Free checklist
The new website SEO checklist
This is the exact local SEO checklist I used to take a brand-new small business website from zero to 100+ clicks on Google in 30 days. Work through it top to bottom. It covers your website, your Google Business Profile, your reviews, and your local visibility, and you don't need any paid tools to do it.
On this page
Build a fast website Google can actually read
Before anything ranks, Google has to understand what your page is about and be able to load it quickly. Most new local sites lose here first.
- Put your main keyword in the page title, like Emergency Plumbing Services in Dallas.
- Use that same keyword in your H1, the big headline at the top of the page.
- Work the keyword into your first paragraph. Keep it natural and skip the keyword stuffing.
- Give every core service its own page. One page targets one keyword.
- Compress your images and cut unnecessary scripts so it loads fast on a phone.
- Show your business name, address and phone number, matching your Google listing exactly.
- Check it looks and works right on mobile, where most of your visitors are.
Set up your Google Business Profile properly
For a local business this is the single biggest lever. A fully completed profile beats a half-filled one every time.
- Claim and verify your profile so you actually control the listing.
- Choose the most accurate primary category. This is the one that matters most.
- Add every relevant secondary category that fits what you do.
- Write a description that uses your main keyword the way a real person would say it.
- Set your service area, hours and contact details, and keep them current.
- Upload plenty of real photos: your storefront, team, work, and before-and-afters.
- Fill out every field, from services to attributes to questions. Leave nothing blank.
Get fresh reviews every single week
Steady, recent reviews are one of the strongest signals for local ranking, and the fastest way to earn trust with people who find you.
- Ask every happy customer for a review while the job is still fresh in their mind.
- Aim for three to four new reviews a week, not a one-time burst.
- Send a direct review link so leaving one takes a single tap.
- Reply to every review, good or bad. It shows you're paying attention.
- Mention the service and location in your replies where it reads naturally.
Get in front of your local community
Ranking is only half of it. You also want people nearby to recognise your name before they even search.
- Find the active local groups on Facebook for your town or area.
- Post about your business in a way that helps people, not just to sell to them.
- Comment on and engage with other posts so people see you around.
- Share small tips people can use, so you are remembered when they need you.
Keep it going, the part most people skip
Ranking compounds. The businesses that win are the ones still doing this in week eight while everyone else quit in week two.
- Post to your Google profile regularly with offers, updates and photos.
- Watch your clicks and calls in the Google Business Profile dashboard.
- Repeat the review and community steps every week, and give it 30 to 90 days.
Want this done for you instead?
This is the same playbook I run for clients: the fast website, the Google Business Profile, and the reviews system. If you'd rather skip the DIY and just get found, tell me what you're dealing with.
Curious what this looks like finished? See the work or services and pricing.