Local SEO Audit — Phase 11
Executive Summary
Local SEO is the highest-ROI channel for brick-and-mortar and service area businesses. The Google local pack (3-pack) captures 44% of clicks for local queries (BrightLocal 2025) — more than organic position 1 for geo-modified searches. In 2025, the local pack algorithm weights three core clusters: GBP signals (36% of local ranking weight per Whitespark 2024 Local Search Ranking Factors survey), Review signals (17%), and On-Page/Website signals (16%). AI Overviews now appear for 20–35% of local service queries; businesses with FAQPage schema are 2.3× more likely to appear in AIO for local queries. This phase audits every dimension of local SEO from GBP optimization to citation health, NAP consistency, local landing pages, and AI visibility across Google, Apple, and Bing.
2025 local SEO benchmarks:
- GBP primary category = #1 local pack ranking factor (Whitespark 2024 survey, cited by 36% of experts)
- 100+ GBP photos = 1,065% more website clicks vs. businesses with fewer photos (Google internal data, 2024)
- Review recency: last 60–90 days weighted 3–5× more than older reviews
- NAP consistency threshold: ≥95% = acceptable; <85% = critical ranking signal dilution
- FAQPage schema → 2.3× AIO inclusion rate for local service queries (Amsive 2025)
- Proximity signal weight (2025): ~35% of local ranking for mobile (up from ~25% in 2023)
- Q&A content on GBP feeds Google AI Overviews for local queries (confirmed Google I/O 2024)
Step 1: Read Project Context
Read {AUDIT_DIR}/intake-data.md — business name, URL, services, locations, GBP URL. Read {AUDIT_DIR}/competitor-profiles.md — competitor local SEO benchmarks. Read {AUDIT_DIR}/technical-findings.md — schema and indexation status.
Tools for this phase: | Tool | Purpose | Cost | |------|---------|------| | BrightLocal | GBP audit, NAP consistency scan (checks 80+ directories), review tracking | Paid | | Whitespark | Local citation finder, citation building, Local Rank Tracker (grid view) | Paid | | Local Falcon | Geographic rank grid — visualize local pack position across city radius | Paid | | PlePer Tools | Free competitor GBP extraction — categories, attributes, review count, photo count | Free | | GBP Manager (business.google.com) | Direct GBP management, posts, Q&A, insights | Free | | Moz Local | Citation distribution score, duplicate detection, directory submission | Paid | | Data Axle | Tier 1 citation aggregator — feeds 200+ downstream directories | Paid | | Google Search Console | Local landing page performance — clicks, impressions per location keyword | Free |
Whitespark 2024 Local Search Ranking Factors — Top Signals by Category: | Rank | Signal | Category | Weight | |------|--------|---------|--------| | 1 | GBP primary category | GBP Signals | 36% total weight | | 2 | Physical proximity to searcher | Behavioral | ~35% mobile | | 3 | Review count + velocity + rating | Review Signals | 17% total weight | | 4 | Keyword in GBP business title | GBP Signals | High | | 5 | NAP consistency across citations | Citation Signals | 11% total weight | | 6 | Website authority + local landing page | On-Page/Website | 16% total weight | | 7 | Behavioral signals (CTR, clicks, check-ins) | Behavioral | Growing | | 8 | Link signals (quality + local relevance) | Link Signals | 11% total weight |
Section 1: Google Business Profile — Full Audit
Claim & Verification Status
- GBP claimed and verified? (Postcard / Phone / Video / Email?)
- Verification method used: [document — affects trust tier with Google]
- Owner/manager access confirmed?
- Duplicate listings exist? (Search business name in Google Maps — flag all extras)
- Suspended listings? (Check GBP Manager for warnings)
Category Optimization (Highest-Impact GBP Field)
Primary category is the #1 local pack ranking factor (Whitespark 2024). Verify with PlePer:
| Check | Current | Recommended | Action | |-------|---------|-------------|--------| | Primary category | [current] | [optimal?] | Change/Keep | | Secondary categories (up to 9) | [list] | [missing categories?] | Add | | Competitor primary category | [comp 1] | [comp 2] | Benchmark |
Check competitor categories via PlePer: Enter competitor GBP CID → extract their exact primary + secondary categories. Are they using advantageous categories you're missing?
GBP Business Information — 13-Point Completeness Checklist
| Field | Present? | Accurate? | Optimized? | Impact | |-------|---------|-----------|-----------|--------| | Business name (no keyword stuffing) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Critical | | Complete street address | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Critical | | Local phone number (not 1800) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Critical | | Website URL (to correct landing page) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Critical | | Business hours (all 7 days) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | High | | Holiday/special hours set | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | High | | Business description (750 chars used) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | High | | Services listed with descriptions | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | High | | Products listed (if applicable) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Medium | | Attributes (accessibility, payment, etc.) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Medium | | Appointment URL | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Medium | | Q&A section (5+ seeded answers) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Medium | | Messaging enabled (if business responds) | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | ✅/❌ | Low |
Note: GBP Chat was deprecated July 2024 — do NOT advise enabling it; it no longer exists.
Description Optimization
- Uses all 750 characters?
- Primary keyword in first 250 characters?
- Location (city, area) mentioned?
- Key services listed?
- Unique value proposition (years in business, awards, certifications)?
- No URLs, phone numbers, or promotional language (violates GBP guidelines → suspension risk)?
Photos & Media Optimization
Photo impact data (Google internal data, 2024):
- Businesses with 100+ photos receive 1,065% more website clicks vs. those with fewer
- Businesses with 100+ photos receive 1,038% more direction requests
| Type | Current Count | Target | Status | |------|-------------|--------|--------| | Total photos | | 100+ | | | Logo (250×250px minimum) | | 1 | | | Cover photo (1332×750px) | | 1 | | | Exterior (storefront, signage) | | 5+ | | | Interior (team working, equipment) | | 10+ | | | Team/staff (builds trust) | | 5+ | | | Work/services/products in action | | 50+ | | | Video (30 sec max, 75MB) | | 2+ | | | 360° virtual tour | | Optional | |
Photos must be: original (not stock), geotagged with location data, high-quality (min 720px), recent.
GBP Posts Audit
- Weekly posts active? (Last 7 days: check timestamp)
- Post variety: Updates / Offers / Events / Products?
- Posts: keyword-rich, include image, have specific CTA (Call Now / Book / Learn More)?
- Offers: active with clear terms and expiry date?
- Events: local community events tied to business?
Q&A Section
- Owner has seeded 5+ strategic questions with keyword-rich answers?
- All user questions answered within 24 hours?
- No spam or competitor-placed questions?
Section 2: Review Ecosystem (GBP-Specific Signals)
Full reputation analysis in Phase 15 — focus here on review signals directly impacting local pack.
Google Reviews Benchmark
Local Pack top-3 review targets by niche (2025 benchmarks): | Niche | Min Review Count | Min Rating | Velocity Target | |-------|----------------|-----------|----------------| | Home services (plumbing, HVAC, electrical) | 50–150 | 4.5+ | 4–8/month | | Legal / professional services | 30–80 | 4.6+ | 2–4/month | | Healthcare / dental | 50–200 | 4.7+ | 4–10/month | | Restaurant / food | 100–500 | 4.4+ | 10–20/month | | Automotive | 50–200 | 4.5+ | 4–8/month |
Review recency weighting (2025): Google weights reviews from the last 60–90 days at 3–5× more than older reviews. A business with 200 reviews but none in 6 months will underperform vs. a competitor with 50 reviews