Free Local SEO Checklist
Everything a local business needs to show up in Google Maps and local results, step by step. Tick items off; progress is saved in this browser.
Runs in your browser · nothing is uploaded
Google Business Profile0/8
Reviews0/3
Citations (NAP)0/4
Your website0/6
Local content & links0/4
How to use the free local SEO checklist
- 01
Start with your Google Business Profile.
- 02
Work through reviews, citations and your website.
- 03
Revisit monthly: reviews, posts and photos need regular attention.
How local rankings work
Google ranks local results on three things: relevance (does your profile match the search?), distance (how close you are to the searcher), and prominence (reviews, links and how well-known you are). You can't change distance, but everything on this list improves the other two.
The Google Business Profile drives the map pack; your website and its content drive the regular results below it. The best local businesses win both.
Tips for using the local SEO checklist
Start with your Google profile
The Business Profile drives the map pack. Complete every field.
Ask for reviews every week
A steady flow of recent reviews matters more than a big batch once.
Add local schema
Create it with the local business schema generator.
Write local pages
A page per service and area, with real local detail, helps you rank beyond the map.
Skip the manual work: get an article published to your site every day.
Rankfly finds the keywords your site can actually win, writes a full SEO article for each one, adds images, and publishes it to WordPress, Shopify, Webflow, Wix and more. Enter your website to see your free 30-day content plan.
3-day free trial · $66/month for 30 articles
Local SEO Checklist FAQ
How long does local SEO take?
Profile changes can show in weeks. Reviews, citations and content build over months.
Can I rank in a city where I don't have an address?
In the map pack it's hard. Service-area pages can still rank in the regular results below.
Is my progress saved?
Yes, in this browser.
What is local SEO?
Making your business show up for searches with local intent, like "plumber near me", in Maps and regular results.
How do I rank in the Google map pack?
A complete, verified Business Profile, consistent citations, regular reviews and a relevant website.
Do I need a website for local SEO?
It helps a lot: your site supports your profile and ranks in the regular results below the map.
Related free SEO tools
All 87 free toolsIdeal Blog Post Length Calculator
Enter a keyword to measure how long the top 10 Google results are and get a suggested word count for your article.
UTM Builder
Add UTM parameters to any link so Google Analytics shows exactly which campaign, newsletter or post sent each visitor.
Content Brief Generator
Enter a keyword to get a content brief a writer can follow: intent, reader, title and meta description, outline, questions, related terms and length.
Content Idea Generator
Describe your topic or business to get 15 specific content ideas, from beginner questions and how-tos to comparisons and buying guides.
SEO ROI Calculator
Estimate what SEO could return: from target keyword volume and rankings to visits, leads, customers and revenue, against what you spend.
SEO Cost Calculator
Estimate your monthly SEO budget: content, tools, link building and your own time, and compare an agency, a freelancer and doing it in-house.
All free planning & calculators tools
Let Rankfly do your SEO for you.
Enter your website for a free 30-day content plan: the keywords your site can win and the articles Rankfly would write and publish. About three minutes.
3-day free trial · $66/month after · Cancel anytime