SEO Checklist for Small Businesses (2025)

Site loads in under 3 seconds on mobile

Use Google PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev) to check your score. Images should be compressed and in WebP format. Remove unused JavaScript. A slow site loses rankings and customers.

Site uses HTTPS (SSL certificate)

Your URL should start with https://. If it starts with http://, your certificate is missing or expired. Google has used HTTPS as a ranking signal since 2014.

Site is mobile-friendly

Use Google's Mobile-Friendly Test. Over 60% of searches happen on phones. Google uses mobile-first indexing — your mobile site is what they rank.

XML sitemap submitted to Google Search Console

A sitemap tells Google every page on your site. Submit it in Google Search Console (search.google.com/search-console). Check for crawl errors while you're there.

No duplicate content issues

Use Screaming Frog (free up to 500 pages) to crawl your site. Duplicate title tags, duplicate content, and multiple URLs pointing to the same content all hurt rankings.

Each page has a unique, descriptive title tag (under 60 characters)

The title tag is the blue link text in Google results. It should contain your primary keyword and be unique for every page. Don't use generic titles like 'Home' or 'Services'.

Each page has a meta description (under 155 characters)

The meta description is the grey text below the title in search results. It doesn't directly affect rankings, but a compelling description increases click-through rate.

H1 tag used once per page, contains primary keyword

Every page should have exactly one H1 heading that clearly states what the page is about, including the primary keyword. Use H2 and H3 for subheadings.

Images have descriptive alt text

Alt text describes images for screen readers and search engines. Write short, descriptive alt text for every image. Include keywords where natural, but don't stuff.

Internal links connect related pages

Internal links help users navigate and help Google understand your site structure. Every page should link to at least 2-3 related pages on your site using descriptive anchor text.

Google Business Profile is verified and fully optimized

Every field filled in, correct category, 10+ photos, weekly posts, and 100% accurate NAP (name, address, phone). This is your #1 local ranking asset.

Business listed on 15+ local directories with consistent NAP

Check Yelp, Yellow Pages, BBB, Foursquare, Apple Maps, Bing Places, and industry directories. Inconsistent NAP across directories confuses Google and hurts local rankings.

Reviews collected regularly (goal: 1+ new review per week)

Review velocity matters — recent reviews outweigh old ones. Build a system to ask satisfied customers for reviews immediately after service.

Location pages created for each city or neighborhood you serve

If you serve multiple Vancouver-area communities (Burnaby, Richmond, North Van, etc.), create a unique page for each with specific local content — not just the same page with the city name swapped.

Local schema markup (LocalBusiness) added to homepage

LocalBusiness schema in JSON-LD format confirms your NAP, hours, service area, and business type directly to search engines. It should be on every local business website.

Every service has its own dedicated page

Don't list all your services on one page. Create a separate page for each service with 300+ words of specific content. This is how you rank for service-specific keywords.

Published at least 4 blog posts or guides in the past 6 months

Fresh content signals an active, maintained site. Blog posts targeting long-tail question keywords are one of the most cost-effective ways to build organic traffic over time.

Content answers specific questions customers ask

Use Google's 'People Also Ask' boxes and Answer The Public to find the exact questions your customers search. Create content that directly answers those questions.

No thin content pages (under 300 words) except for intentional short pages

Pages with very little content rarely rank. Audit your site for thin pages and either expand them with useful information or add a canonical tag pointing to a related, stronger page.

Content updated within the past 12 months

Outdated content loses rankings over time. Review your top 10 pages annually, update statistics and information, and change the published date to signal freshness to search engines.

FAQPage schema added to at least 5 key pages

FAQPage schema is the highest-impact GEO action available. It directly tells AI engines which questions your page answers. Add it to your homepage, services pages, and this type of resource page.

Content written in answer-first format

Move the direct answer to the first sentence of each section. AI engines extract the most direct, concise answer from a page. If your answer is buried in paragraph 3, it won't get cited.

Organization schema added site-wide

Organization schema establishes your entity — name, URL, logo, contact information. It's a one-time addition to your site layout and significantly improves how AI engines recognize your brand.

Business cited in at least 10 external sources (press, directories, partners)

AI engines cite sources they recognize as established entities. Track your external mentions and citations. Earn press coverage, guest posts, and industry directory listings to build entity prominence.

GEO Score checked and above 50

Run your site through analysis.seoh.ca and check your GEO Score. A score above 50 indicates you have the core GEO foundations in place. Below 50 means significant AI visibility gaps that competitors are likely filling.