97% of search engine users search online to find a local business. If users want to find a local business online, they turn to search engine users first.
Imagine this: you’ve worked hard to optimize your local business listings, but when someone searches “[your service] near me,” your competitors consistently show up first. Could the problem lie within your own website?
A website audit is a key tool for any business that relies on local search. It uncovers the hidden issues that might be dragging down your rankings, and gives you a roadmap to boost your online visibility.
What Does a Website Audit for Local SEO Look At?
A local SEO website audit digs into three main areas:
Technical SEO: This covers the nuts and bolts of how search engines ‘read’ your site. Issues like slow loading speeds, broken links, mobile-unfriendliness, or problems with the way your site is structured can all hurt your local rankings.
On-Page Optimization: Are your page titles and descriptions optimized for how people search locally? Are you missing out on valuable keyword opportunities? Is your image optimization helping or hindering your efforts? An audit will reveal all.
Content: Your content is where you connect with local customers. Thin service pages, lack of location-specific information, or not addressing the questions your potential customers are asking can all limit your ability to rank well.
Common Problems Website Audits Uncover (and How They Impact Your Rankings)
Slow Loading Speed: People are impatient, and so are search engines. A slow site equates to lost visibility and leads.
Duplicate Title Tags or Meta Descriptions: If search engines see multiple pages with the same title information, they won’t know which to prioritize in local results.
Lack of Location-Focused Content: Generic service descriptions won’t cut it. Your content needs to clearly establish your service area and address the local audience.
Mobile-Unfriendliness: More and more local searches happen on smartphones. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re missing out.
The Benefits of a Website Audit for Local Businesses
Fix Errors, Improve Rankings: The core purpose is to fix what’s broken and set yourself up for local SEO success.
Identify Growth Opportunities: An audit uncovers new keywords for content, or competitor weaknesses that you can exploit.
Benchmark Your Progress: An audit gives you a starting point to measure the impact of your ongoing local SEO efforts.
Conclusion
Don’t let your website be the weak link in your local marketing. A website audit empowers you to make informed improvements that will translate to higher rankings, more website traffic, and ultimately, more customers from your community.
Ready to discover what’s holding your website back? Contact us for a free website audit consultation or learn more about our “Local Competitive Advantage Package” and how it can supercharge your visibility.
