A local SEO audit report acts as a compass and roadmap for businesses looking to stand out in their local market. For many marketing managers and directors in the B2B space, local SEO can feel like uncharted territory. This is where a local SEO audit report comes in, providing invaluable insights and actionable steps to boost your online visibility. It helps attract local customers and outperform competitors.
Table of Contents
What is a Local SEO Audit Report?
A local SEO audit report analyzes your website, Google Business Profile (GBP), citations, and online reviews. It assesses your local search visibility and identifies problems. A comprehensive report provides data-driven recommendations. It will include a strategic action plan to address problems. This leads to increased online visibility, website traffic, and ultimately, more customers.
The Importance of Local SEO Audits
You might be asking yourself, why invest in a local SEO audit report? In today’s mobile-driven world, local searches are booming. People rely on Google to find the nearest restaurants, shops, services, and businesses now more than ever.
Mobile searches using “near me” with a variation of “to buy” have surged by 500% in the last two years, according to Google. This means missing out on local SEO is like leaving money on the table.
Key Areas Covered in a Local SEO Audit Report
Specific aspects might differ based on the auditing tool or expert you choose. However, a comprehensive local SEO audit report typically includes a deep dive into the following areas:
1. Website Analysis
This section dissects your website’s technical SEO health, on-page optimization, and content. This helps determine how well they align with local search best practices. This encompasses:
- Technical SEO: Assessing factors like website speed, mobile-friendliness, site architecture, and security. This ensures your site provides a smooth user experience, vital for higher rankings.
- On-page Optimization: Examining your website’s content, meta descriptions, header tags, image optimization, and keyword usage. This is to improve relevance for local searches.
- Local Keyword Analysis: Identifying relevant local keywords that potential customers use to find businesses like yours. Strategically integrate these keywords into your website copy.
2. Google Business Profile (GBP) Evaluation
Your GBP is your business’s online storefront. It provides essential information like your business name, address, phone number, website, hours of operation, and customer reviews. The local SEO audit report examines:
- GBP Completeness and Accuracy: Ensuring all information is filled out accurately and consistently across the web. Inaccuracies can hurt your visibility and confuse potential customers.
- Reviews and Ratings: Analyzing customer reviews to understand your online reputation. A high volume of positive reviews boosts your credibility and attracts more customers. It’s essential to respond to reviews, both positive and negative. Doing so demonstrates that you value customer feedback. If you encounter reviews that violate Google’s guidelines, report them.
- GBP Category Selection: Making sure your business is categorized correctly to appear in relevant local searches.
- Photo Optimization: Evaluating the quality and relevance of photos on your profile to make your listing more engaging.
3. Citation Analysis
Citations are online mentions of your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) on other websites. Think of them as online “votes” for your business. A local SEO audit report will conduct searches about your business and delve into:
- Citation Consistency: Identifying any discrepancies in your business information across different platforms. Having incorrect or inconsistent NAP citations can seriously harm your local search rankings.
- Citation Building Opportunities: Discovering new relevant directories and websites where you can list your business to improve visibility.
4. Backlink Profile Assessment
Just like with traditional SEO, backlinks from other authoritative websites remain a crucial ranking factor for local search. The audit assesses:
- Backlink Quality: Analyzing the authority and relevance of the sites linking to you. High-quality backlinks from relevant websites are valuable “trust signals” that boost your authority.
- Backlink Profile Growth Opportunities: Identifying new opportunities for earning high-quality backlinks from local businesses, news websites, and industry blogs. You will be able to see which websites are linking to you, if any.
Utilizing the Insights from Your Local SEO Audit Report
The real value of a local SEO audit report lies in taking action based on its recommendations. It provides you with a customized to-do list for improvement, addressing each area for maximum impact:
- Technical SEO Improvements: Work on any technical SEO issues hindering website performance. Some examples are improving site speed, ensuring mobile responsiveness, and fixing broken links.
- Optimizing For Local Search: Refine your content strategy by incorporating local keywords. Also, you will want to create content that answers the specific questions local searchers are asking.
- Enhancing your GBP Profile: Optimize your GBP with complete information, compelling photos and videos, relevant categories, and by actively engaging with customer reviews.
- Cleaning Up and Building Citations: Correct inconsistent citations, remove duplicates, and find new relevant directories to list your business for increased visibility.
Conclusion
In an increasingly competitive digital landscape, a local SEO audit report is no longer a “nice-to-have” – it’s a necessity. An audit report evaluates your online presence. It unlocks data-driven insights, empowering you to attract local customers and stand out in search results. This will help you achieve sustainable growth in the long run.