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All lessons in Local SEO Lesson 10.1 of 61

Module 1: Introduction to Local Search

  1. 1.1What is local search marketing?
  2. 1.2How does Google local search work?
  3. 1.3Google Search vs. Google Maps: what's the difference?
  4. 1.4How does Google determine local rankings?
  5. 1.5What is the local search customer journey?

Module 2: Google Business Profile

  1. 2.1How to set up a Google Business Profile
  2. 2.2How to verify a Google Business Profile
  3. 2.3How to choose the right business categories
  4. 2.4How to optimize business information and services
  5. 2.5How to add photos, videos, products, and updates
  6. 2.6How to manage multiple locations in Google Business Profile
  7. 2.7Service-area businesses vs. storefronts

Module 3: Local Keyword Research and Search Intent

  1. 3.1How to find local keywords
  2. 3.2City, neighborhood, and service-based keywords
  3. 3.3Understanding near me searches
  4. 3.4Transactional vs. informational local intent
  5. 3.5How to research local competitors and keywords
  6. 3.6How to map keywords to locations and services

Module 4: Local Landing Pages and Website Optimization

  1. 4.1How to create location landing pages
  2. 4.2How to optimize local service pages
  3. 4.3How to write location-relevant titles and content
  4. 4.4How to build location and service page architecture
  5. 4.5How to avoid duplicate and thin location pages
  6. 4.6Local business schema and structured data
  7. 4.7How to keep your website and Business Profile consistent

Module 5: Reviews and Reputation Management

  1. 5.1Why do reviews matter for local businesses?
  2. 5.2How to build a customer review generation process
  3. 5.3How to respond to positive and negative reviews
  4. 5.4How to handle fake or policy-violating reviews
  5. 5.5Review policies and ethical reputation management
  6. 5.6How to monitor review trends and customer sentiment

Module 6: Local Citations and Business Listings

  1. 6.1What are local citations?
  2. 6.2Name, address, and phone number consistency
  3. 6.3How to find relevant business directories
  4. 6.4How to create and update business listings
  5. 6.5How to identify duplicate and incorrect listings
  6. 6.6Industry-specific and local directory opportunities

Module 7: Local Authority and Competitive Visibility

  1. 7.1How to analyze local search competitors
  2. 7.2How to earn local links through community partnerships
  3. 7.3Local sponsorships, organizations, and media
  4. 7.4How to build local brand recognition
  5. 7.5How to evaluate competitor reviews and business profiles
  6. 7.6How to identify local visibility gaps

Module 8: Local Search Tracking and Reporting

  1. 8.1How to track local rankings across geographic areas
  2. 8.2Understanding Google Business Profile performance
  3. 8.3How to measure calls, website visits, and direction requests
  4. 8.4How to track local leads and conversions
  5. 8.5How to use Google Search Console and Analytics for local SEO
  6. 8.6How to create local search performance reports

Module 9: Local Search Strategy by Business Type

  1. 9.1Local search for restaurants and retail stores
  2. 9.2Local search for service-area businesses
  3. 9.3Local search for professional services
  4. 9.4Local search for healthcare and other regulated industries
  5. 9.5Local search for multi-location businesses
  6. 9.6Local search for new and small businesses

Module 10: Local Search Audits and Practical Projects

  1. 10.1How to conduct a local search audit
  2. 10.2How to audit a Google Business Profile
  3. 10.3How to check local landing pages and citations
  4. 10.4How to evaluate reviews and competitor visibility
  5. 10.5How to build a prioritized local search action plan
  6. 10.6How to create a 30-day local search improvement plan

How to conduct a local search audit

What we will go through

  • What a local search audit covers
  • The order to run each check
  • How to record findings
  • How to prepare for the action plan

Short answer

A local search audit is a structured check of everything that affects a business's local visibility. Review the Google Business Profile, local rankings, location and service pages, citations and NAP consistency, reviews, local links, and tracking setup. Record each finding with its impact, then use the results to build a prioritized action plan.

What the audit covers

A local SEO audit checks seven areas, in this order:

  1. Google Business Profile: completeness, accuracy, categories, photos, activity.
  2. Local rankings: a grid check for main keywords.
  3. Website: location and service pages, titles, schema, mobile speed.
  4. Citations: NAP consistency, duplicates, missing listings.
  5. Reviews: count, rating, recency, responses, themes.
  6. Local links and mentions: partners, media, associations.
  7. Tracking: UTM links, GA4 key events, call log, Search Console.

Start with a baseline

Before changing anything, record a baseline:

  • average local rank for main keywords
  • profile views, calls, directions, website clicks
  • review count and rating
  • leads last month

You will compare against this later.

Record findings in one sheet

Use an audit sheet with these columns:

AreaFindingSeverityEvidenceFix

Example: “Profile | Primary category is ‘Store’ instead of ‘Hardware store’ | High | Screenshot | Change category.”

Rate severity as high, medium, or low.

Use what you built

Reuse your work from this course:

  • keyword map from lesson 3.6
  • competitor table from lesson 7.1
  • citation tracker from lesson 6.4
  • gaps list from lesson 7.6

The next lessons walk through each audit area in detail.

Quick quiz

1. Why record a baseline first?
2. Which area checks NAP consistency?
3. What should each finding include?

Common mistakes

  • Fixing before measuring. Record the baseline first.
  • Vague findings. Be specific and add evidence.
  • Skipping tracking. Without it, you cannot prove results.

Your action

Start a local SEO audit for your chosen business, the one you have used since lesson 1.1. Your progress saves on this device.

Key terms

Local SEO audit
A full check of a business's local search presence.
Finding
One issue or opportunity discovered during the audit.
Baseline
The starting numbers before improvements.
Audit sheet
A spreadsheet where findings are recorded.
Severity
How much a finding affects visibility or customers.

Questions beginners ask

How long does a local audit take?

For one location, a basic audit can take a few hours. Multi-location audits take longer.

Do I need paid tools?

Free tools cover most checks. A grid rank tracker and citation checker save time.

How often should I audit?

A full audit every six to twelve months, with smaller monthly checks.

Related lessons

Want someone to handle SEO for your business while you learn? The team at Remar Digital can help.