Local SEO Audit Report Template

Fill out the cover page and audit scope worksheet before reviewing anything. Record the business name, website, Google Business Profile URL, primary location, service areas, prepared-for, prepared-by, report date, audit period, and version. Document access (GBP, Search Console, Analytics, CMS, call/form/booking, citation, review platforms) and the data sources used. Note any limitations — missing access, missing tracking, manual ranking checks — so future reviewers can interpret the findings.

Use the 0-5 scorecard to summarize the audit at a glance across GBP accuracy and completeness, local visibility, review profile and response process, citation consistency, homepage local clarity, service page quality, location and neighborhood page quality, internal linking, Search Console performance, crawl/index basics, structured data, mobile usability, page experience, conversion tracking, lead capture quality, and reporting readiness. Total the score, convert to a percentage, and write a one-paragraph summary in plain English.

Capture the profile URL, verification status, categories, review count and rating, photo count, services and products, posts, messaging, and booking. Walk the accuracy checklist: business name, address or service area, phone, website, appointment link, hours and holiday hours, primary and secondary categories, description, attributes, photos, logo, cover, services, products, Q&A, and review responses. Record each finding with evidence, why it matters, recommended fix, priority, owner, and a screenshot or URL.

Run manual search checks from the customer's likely search location and device, noting whether you were logged in. Record the search phrases checked and visibility in the map pack, organic, directories, and ads. Capture a competitor snapshot — category, reviews, rating, website strength, content notes, and the gap the business can realistically close — and write findings without copying competitor strategy or making unsupported claims.

Walk the crawl and index basics: homepage indexed, important service and contact pages indexed, robots.txt and noindex issues, sitemap submitted, broken important pages, redirect issues, duplicate titles or meta descriptions, missing title tags or meta descriptions, missing or multiple H1s, image alt text, and internal linking. Review homepage local clarity (what the business does, where it serves, phone, CTA, trust proof, primary services, service areas, reviews). Review service pages with a table covering page, purpose, quality, main issue, and recommended action. Record website findings with page URL, evidence, why it matters, recommended fix, priority, and owner.

Pull the performance summary for the audit date range: clicks, impressions, average CTR, average position, top queries, top pages, devices, countries, indexing issues, manual actions, and security issues. Build the query opportunity table (clicks, impressions, CTR, position, page, opportunity) and the page opportunity table (clicks, impressions, CTR, position, issue, recommended action). When data is unavailable, mark Search Console verification as a reporting priority rather than guessing.

Inventory the homepage, contact page, service pages, location pages, neighborhood pages, FAQ pages, blog or resource pages, project or case study pages, and review or testimonial pages. Walk the content quality checklist for each priority page: answers real customer questions, explains the service, identifies service area accurately, includes proof, photos, FAQs, clear CTA, no duplicated copy, no fake location claims, internally linked. Capture missing content opportunities by intent, recommended page, priority, and notes.

Capture the review snapshot: Google review count and average rating, recent review frequency, response rate, positive and negative themes, unanswered reviews, and other review platforms. Walk the review workflow checklist: link saved, QR code created, email and SMS request templates, in-person script, owner assigned, timing defined, reply templates, negative review escalation, and policy risk reviewed. Record findings, and avoid recommending incentives, gating, fake or employee reviews, or asking customers to mention specific keywords.

Document the master NAP (business name, address, phone, website, hours, primary category, service areas). Build the citation tracker (Google Business Profile, Bing Places, Apple Business, Yelp, Facebook, BBB, industry directory, local chamber) with URL, claimed, NAP accurate, duplicate, issue, and priority. Record citation findings with evidence, affected listings, recommended fix, priority, owner, and follow-up date.

Identify the structured data present: LocalBusiness, Organization, breadcrumb, FAQ, and review or rating schema, plus validation errors, warnings, and the testing tool used. Walk the LocalBusiness schema checklist (business name, URL, phone, address or service area, hours, logo, image, sameAs, business type, departments, services, visible page match). Record findings, and never recommend hiding false information inside structured data.

Walk the page experience checks: mobile layout works, text readable on mobile, buttons easy to tap, phone is tap-to-call, forms work on mobile, booking links work, Largest Contentful Paint, Interaction to Next Paint, Cumulative Layout Shift, intrusive popups, slow images, broken layout, and accessibility concerns. Record findings with affected page, evidence, user impact, recommended fix, priority, and owner.

Walk the lead capture checklist: phone visible, tap-to-call, contact form, booking link, quote request, menu or order link, directions link, email link, thank-you or event tracking, call tracking, form tracking, booking tracking, and CRM or lead notes. Record conversion findings with evidence, business impact, recommended fix, priority, and owner — these are usually the highest-business-value findings in any audit.

Consolidate every finding into one log with ID, category, issue, evidence, impact, effort, confidence, urgency, priority score (Impact + Confidence + Urgency - Effort), owner, and status. Use consistent status labels — not started, in progress, waiting on access, waiting on client, waiting on platform, complete, deferred, not applicable — so the log reads the same way next quarter.

Turn the issue log into a sequenced plan. For each block (first 30 days, days 31-60, days 61-90), record the goal, 5 recommended actions, expected deliverables, owner, dependencies, and risks. Separate quick wins from deeper projects, and assign every recommendation an owner and a deadline.

Write the executive summary last, when the rest of the report is settled. Pull the overall score and grade, three strengths, three risks, three highest-value opportunities, and three top recommendations with why-it-matters, evidence, priority, owner, estimated effort, and recommended deadline. Fill the appendix with the screenshot log, URL log, open questions, and final notes, and confirm the cover page's confidentiality note is in place.