If you’re looking to improve your local SEO, one of the best things you can do is to conduct an audit of your current efforts. In this guide, we’ll show you how to do a local SEO audit step-by-step. We’ll cover everything from how to research your competition to how to track your progress. By following these steps, you’ll be able to identify areas where your local SEO could use some improvement and make the necessary changes. Let’s get started!
What is a local SEO audit
A local SEO audit is a comprehensive review of your website and its ability to rank in local search results. This includes several factors, such as your NAP (name, address, and phone number) information, your website’s title tags and meta descriptions, your backlink profile, and more.
An audit of your site’s local SEO will tell you how well your page is doing in the search engine rankings and will point out ways in which you can optimize your site even further to see an increase in the number of customers and money made.
Why to do a local SEO audit
There are several reasons why to conduct a local SEO audit. Perhaps your website is not ranking as well as it used to in local search results. Or maybe you’re not getting as much traffic from local searches as you’d like. Either way, an audit can help you pinpoint areas where your local SEO could use some improvement.
How to do a local SEO audit
Finding the right guide to do a local SEO audit can be overwhelming. There are many guides out there that focus on how to do an SEO audit in general, but not all of them are specific to local SEO. This guide will teach you how to do a local SEO audit step-by-step so that you can determine areas where your local SEO could employ some improvement.
Step 1: Research your competition
Before you can start improving your own local SEO, you need to know what your competition is doing. Spend some time researching the local SEO efforts of businesses in your industry and see what they’re doing well. Make a list of the things you want to improve upon and keep it handy as we move through the rest of this guide.
Step 2: Check your listings
The next step is to make sure your business is listed in all the suitable online directories. This includes directories like Google My Business, Yelp, and Foursquare. If you’re not sure whether your business is listed in a particular directory, do a quick search for your business name and see what comes up.
If you find that your business is not listed in a directory, take the time to create a listing. Make sure you include all the relevant information about your business, such as your hours of operation, address, and contact information. You should also include photos and a description of your products or services.
Step 3: Optimize your listings
Once you’ve verified that your business is listed in all the relevant directories, it’s time to optimize your listings. Start by claiming your listing in each directory and then fill out as much information as possible. Include keywords that describe your business in the title and description fields. You should also add photos and videos to help your listing stand out.
Step 4: Do a local SEO audit for your citations
The next step is to do a local SEO audit for your citations. A citation is simply a mention of your business on another website. This could be your listing in an online directory or a mention of your business in a blog post. The important thing is that the mention includes your business name, address, and phone number (NAP).
Step 5: Do a local SEO audit for your Google My Business profile
The next step is to do a local SEO audit for your Google My Business profile. Start by logging into your account and then click on the “Info” tab. Here you can edit your business name, address, and phone number. You should also add a description of your business and include photos and videos. Make sure all the information is accurate and up-to-date.
Step 6: Do a local SEO audit for your reviews and ratings
The next step is to do a local SEO audit for your reviews and ratings. Start by checking to see if you have any reviews on Google My Business, Yelp, or other directories. If you have reviews, take the time to respond to them. This shows potential customers that you’re active and engaged with your customers.
If you don’t have any reviews, reach out to your customers and ask them to leave a review. You can also offer incentives, such as discounts or free products, for customers who leave a review.
Step 7: Audit your website
The next step is to audit your website. Start by looking at your website’s design and make sure it’s responsive (meaning it looks good on mobile devices). You should also check your website’s loading speed and make sure all of your pages are being indexed by Google.
Website audits are performed with the intention of providing webmasters with a comprehensive and in-depth review of the health, performance, and speed of their respective websites.
Step 8: Use Google Analytics
If you want to track your local SEO progress over time, you need to set up Google Analytics. Google Analytics is a free tool that allows you to track your website traffic and see how users are finding your site. Once you’ve set up an account, add your website and start tracking your progress. You’ll be able to see how many users are visiting your site, how they’re finding you, and what pages they’re looking at.
Step 9: Use an SEO tool for local business
There are several SEO tools you can use to track your progress and find areas for improvement. But for an effective local SEO audit, you better use a tool like Rank Location. It is a powerful tool that allows you to track your local rankings, find citation opportunities, and get insights into your competition.
In the long run, SEO can lead to exponential growth for websites, which is a huge deal. Brands that invest in SEO may create credibility and trust with viewers, making it a crucial aspect of a digital marketing strategy
Steps 10: Monitor your progress
The last step in conducting a local SEO audit is to monitor your progress over time. Keep track of the changes you make and how they affect your rankings in the various search engines. This will help you identify what’s working and what’s not, so you can adjust your strategy accordingly.
In conclusion, a local SEO audit is a great way to improve your visibility in the search engines and attract more customers to your business. Follow the steps above to conduct your own audit and see how you can improve your local SEO.
