How to Do a Local SEO Audit for Your PA Business

You’ve got a great business, yet your competitors still show up first in local search, even the smaller or newer ones. If you’ve ever asked yourself how to do a local SEO audit for your PA business, the good news is it’s not as technical (or time-consuming) as it sounds.

A proper audit checks your Google Business Profile, online listings, local keywords, site structure, and off-page SEO to find out what’s helping or hurting your local search visibility. It’s how search engines like Google decide who gets seen and who gets skipped.

As SEO experts in PA, we’ve seen it all: duplicate listings, missing meta tags, low page authority, broken links, and inconsistent business info. 

In this guide, we’ll walk through everything from local keyword research to online reviews, and even how to use tools to spot quick wins. If you want to improve your local SEO without guessing, you’ll want to stick around.

Key Takeaways

• Keep your Google Business Profile fresh and your local keywords sharper than your competitors'.

• A solid local SEO audit is like a reality check for your rankings and your reputation.

• Don’t let broken links and duplicate content drag you down when better visibility is just a few updates away.

1. Start With the Basics: Check Your Google Business Profile

Your Google Business Profile (formerly Google My Business) is often the first thing people see when searching for local businesses on Google Maps or local search results. If you haven’t updated it in a while, it could be quietly holding your search rankings back.

Search engines use this listing to figure out who you are, what you do, and where you do it. So if it’s incomplete, inaccurate, or just neglected, don’t be surprised if your competitors keep showing up ahead of you. 

The good news? Fixing it doesn’t take long and can make a big difference in your local SEO success.

Double-check your NAP

Start with the essentials: your Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP). These should be consistent on your Google Business Profile as well as across all your local listings, online directories, and your website. Even small differences, like “Suite 3” vs “#3”, can create confusion for search engine crawlers.

Inconsistent business information is one of the top reasons local business listings lose trust with search engines. So before you do anything else, clean that up.

Make sure your info is up to date

Once your NAP is solid, go through every other detail in your business profile. These details help you show up in the right local search results and reduce confusion for customers.

• Business hours: Are they current? Do they include holiday or seasonal hours?

• Categories: Google lets you choose a primary category and multiple secondary ones. Pick the most accurate options to help match local search queries.

• Service areas: If you offer delivery or in-home services, set your service radius correctly so it lines up with nearby searches.

Add high-quality images

A profile with photos looks more legit to both search engines and customers. Add exterior and interior shots of your business, team photos, product or service images, and before-and-after shots if they apply.

Aim to update photos regularly. Not only does this help your profile look fresh, but Google likes it when local businesses show signs of activity. It’s a simple way to help your local SEO audit start off strong.

Engage with online reviews

Reviews affect both your search engine rankings and your reputation in the local community. Respond to every review, including the tough ones.

When you respond, you’re showing you care. You’re also increasing the amount of content on your profile and adding context for both customers and Google. That’s good for organic search and online reputation.

Look for patterns in your reviews. Are people consistently praising the same things? Mention those in your business profile. Are there complaints that come up repeatedly? Time to fix those and respond accordingly.

Post weekly updates

Google gives you space to share what’s going on. Use it.

Got a sale coming up? Share it. Hosting a local event? Let your audience know. Just want to share a seasonal tip or behind-the-scenes photo? Go for it.

Posting weekly shows Google and your audience that your business is active and worth paying attention to. These updates are indexed, which means they can help you rank for more local keywords and keep your Google Business Profile from going stale.

2. Check How You’re Showing Up in Local Search

Once your Google Business Profile is cleaned up, it’s time to see how your business appears in real-world local search results. This step in your local SEO audit focuses on visibility and how well your business ranks when people in your area are searching.

Search like a customer

Open an incognito window and search for terms like:

• “Your service + your city” (for example, “landscaper in Harrisburg PA”)

• “Your service near me” from a location near your business

Run these searches on both desktop and mobile devices. Search engine results pages often look different depending on how and where people are searching. Most local customers are on their phones, so mobile results matter.

Notice where your business listing shows up. Are you in the local pack? Are you on the first page at all? If not, your local SEO strategy may need some adjustments.

Use tools to dig deeper

While manual searches give you a quick glance, tools like BrightLocal, Google Search Console, and Google Analytics help you go further. They show how your rankings are performing over time, which target keywords are gaining traction, and how your business shows up in surrounding areas.

You can also monitor how different pages contribute to your organic traffic and which ones may need more attention. This kind of data is especially useful for identifying gaps and setting priorities in your local SEO audit checklist.

Spot the gaps

Watch for patterns. Maybe you're visible in your city but missing in neighboring towns. Or you rank well on desktop but not on mobile. These clues point to potential issues with site structure, on-page elements, or keyword targeting.

This is also a good time to compare your visibility to that of your local competitors. See where they outrank you and look for ways to close that gap, such as improving on-page SEO, updating meta tags, or building local backlinks.

3. Spot Any Google Penalties

If your search engine rankings suddenly took a hit, it’s possible your site triggered a penalty. This can happen for a few reasons, many of them unintentional, but it’s something you definitely want to catch early in your local SEO audit.

Start with Google Search Console

Head over to Google Search Console and check the Manual Actions report. This section will tell you if Google has flagged your site for any violations. It could be something simple like duplicate content or something more serious like unnatural links pointing to your site.

Google doesn’t always send flashing warnings, so don’t wait for an alert. Make it a habit to check Google Search Console data regularly as part of your SEO audit checklist.

Look for common red flags

Here are a few things that can lead to penalties or just lower your search rankings over time:

• Spammy backlinks from unrelated or low-quality websites

• Hidden redirects or cloaking (pages that show different content to search engines than to users)

• Thin content with very little value for users

• Keyword stuffing in your meta tags, titles, or on-page elements

• Overuse of duplicate pages, especially across local business listings or online directories

You can use tools like Ahrefs or SEMrush to review your backlink profile and spot anything that looks suspicious. If you find anything shady or outdated, it may be time to clean up those links or disavow them through Google.

Fix and request a review

If you do find a manual penalty, don’t panic. Clean up the issue, whether that’s removing bad links, updating thin pages, or correcting misleading redirects, then submit a reconsideration request through Search Console.

Google wants to see that you’ve made a genuine effort to fix the problem, so explain what you did clearly and stick to the facts. It may take some time, but getting a penalty lifted can make a real difference in your local search visibility and bring back lost organic search traffic.

4. Dial In Your Local Keywords (They’re Not Set-It-and-Forget-It)

Your customers aren’t searching the same way they did a year ago, and search engines know it. That’s why local keyword research is something you’ll want to revisit often. If you’re still using the same target keywords from when you first built your site, it might be time for a refresh.

Use tools that make it easy

Start with tools like Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest, or Moz to spot new opportunities. These tools help you see which search terms people are using to find businesses like yours. 

Look for local variations, too. That might mean phrases like “emergency plumber in Scranton,” “best pizza near Mechanicsburg,” or “pet groomer Lancaster, PA.” These geo-modified keywords are gold for improving your visibility in local search results, especially when you're trying to reach a specific local audience.

Put keywords in the right places

Once you’ve got a solid list of keywords, it’s not enough to just sprinkle them around your homepage. Use them purposefully across your website’s on-page SEO elements:

• Meta titles and meta descriptions

• Page headers (especially H1s)

• URLs and title tags

• Alt text for images

• First few sentences of your body content

This helps search engines quickly figure out what each page is about and how relevant it is to a user’s query. When your business information lines up with local intent, your pages are more likely to rank higher in search engine results.

Keep it local and specific

Generic terms like “lawyer” or “coffee shop” aren’t going to cut it in a competitive local SEO landscape. You need to focus on keyword phrases your local customers are actually using. Think like someone searching on their phone and looking for a service right now.

If you serve multiple towns, create location-specific pages and use unique keywords on each. This gives your local listings more chances to show up in search results and helps reach different corners of your local community.

Revisit and adjust

Keyword trends shift, so don’t treat this as a one-and-done task. Set a reminder to update your keyword strategy every few months. Use Google Analytics and Google Search Console to see which terms are driving traffic and which ones could use some attention.

This small update can have a big impact on your local SEO success, helping you stay visible to the people who are searching for your services right when they need them.

5. Review and Refresh Your Website Content

Your site may be live, but it might not be helping your local SEO. Outdated or vague content can hurt your rankings. This step focuses on making your content more useful, relevant, and local so search engines and customers know what you offer and where.

Start with a content check

Begin by looking for thin content, usually pages under 300 words that offer little value. These rarely rank well in local search results. Focus on service pages and city-specific landing pages. Do they clearly show what you do and who you serve in Pennsylvania?

If the content is vague or reused, rewrite it with local details like service areas, customer needs, and local keywords. Mention your city or region naturally so search engines can connect your site to local search results.

Refresh your on-page elements

Content isn't just about paragraphs. It also includes on-page SEO elements such as title tags, meta descriptions, headers like H1s and H2s, alt text for images, and keywords near the top of the page.

Make sure each page has a clear focus keyword (ideally a geo-specific one) and that you’re not duplicating content across pages. These small updates can make a noticeable impact on your search rankings and help your content stand out in competitive local listings.

Strengthen internal linking

Once your content is updated, look for ways to build stronger internal links. Link from blog posts to related services, or from service pages to FAQs. This helps search engines crawl your site more efficiently and gives users a clearer path to conversion.

An added bonus? Internal links can spread page authority throughout your site, supporting both local SEO success and overall site health.

Add LocalBusiness schema

If your site lacks structured data, add the LocalBusiness schema. It helps search engines understand your location, hours, and services, improving how your content appears in Google Maps and rich snippets.

It won’t guarantee a top spot, but it helps your content get indexed correctly, especially when paired with other elements like clear business information and locally optimized pages.

6. Audit Your Backlinks (And Your Competitor’s Too)

Backlinks are one of the strongest off-site signals in local SEO. Reviewing yours and comparing them with your competitors can reveal easy wins, remove risk, and support long-term local SEO success. 

Start with a backlink check

Use tools like Ahrefs, SEMrush, or Google Webmaster Tools to scan your backlink profile. Look for links pointing to your site and review where they’re coming from. Are they relevant? Local? From trusted sources?

If your links are mostly coming from unrelated blogs or outdated directories, it could be time to clean things up. Focus on getting links from sources that make sense for your business, such as local news outlets, chambers of commerce, business associations, industry blogs or partners, and sponsor pages for local events or nonprofits.

These types of links tell search engines that your site is part of a real local community and that others in the area consider your business trustworthy.

Watch for toxic links

If you spot links from spammy or irrelevant other websites, they could be doing more harm than good. These might look like strange foreign domains, sites with no clear topic, or directories packed with low-quality listings.

If you find questionable links, submit a disavow file through Google Webmaster Tools. This tells Google not to count them against your SEO. It’s a useful step if you’ve noticed drops in search rankings or organic traffic.

Take a peek at competitor backlinks

While you're in audit mode, run a backlink report on a few of your top local competitors. See where their best links are coming from and look for opportunities to earn similar ones.

Did they get mentioned in a local blog? Featured in a neighborhood spotlight? Included in a "best of" list for your city? These are all backlink opportunities worth pursuing. Reach out to those sites and see if they’re open to featuring your business, too.

7. Clean Up Citations (The Silent SEO Killer)

Citations often fly under the radar in a local SEO audit, but inconsistent listings can quietly drag down your search engine rankings. 

A citation is any online mention of your business’s Name, Address, and Phone number (NAP), usually found in local directories, review platforms, or business listings. If your NAP isn’t consistent across the web, it sends mixed signals to search engines and causes confusion for local customers.

Start with accuracy

Check the major platforms, like Yelp, Yellow Pages, Apple Maps, Bing Places, BBB, and make sure your business information matches your website and Google My Business profile exactly. Small formatting differences like “Street” vs “St” can cause issues with search engine results.

Use tools to speed things up

Manual checks take time, especially if your business has moved or rebranded. Use tools like BrightLocal’s Citation Tracker, Whitespark, or Moz Local to scan your listings, flag duplicates or errors, and manage updates faster. 

Keeping your citations clean is one of the easiest ways to support local search visibility.

Don’t skip the niche listings

Look beyond national platforms. Regional directories, local community sites, and industry-specific listings are just as important. These smaller sites send valuable local SEO signals and help connect your business with a more targeted local audience.

8. Don’t Ignore Implied Links and Brand Mentions

Just because someone talks about your business online doesn’t mean you’re getting SEO credit. Implied links or mentions of your business without an actual hyperlink are easy to miss, but they matter. 

If a blog, news site, or local directory includes your name without linking to your site, that’s a missed opportunity.

Search for unlinked mentions

Start by typing your business name and location in quotes into Google. This will pull up mentions across the web, from community blogs to event listings. Scroll through the results and note anything that talks about your business but doesn’t link to your website.

Reach out and request a link

If you find unlinked mentions, reach out to the site owner. A quick, friendly message asking them to add a link is often all it takes. It helps them provide more value to their readers and helps you improve your search engine rankings through stronger off-page SEO.

9. Review Your Online Reviews (and Your Reputation)

Your reviews say more about your business than your homepage ever could. When potential customers scroll through local search results, what they see in those star ratings and comments can make or break their decision. 

That’s why no local SEO audit is complete without a solid review of your reviews.

Start with the platforms that matter most

Focus on the places where local customers are already searching: Google, Facebook, Yelp, and any industry-specific platforms that show up in search results. 

These review sites show up prominently in search engine results pages and are tied directly to your search engine rankings. They're also tied closely to your business’s online presence and local SEO strategy.

Respond thoughtfully

Reply to every review. Thank customers for the positive feedback and respond professionally to the negative ones. This isn’t just good customer service. It also plays a role in your SEO efforts. 

Responses add fresh content to your listings and show search engines that you’re actively involved with your local audience.

Look for patterns

Do certain complaints keep popping up? Take them seriously. 

Repeating issues might point to real problems in your business, not just grumpy customers. Addressing them helps your reputation and improves your chances of better reviews down the line, which can help your local search visibility.

Make it easy for satisfied customers to speak up

Encourage happy customers to leave reviews while their experience is still fresh. Include a short request in your follow-up emails, on your receipts, or at checkout. The easier it is, the more likely they’ll do it. This can lead to better off-page SEO and stronger search rankings.

10. Peek Into Your Social Media Activity

Social media may not directly control your search engine rankings, but it does shape your business’s online presence. 

If your platforms are outdated or inconsistent, they can send mixed signals to both search engines and potential customers. A quick review during your local SEO audit can make a difference.

Keep your branding consistent

Check that your business name, logo, and bio match across every platform. A mismatch between your website, Google My Business listing, and your social profiles can confuse both search engines and real people. 

You want it to be clear that each account belongs to the same business, no matter where someone finds you.

Post with purpose

Being active doesn’t mean posting just to post. If your audience is on Instagram, make that your focus. If you're a law firm and your audience leans more toward LinkedIn or Facebook, put your energy there. 

What matters is showing signs of life. A dormant page can make your business look outdated or out of touch.

Look at your local competitors

Take a peek at what top local competitors are doing. Are they posting more often? Are their posts getting engagement? Are they being shared or mentioned by local groups or community pages? 

This can help you spot missed opportunities and adjust your own social strategy to support your local SEO goals.

11. Technical Checks for Local SEO Wins

You’ve reviewed your content, polished your profiles, and tracked down backlinks, but a solid local SEO audit isn’t complete without a quick technical check. These aren’t flashy updates, but they play a big role in how search engines read and rank your site.

Check your mobile performance

Most local search happens on mobile devices. If your site is clunky on a phone or loads slowly, it’s going to hurt your search engine rankings. 

Use Google PageSpeed Insights to test your performance and identify quick fixes. Compress large images, remove unnecessary scripts, and trim down page weight where you can.

Make sure your site is secure

Sites without HTTPS are flagged as “not secure” in browsers, and that’s not a great look for local businesses trying to win trust. If you haven’t already added an SSL certificate, now’s the time. It’s a small change that makes a big difference in how your site is perceived and indexed.

Scan for technical issues

Run a crawl of your site using tools like Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, or even the free version of Ahrefs. Look for things like broken links, duplicate content, redirect chains, or missing title tags. These may seem minor, but they can add up and quietly drag down your overall SEO efforts.

12. Compare Against Your Local Competition

The ultimate local SEO audit doesn’t end with your own site. To really understand where you stand in search results, you need to take a good look at the local competitors who are outranking you.

Start with a quick search

Look up your top three local competitors on Google. Focus on those consistently showing up in the local pack or top search engine results pages for your main keywords. Take note of their Google Business Profile, their site structure, and what shows up in the meta descriptions on their listings.

Do their listings have more reviews? Are they posting updates more often? Are they targeting more location-specific keywords?

Check their keywords and content

Use tools like SEMrush or Ubersuggest to see what keywords they’re ranking for. Look at their service pages, landing pages, and blog posts. Are they using local keywords more effectively than you? Are they writing content that answers real questions potential customers might have?

You don’t need to copy them. Instead, look for gaps in their strategy, like things they overlooked or didn’t explain clearly, and improve on those areas within your own site.

Review their backlinks and off-page SEO

Peek at their backlink profiles. Are local news sites linking to them? Are they mentioned on partner or sponsor pages that you’re not listed on? These insights are gold for your off-page SEO strategy and can guide your next outreach steps.

Pay attention to polish

Sometimes it's the little things. Clean title tags, up-to-date photos, consistent branding, or a well-optimized mobile experience can give them an edge in local search. If their site feels more current or better tailored to your local audience, take notes.

Frustrated With Local Search? We Can Help

Local SEO shouldn’t be a guessing game, and it doesn’t have to eat up your time.

At LeaseMyMarketing, we specialize in helping Pennsylvania businesses like yours improve local search visibility with smart, personalized strategies.

Our SEO audits go beyond the basics. We look at your Google My Business listing, keywords, backlinks, content, and more to spot what’s working and what’s quietly holding you back. Then we give you a clear path forward, no fluff, no wasted time.

Ready to make your business easier to find in local search? Let’s talk.

Conclusion

Local customers aren’t just browsing. They’re ready to buy. But if your SEO is messy, outdated, or missing the basics, you’re getting skipped.

A local SEO audit shows what’s helping and what’s hurting your chances of showing up. From local keywords and online reviews to title tags and domain authority, the details matter.

If you’ve made it this far, you already care about being found. Keep going. Keep things current. And if you ever want expert eyes on your local SEO, we’re just a message away.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to do a local SEO audit?

Start with your Google Business Profile. Make sure your info is accurate and complete. Check how your site shows up in local search, review keywords, clean up citations, and look at backlinks. 

Use tools like Google Search Console or BrightLocal to help. It's like spring cleaning for your online presence.

How much does an SEO audit cost?

It depends on the depth of the audit. A basic one might be free or under $500, while a full-blown audit from a pro agency can run anywhere from $1,000 to $5,000. Think of it as an investment in fixing what’s quietly holding your rankings back.

How much does SEO cost for a small business?

Most small businesses spend between $500 and $2,500 per month on SEO, depending on how competitive their market is. Local SEO tends to be more affordable, especially if you're targeting one city. The key is consistency and choosing the right strategy for your size.