
• ☐ Use conversational language in content
• ☐ Claim voice assistant business profiles (Alexa, Siri)

Competitor Analysis Checklist:

• ☐ Identify top 5 local competitors
• ☐ Analyze their Google Business Profiles
• ☐ Check their review count, rating, and velocity
• ☐ Review their photo quantity and quality
• ☐ Examine their Google Posts frequency
• ☐ Audit their website for local optimization
• ☐ Research their backlink profiles (use Ahrefs or Moz)
• ☐ Track their local rankings vs. yours
• ☐ Monitor their citation profiles
• ☐ Identify gaps you can exploit

📊 Local SEO KPIs to Track

• Google Business Profile views: How many times your profile appeared (track in GBP Insights)
• GBP actions: Calls, direction requests, website visits from your profile
• Local Pack rankings: Your position in the Map Pack for target keywords
• Local organic rankings: Website rankings for location-based keywords
• Review metrics: Quantity, average rating, response rate, velocity
• Website traffic from local searches: Filter GA4 by location and search queries
• Phone calls and form submissions: Track conversions with call tracking and form analytics
• Foot traffic: In-store visits (if measurable)
• Citation accuracy score: Percentage of correct NAP across directories

❌ Avoid These Critical Errors

1. Inconsistent NAP across platforms: Even minor variations hurt rankings
2. Incomplete Google Business Profile: Leaving fields blank reduces visibility by 7x
3. Ignoring negative reviews: Failing to respond damages reputation and rankings
4. Keyword stuffing business name: Violates Google guidelines and risks suspension
5. No local content on website: Generic content doesn't signal local relevance
6. Buying fake reviews: Google detects this and penalizes your business
7. Creating duplicate listings: Multiple profiles for one location confuses Google
8. Neglecting mobile optimization: Most local searches happen on mobile
9. Not tracking results: You can't improve what you don't measure
10. Expecting instant results: Local SEO takes 3-6 months to show significant impact