What does a local SEO audit include?

What does an audit check on my Google Business Profile?

The profile is the first thing an auditor opens. Google’s help pages say that local results are mainly based on relevance, distance and prominence. The profile is where you control relevance, so the auditor checks it closely.

The auditor looks for these items:

• The profile is verified. Google says verification tells it you are authorized to represent the business.
• The business name matches the name on your signage and stationery. It has no taglines, no phone number, and no keywords added.
• The address or service area is accurate and precise.
• The category list is short. Google advises the fewest categories that describe your core business.
• Only one profile exists for the business. Duplicates can cause problems on Maps and Search.
• Hours, attributes, photos and the description are complete. The description must not contain links or promotional prices.

Does an audit check my listings on other sites?

Yes. The auditor compares your business name, address and phone number on your website, your Google profile, and the directories and review sites that customers use. Small differences matter, such as “Street” in one place and “St.” in another, or an old phone number on a directory you forgot about.

The auditor also looks for duplicate listings and for listings that show a closed or moved location. These errors confuse customers. They also make it harder for Google to trust your details.

What does an audit check on my website?

The website must support what the profile says. The auditor checks these points:

1. Each service has its own page, with plain wording that matches how customers search.
2. Each location or service area you serve has a page with real content, not a copy of another page with the town name changed.
3. Your name, address and phone number on the site match the profile exactly.
4. The site loads and reads well on a phone.
5. The profile links to the page that best fits the visitor, usually the home page or a main service page.

Google also lists the number of websites that link to your business as part of prominence. A good audit therefore notes which local sites link to you, such as a chamber of commerce or a trade association, and which obvious ones are missing.

What does an audit check on my reviews?

The auditor reads your reviews and your replies. Google says that replying shows you value feedback, and that more reviews and positive ratings can help local ranking.

The audit should answer these questions:

• Do you reply to reviews, including the negative ones?
• Do reviews mention the services you want to be found for?
• Do you have a steady way to ask for reviews?

In Canada, the way you ask also matters. If you ask for reviews by email or text, CASL rules on consent apply. The Competition Bureau treats fake or paid-for reviews as misleading advertising. An audit should flag any practice that puts you at risk.

What does an audit check in my performance data?

Google gives verified profile owners performance data. It shows views on Search and Maps, calls, website clicks, direction requests and the search terms people used. The auditor reads this to see what customers do after they find you.

You can open the same data yourself:

1. Sign in to the Google Account that manages the profile.
2. Open your Business Profile.
3. Click Performance.
4. Choose a time period and click Apply.

If calls are low but views are high, the problem is usually on the profile itself. The phone number may be missing, or the photos and description may be weak.

What should I get at the end of an audit?

You should get a written list of findings, ranked by how much each one is likely to matter and how hard it is to fix. Each finding should say what is wrong, where you can see it, and what to change.

Be careful with any audit that promises a ranking. Google states that there is no way to request or pay for a better local ranking. An honest audit tells you what to fix. It does not tell you where you will rank afterward.

Where Georgian Bay SEO fits

Georgian Bay SEO, a local SEO agency in Collingwood, Ontario, runs this site. Judge any agency, including us, by the checks on this page. If an audit skips these areas, or promises a ranking, ask why.