Website SEO Audit: 10 Things to Check on Your Site Today

Why Most Local Business Websites Underperform on Google

The majority of local business websites have at least 5-10 significant SEO issues that are actively suppressing their rankings — not because the owners are doing anything wrong, but because the websites were built without SEO in mind.

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Check 1: Page Speed

How to check: Enter your URL at PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev)

Target scores: Desktop 90+, Mobile 70+ (good), 85+ (excellent)

Common fixes: Compress images, remove unnecessary plugins, enable caching, use faster hosting.

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Check 2: Mobile Responsiveness

How to check: Google's Mobile-Friendly Test or simply check your site on your phone.

What to look for: Text readable without zooming, buttons large enough to tap, phone number is a tap-to-call link.

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Check 3: Title Tags and Meta Descriptions

Title tag best practice:

• Include primary keyword and location
• Max 60 characters
• Example: "Accountant in Leeds | Tax Returns and Business Accounts | Smith and Co"

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Check 4: Heading Structure

• Every page should have exactly ONE H1 — your main topic and keyword
• H2s are main sections
• H3s are subsections

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Check 5: Internal Linking

• Does every service page link to other relevant pages?
• Does your blog content link to relevant service pages?
• Are all internal links using descriptive anchor text?

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Check 6: Image Optimisation

1. File size — compress every image (max 200KB for hero images)
2. Alt text — every image needs descriptive alt text
3. File names — use descriptive names like "plumber-manchester-bathroom.jpg"

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Check 7: Google Search Console

Set up at search.google.com/search-console to see which queries drive traffic, which pages are indexed, and any technical errors.

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Check 8: Local Schema Markup

Local Business schema markup helps Google understand your name, address, phone, opening hours, and services.

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Check 9: Content Quality and Depth

• Are your service pages at least 500 words of meaningful content?
• Do they answer the questions your customers actually ask?
• Do they include specific local references?

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Check 10: HTTPS Security

Look for the padlock icon in your browser. An SSL certificate costs £0-50/year and can usually be enabled in minutes.

Want a professional SEO audit with a full action plan? Book yours free with L3 Company.