Written by Oscar
27 April 2025
This checklist is for business owners who want to take SEO into their own hands. If youâre ready to make changes to your website, follow these steps to strengthen your search rankings and attract more local customers. If youâd prefer a tailored, advanced SEO strategy or want expert help ticking off these items, feel free to
book a free consultation today.
1. Website Performance & Technical SEO
Google doesnât like slow, clunky websites. Site speed, mobile-friendliness, and basic technical health are foundational for SEO. Without them, your rankings, and your customers can slip away.
Your site loads in under 3 seconds on desktop and mobile. Test with PageSpeed Insights.
Your site is mobile-friendly. Test with Googleâs Mobile-Friendly Tool.
SSL is active (https:// not http). Test with SSL Shopper.
No broken internal or external links. Use crawlers like Screaming Frog or Semrush.
No duplicate content issues. Check with Screaming Frog.
A robots.txt file and XML sitemap are set up and submitted to Google Search Console.
2. Keyword Targeting & On-Page SEO
Your website needs to speak Googleâs languageâand that starts with the right keywords. If youâre a âGeelong tax accountant,â your homepage should say that clearly, not just âexperienced accountant.â
Every page targets a clear, relevant keyword (e.g. âHairdresser Geelong CBD)
Keywords appear in the page title, H1, URL, and first 100 words
Meta titles and descriptions are unique and descriptive (not just âHomeâ)
Each page has 300+ words of useful, engaging content
Images have descriptive, keyword-rich ALT text (e.g. âHairdresser in Geelong styling clientâs hairâ)
Internal links to other pages
3. Local SEO
If you want local customers in Geelong to find you, your website has to tell Google exactly where you are and who you serve. Local SEO is the bridge that connects your website to people in your community.
Your Google Business Profile is fully filled out (photos, hours, services, contact info)
Your Name, Address, Phone (NAP) is consistent across your website, Google Business Profile, and directories
Youâve naturally added local keywords in your content (e.g. âAccountant in Geelong Westâ)
If you serve multiple areas, you have location pages (e.g. âPlumbing Services Geelongâ and âPlumbing Services Torquayâ)
Youâre actively collecting Google Reviews
4. Backlinks & Authority
Think of backlinks like word-of-mouth recommendations for your website. The more trusted websites link to yours, the more Google sees you as an authority.
You have backlinks from reputable sites (e.g. Chamber of Commerce, local blogs, suppliers)
No spammy or irrelevant backlinks. Check with Ahrefs Free Backlink Checker.
You collaborate with local businesses for mutual backlinks (e.g. a hair salon featured in a Geelong wedding directory)
5. User Experience & Conversions
Getting traffic is greatâbut what happens next? If your website confuses people, hides your contact details, or has no clear call-to-action, theyâll leave.
Your site is easy to navigate, with clear menus and logical flow
Every page has a clear call-to-action (e.g. âBook Now,â âRequest a Tax Consultationâ)
Contact details are easy to find
Forms are simple and work (test them!)
Your site is accessible (good contrast, alt text, readable fonts)
Youâve tested on desktop, mobile, and tablet
Youâre using schema markup for Local Business, FAQs, or Reviews where relevant
6. Analytics & Tracking
Because what gets measured, gets improved. Without data, youâre flying blind. Set up tracking so you know whatâs working, whatâs not, and where to focus next.
Google Search Console is connected and monitoring which search queries bring people to your site, alerts you to technical issues like crawl errors, and helps identify pages with high impressions but low clicks.
Google Analytics (GA4) is installed and monitor where your traffic is coming from (e.g. Social media, email, QRÂ codes, Google Organic etc)
You track your top keywords and search rankings in tools like Google Search Console or Semrush to see if your SEO efforts are helping you climb Google rankings.
Google My Business Insights are monitored and review how customers find your business profile, how often they request directions or call you from GMB.
Conversion goals are set up and tracked. Define key actions on your site: form submissions, phone clicks, newsletter sign-ups, or bookings, and set up goal tracking in Google Analytics and/or Google Tag Manager.
