Local SEO checklist, checked against your real business
If people nearby search for what you do and find your competitor first, a generic checklist will not tell you why. This prompt has your todo.is agent look up your business, your Google listing, directories and website, then fill in a local SEO checklist with what is done, what is missing and what to fix first.
The prompt
- Run a local SEO checklist for my business: [BUSINESS NAME], [ADDRESS], [WEBSITE], a [BUSINESS TYPE] serving [SERVICE AREA]. Search for my business and my main services in my area like a customer would, and note which 3 competitors show up first. Check: my Google Business Profile as seen in search (category, hours, photos, review count and rating, recent replies), whether my name, address and phone match on my website and on major directories, whether my website has a page per service and location, local schema markup, a clickable phone number and a map. Compare reviews and photos with the 3 competitors. Give me an Excel checklist with each item marked done, partly done or missing, why it matters, and how to fix it, plus a top 5 to fix this month.
What to change
- [BUSINESS NAME]: Exactly as customers know it, e.g. "Bright Smile Dental".
- [ADDRESS]: Your street address, or "service-area business" if you go to customers.
- [WEBSITE]: Your website link.
- [BUSINESS TYPE]: e.g. "family dental clinic", "plumber", "yoga studio".
- [SERVICE AREA]: The city or areas you serve, e.g. "Austin and Round Rock, TX".
Example result
- Local SEO checklist · Bright Smile Dental, Austin TX
- Competitors found first for "dentist near me" style searches: Lakeview Dental, Oak Hill Family Dentistry, Smile Studio ATX.
- Google Business Profile
- • Primary category "Dentist": done
- • Secondary categories (Cosmetic dentist, Emergency dental service): missing
- • Hours incl. holidays: partly done, holiday hours not set
- • Photos: 9 photos vs 40 to 120 for competitors. Partly done
- • Reviews: 4.7 from 38 reviews. Competitors have 150 or more
- • Review replies: none in the last 6 months. Missing
- Name, address, phone (NAP)
- • Website and Google match: done
- • Two directories list an old phone number: fix
- • One directory spells it "Bright Smiles Dental": fix
- Website
- • Separate page for each service (implants, whitening, emergency): partly, implants has no page
- • Location page with map, parking and nearby landmarks: missing
- • LocalBusiness or Dentist schema: missing
- • Click-to-call phone on mobile: done
- • Page speed on mobile: acceptable
- Top 5 to fix this month
- • Ask for reviews after each visit with a short link. The review gap is the biggest difference from competitors.
- • Reply to every review, good and bad, within a few days.
- • Fix the old phone number on the 2 directories.
- • Add 20 real photos: team, rooms, outside, parking.
- • Create an implants page and a location page with schema.
- Monthly habits
- • Post an update or offer on your Google profile.
- • Check new reviews every week.
- • Keep hours updated before holidays.
How to do it with todo.is
- Copy the prompt and fill in your business details exactly as they appear to customers.
- Paste it into todo.is, or send it to your agent on WhatsApp.
- Your agent searches like a customer, checks your listing, site and directories, and sends an Excel checklist.
- Work through the top 5, then make it a monthly to-do so your agent re-checks progress.
Tips for a better result
- Use exactly the same business name, address and phone everywhere. Small differences confuse search engines and customers.
- Reviews are a strong local signal. A steady flow of new reviews beats a burst once a year.
- Pick the most specific primary category on your Google profile. "Emergency plumber" can beat "Plumber" for urgent searches.
- Have your agent repeat the checklist on the first of each month and send you only what changed.
local SEO checklist: FAQ
- What is local SEO? Local SEO is making your business show up when people nearby search for what you offer, in Google Maps and the local results. It relies on your Google Business Profile, reviews, consistent business details and a helpful website.
- How long does local SEO take to work? Quick fixes like categories and hours can help within weeks. Reviews, links and content usually take a few months to make a clear difference.
- Can todo.is edit my Google Business Profile? Your agent checks it from search and tells you what to change. You make the edits yourself in your Google profile.
- Do I need a website for local SEO? You can appear without one, but a website with clear service and location pages usually helps you rank and convert better.
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