Local SEO Checklist 2026

Claim and verify your Google Business Profile

Unverified profiles are deprioritised in the Map Pack. Verify via postcard, phone, or video.

Select the correct primary category

Your primary GBP category is the most important local ranking signal. Choose the most specific category that matches your core service.

Add 2–3 relevant secondary categories

Secondary categories expand your Map Pack visibility to related query types.

Write a keyword-rich GBP description (750 chars)

Include your primary service, city, and key differentiators. Don't stuff keywords — write for prospects first.

Add all business attributes relevant to your category

Attributes (e.g. 'Women-led', 'Outdoor seating', 'Free Wi-Fi') appear in your GBP listing and influence local search.

Upload 10+ high-quality photos (interior, exterior, team, services)

Businesses with 10+ photos receive 35% more clicks than those with fewer (Google).

Add a cover photo and logo

Cover photo displays at the top of your GBP card. Use a high-quality, recognisable image of your business.

Enable Google Messaging and respond within 24 hours

Messaging response speed is a GBP engagement signal. Set up automated first-response to prevent missed messages.

Publish GBP posts at least once per week

Regular posts (offers, events, updates) signal an active listing. Use 'Offer' posts for promotions and 'Event' posts for scheduled activities.

Add your full product/service menu to GBP

Products and services listed on GBP appear in local search results and expand your visible keyword coverage.

Reach 40+ Google reviews with a 4.5+ star average

Most competitive local markets require 40+ reviews to appear consistently in the top 3 Map Pack positions.

Set up an automated review request sequence

Send review requests via SMS or email within 24 hours of service completion. Automated sequences achieve 3–4× higher review rates than manual requests.

Respond to every Google review within 48 hours

Response rate is a visible GBP signal. Responding to reviews (positive and negative) demonstrates active management.

Add reviews to Yelp, Facebook, and industry-specific platforms

Diversified review presence across platforms strengthens trust signals. Target minimum 20 reviews on secondary platforms.

Monitor reviews weekly using GBP notifications or a reputation tool

Unnoticed negative reviews that go unanswered damage conversion rates — monitor consistently.

Submit consistent NAP to top 10 directories (Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Yellow Pages, Facebook)

NAP = Name, Address, Phone. Any variation (St vs Street, missing suite number) is a citation inconsistency that can hurt local rankings.

Submit to data aggregators (Foursquare, Data Axle, Neustar Localeze)

Data aggregators feed hundreds of downstream directories. Fixing your data at the source is more efficient than fixing each directory individually.

Build citations on local Chamber of Commerce and business association websites

Local authoritative citations (Chamber of Commerce, BBB, local newspaper business listings) carry higher local authority weight than national directories.

Submit to industry-specific directories relevant to your niche

Healthcare: Healthgrades, Zocdoc. Legal: Avvo, FindLaw. Real estate: Zillow, Realtor.com. Industry-specific citations build niche authority.

Audit and fix any inconsistent NAP data across existing citations

Use BrightLocal or Moz Local to identify and fix citation inconsistencies. Even minor variations affect local ranking confidence.

Ensure your website footer displays consistent NAP

NAP in the website footer reinforces NAP consistency signals that Google correlates with your GBP listing.

Include city/region + service keyword in H1 and title tag

Example: 'Plumbing Services in Austin, TX | [Business Name]'. City in title tag is still a meaningful local ranking signal.

Embed a Google Map on your contact/location page

Embedded maps reinforce geographic association and provide a direct GBP engagement signal.

Create a dedicated location landing page for each service area

Multi-location businesses should have unique, content-rich pages for each location — not thin duplicate pages with only the city name changed.

Write location-specific content (local area guide, neighbourhood info, local case studies)

Genuinely local content (customer locations, local landmarks, community involvement) increases topical relevance for local queries.

Include local keywords naturally in page body content

City, neighbourhood, and region variations should appear naturally in content — not forced into every paragraph.

Ensure page speed under 2 seconds on mobile

53% of mobile visitors abandon pages over 3 seconds. Google's mobile-first indexing makes mobile speed a direct local ranking factor.

Implement LocalBusiness schema with full NAP, hours, and geo coordinates

LocalBusiness schema (or a specific subtype like MedicalBusiness, LegalService, Restaurant) provides Google's AI systems with structured NAP data.

Select the most specific LocalBusiness schema subtype

Use Restaurant, not just LocalBusiness. Use Dentist, not just MedicalBusiness. Schema.org has 200+ LocalBusiness subtypes — use the most specific one applicable.

Add @id linking between Organization and LocalBusiness schemas

Linking schemas with @id references helps Google understand your entity graph and prevents duplicate entity signals.

Implement BreadcrumbList schema on all location pages

BreadcrumbList schema signals page hierarchy and improves rich result appearance for location pages.

Add hasMap property linking to your Google Maps listing

hasMap: 'https://goo.gl/maps/[your-maps-URL]' reinforces location data in your schema.

Validate all schema with Google's Rich Results Test

Schema errors silently prevent rich results from appearing. Test every location page schema before publishing.

Update llms.txt to include all location-specific service pages

AI systems use llms.txt to discover your location pages. Include city pages with descriptions of services offered in each area.

Add SpeakableSchema to location pages for voice search

SpeakableSchema identifies your key answer content for voice search assistants and AI systems.

Include 'near me' and geo-modifier FAQ content on location pages

FAQ sections answering 'Who is the best [service] near [city]?' or 'How do I find [service] in [city]?' target voice and AI local queries.

Ensure content directly answers 'best [service] in [city]' queries

Google AI Overviews and local AI searches favour pages that directly address the query — create content sections that answer these specifically.

Build a review response strategy for AI visibility

Review content (including your responses) is increasingly used by AI systems to understand business quality signals for local recommendations.