![Local SEO Audit Checklist [2026], 30 Points, local SEO and Google Business Profile illustration](/assets/images/hero-blog.svg?v=23)
Short answer: A local SEO audit checks your Google Business Profile, reviews, citations, website and ongoing activity against what Google says drives local results: relevance, distance and prominence. This checklist covers 30 points in five groups. Score yourself, fix the gaps in your profile and website first, then repeat the audit every quarter.
How healthy is your local SEO right now? This 30-point checklist covers your Google Business Profile, reviews, citations, website and engagement. Use it for self-assessment, or as a checklist before asking for a free Google Business Profile audit from an expert.
The 30-point local SEO audit
Profile completeness (10 points)
- Profile claimed and verified
- Primary category matches top-ranked competitors
- Only relevant secondary categories added
- Description uses the 750 characters to say what you do and where, without keyword stuffing
- Services listed, with prices where you can share them
- Real photos of the premises, team and work (no stock images)
- Hours and special hours configured
- Booking or appointment link added where relevant (Google removed Business Profile chat in July 2024)
- Website FAQ answers common customer questions
- All applicable attributes filled
Reviews (5 points)
- Review count in line with the businesses in the local pack
- Average rating in line with local competitors
- Reviews from last 30 days
- Every review answered, good or bad
- Fake or policy-violating reviews flagged; no review gating, incentives or staff review quotas
Citations (5 points)
- Listed on Yelp, Bing Places, Apple Maps, Facebook, BBB
- Industry-specific platforms claimed
- NAP consistent across all citations
- No duplicate listings
- Data aggregator sources updated
Website (5 points)
- Mobile responsive
- Page speed under 3s on mobile
- LocalBusiness schema deployed
- NAP on website matches GBP
- HTTPS
Engagement (5 points)
- Photos uploaded in last 30 days
- A post published in the last month
- Review replies in last 30 days
- Map Pack visibility for top keywords
- Direction requests trending up month-over-month
How to score yourself
25-30 points: strong local SEO, ongoing maintenance only. 18-24 points: good foundation, room to grow. 10-17 points: significant gaps, Map Pack visibility likely limited. Under 10: comprehensive optimization needed.
If a checklist item uses a term you have not met before, look it up in our plain-English definitions of local SEO terms.
Re-audit cadence
Self-audit quarterly. Professional audit annually or before major changes. Citation audit semi-annually for NAP drift; if it turns up duplicates or mismatched details, our local citation building service can clean them up and fill the gaps.
Updated October 9, 2026: removed the outdated messaging item and fixed-number targets, added Google's review policy limits, and aligned the passing score with the scoring guide. Sources: Google: improve your local ranking · Google: chat feature removal · Google: Business Profile guidelines.