The Complete Online Presence Checklist for Local Service Businesses

How Strong Is Your Online Presence?

Most local business owners know their online presence could be better, but they do not know exactly where the gaps are. This checklist gives you a comprehensive view of every element that makes up a strong online presence - and lets you score yourself to see where you stand.

Go through each section, check off what you have in place, and identify your biggest gaps. Each unchecked item is an opportunity to attract more customers and generate more revenue.

Website Checklist

Your website is the foundation of your online presence. Everything else links back to it.

Design and User Experience

• [ ] Professional, modern design (not a template that looks like every other site)
• [ ] Consistent branding (colors, fonts, tone) throughout
• [ ] Clean, uncluttered layout with plenty of white space
• [ ] Easy-to-read typography (16px minimum body text)
• [ ] High-quality images (no blurry or stretched photos)

Performance

• [ ] Load time under 3 seconds on mobile
• [ ] Core Web Vitals passing (LCP, FID, CLS)
• [ ] PageSpeed Insights score above 80
• [ ] No broken links or error pages
• [ ] HTTPS/SSL certificate installed

Mobile Experience

• [ ] Fully responsive on all devices
• [ ] Text readable without zooming
• [ ] Buttons and links easily tappable (44x44px minimum)
• [ ] No horizontal scrolling
• [ ] Phone number clickable (click-to-call)
• [ ] Forms easy to complete on mobile

Pages and Content

• [ ] All essential pages present (Home, Services, About, Contact)
• [ ] Individual service pages for each primary service
• [ ] Each page has a clear purpose and call to action
• [ ] Content written in clear, simple language
• [ ] Each page has unique, original content (no duplicate pages)
• [ ] Every page has exactly one H1 heading

Lead Capture

• [ ] Lead capture forms on key pages
• [ ] Contact form with minimal required fields
• [ ] Phone number visible on every page
• [ ] Strong CTAs above the fold on every page
• [ ] Clear next step after form submission (confirmation message)

Score: ___ / 25

Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Checklist

SEO determines whether potential customers can find you when they search for your services.

Technical SEO

• [ ] Sitemap.xml generated and submitted to Google Search Console
• [ ] Robots.txt properly configured
• [ ] All pages indexed in Google (check via site:yourdomain.com)
• [ ] Clean URL structure (lowercase, hyphens, no special characters)
• [ ] Canonical tags on all pages
• [ ] No duplicate content issues

On-Page SEO

• [ ] Unique title tags on every page (under 60 characters)
• [ ] Unique meta descriptions on every page (under 160 characters)
• [ ] Target keywords in title tags and headings
• [ ] Proper heading hierarchy (H1 → H2 → H3, no skipping)
• [ ] Alt text on every image
• [ ] Internal links connecting pages

Local SEO

• [ ] Google Business Profile claimed and optimized
• [ ] NAP (name, address, phone) consistent across all platforms
• [ ] Local citations built on top directories
• [ ] Service area defined
• [ ] Local keywords targeted in content

Advanced SEO

• [ ] Schema markup implemented (LocalBusiness, Service, FAQ)
• [ ] Structured data validated (Google Rich Results Test)
• [ ] Optimized for AI search (FAQ content, direct answers)
• [ ] BreadcrumbList schema on all pages
• [ ] Open Graph and Twitter Card meta tags

Score: ___ / 22

Google Business Profile Checklist

Your GBP is your most visible free marketing asset.

• [ ] Profile claimed and verified
• [ ] Accurate business name
• [ ] Correct address or service area
• [ ] Phone number matches website
• [ ] Business hours current (including holidays)
• [ ] Website URL correct
• [ ] Most specific primary category selected
• [ ] Relevant secondary categories added
• [ ] Business description complete (750 characters)
• [ ] At least 10 quality photos uploaded
• [ ] Services listed with descriptions
• [ ] Google Posts published regularly (at least monthly)
• [ ] Q&A section monitored and answered
• [ ] Products/services section complete

Score: ___ / 14

Content and Blog Checklist

Content builds authority, drives traffic, and demonstrates expertise.

• [ ] Blog exists with published content
• [ ] At least 10 blog posts published
• [ ] At least 25 blog posts published (strong)
• [ ] 50+ blog posts published (excellent)
• [ ] Posts target specific keywords
• [ ] Posts answer real customer questions
• [ ] Posts are at least 1,200 words each
• [ ] Posts include internal links to service pages
• [ ] Posts include internal links to other blog posts
• [ ] Posts include calls to action
• [ ] Posts include FAQ sections
• [ ] Content is written at accessible reading level
• [ ] Content is published consistently
• [ ] Content covers multiple topic clusters
• [ ] Content includes industry-specific topics

Score: ___ / 15

Reviews and Reputation Checklist

Reviews build trust and influence both customers and search rankings.

• [ ] 20+ Google reviews
• [ ] 50+ Google reviews (strong)
• [ ] Average rating 4.0+ stars
• [ ] Average rating 4.5+ stars (excellent)
• [ ] Review request process in place
• [ ] Every review receives a response
• [ ] Recent reviews (within last 30 days)
• [ ] Reviews on multiple platforms (Google, Yelp, Facebook)
• [ ] Negative reviews handled professionally
• [ ] Review links easily accessible for customers

Score: ___ / 10

Lead Management Checklist

Capturing and managing leads effectively turns website visitors into customers.

• [ ] Form submissions tracked
• [ ] Lead notifications received immediately
• [ ] Response time under 15 minutes during business hours
• [ ] Lead follow-up process documented
• [ ] CRM or lead management system in place
• [ ] Lead source tracking implemented
• [ ] Lead status tracking (new, contacted, closed)
• [ ] Follow-up templates created
• [ ] Lead data exportable (CSV or similar)
• [ ] Lost leads reviewed for patterns

Score: ___ / 10

Scoring Your Online Presence

Add up your total score across all six sections:

| Total Score | Rating | What It Means | |-------------|--------|---------------| | 80-96 | Excellent | Strong online presence - focus on optimization and growth | | 60-79 | Good | Solid foundation with room for improvement | | 40-59 | Fair | Significant gaps - competitors are likely ahead | | 20-39 | Weak | Major gaps - you are losing substantial business | | 0-19 | Critical | Minimal online presence - urgent action needed |

Most local service businesses score between 20 and 40. That means most businesses are losing significant revenue to competitors with stronger online visibility.

Closing the Gaps

If your score reveals significant gaps, do not try to fix everything at once. Prioritize:

1. Website - Fix your foundation first
2. Google Business Profile - Highest-impact free improvement
3. SEO fundamentals - Title tags, meta descriptions, schema markup
4. Content - Start building authority
5. Reviews - Implement a systematic request process
6. Lead management - Ensure no leads are lost

The complete online presence package from webIQ addresses every item on this checklist - custom website, full SEO implementation, 50 blog posts, lead capture system, and structured data - all delivered in one package for $1,497.

Get started today and transform your score from weak to excellent.

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I review this checklist?

Review quarterly. Online presence is not a one-time project - it requires ongoing attention. Each quarter, score yourself again and identify new gaps or areas that have slipped.

What if I score well in some areas but poorly in others?

This is common. Most businesses have a decent website but weak content, or good reviews but poor SEO. Focus on the weakest areas first - they represent the biggest opportunities for improvement.

Can I achieve a perfect score?

A perfect score is possible but not necessary. Even a score of 70 to 80 puts you ahead of 90 percent of local competitors. Focus on the high-impact items rather than perfection on every detail.

How long does it take to go from a low score to a high score?

With a comprehensive approach, you can go from a score of 20 to 60+ within three months and continue improving from there. The webIQ package addresses most checklist items simultaneously, accelerating the timeline significantly.