Local SEO Audit & Optimization

What This Skill Does

Audit and optimize a business's local search presence across Google Business Profile, Google Maps, Local Pack, and Gemini Ask Maps.

Does NOT do:

• Traditional on-page SEO → use seo-page
• Backlink analysis → use seo-backlinks
• AI platform visibility (ChatGPT/Claude/Perplexity) → use seo-ai-visibility

Process

Step 1: Gather Business Info

Ask user for:

#### GSC Data Integration (Optional)

If user has Google Search Console access, pull local query data via seo-monitor:

/seo monitor keywords

Extract from GSC:

• Queries containing city/area names → local keyword baseline
• CTR by local keyword → identify underperformers
• Average position for "[category] near me" patterns
• Impressions vs clicks gap → missed local opportunities

This data informs Steps 2-9 with real performance context.

Step 2: GBP Completeness Audit (Google Official 13-Point Playbook)

Based on Google's official GBP Optimization Playbook (March 2026).

#### Category Selection (Critical)

Primary category is the single most impactful GBP field:

• Choose from Google's 4,100+ options — pick the most specific match
• Monitor category changes regularly (Google updates the list)
• Verify competitors' primary categories for validation
• Wrong category = catastrophic ranking loss

#### Attributes to AVOID

These attributes can hide your reviews from the profile:

• ❌ "Onsite services" — removes review visibility
• ❌ "Online appointment" — removes review visibility

Only enable these if the booking functionality outweighs review visibility for your business.

#### Reserve with Google

Drive bookings directly from GBP without customers leaving Google:

• Live in 88+ countries
• Covers: beauty, home services, auto repair, fitness, healthcare, restaurants
• Two options: Custom Booking Link (your own URL) or Integrated Booking Partner (Google partners)
• 77% of consumers expect to book services online — missing this = losing conversions

#### Landing Page Strategy

• Use UTM codes on the GBP website URL to track traffic in GA4
• Do NOT link to a page that already ranks organically — Google penalizes duplicate rankings
• Link to a dedicated local landing page optimized for GBP traffic

#### Industry-Specific Optimization

Google released industry-specific GBP Playbooks (March 2026). Apply vertical optimizations during audit:

Food & Drink:

• Menu data must be current and complete (add menu URL)
• Enable online ordering + reservation links
• Professional food photography is non-negotiable
• Weekly posts on specials, seasonal menus, events

Service Businesses (plumbers, cleaners, HVAC, etc.):

• Define service areas clearly (no physical address display if SAB)
• Emphasize emergency availability and response times
• List all certifications, licenses, insurance
• Before/after project photos build visual credibility

Hotels & Accommodations:

• Class ratings and amenity lists
• Room photos, lobby, facilities
• Check-in/check-out times in hours
• Enable Reserve with Google

Tours & Attractions:

• Seasonal hours and availability
• Pricing tiers in products/services
• Activity photos from real customers
• Link to booking system

#### GBP Pro Tips (Sterling Sky Research)

#### GBP Suspension Red Lines

These actions will get your GBP suspended — never do them:

If suspended: Do NOT create a new profile. Appeal through GBP support with proof of legitimacy (utility bill, business license, photos of signage).

Scoring:

GBP Score = filled fields / total applicable fields × 100

90-100%: Excellent
70-89%:  Good, quick wins available
50-69%:  Needs work
<50%:    Critical — significant visibility loss

Step 3: NAP Consistency Check (Executable)

NAP = Name, Address, Phone — must be identical everywhere.

#### Platform Audit Process

For each platform, use WebFetch to extract and compare NAP data:

#### Comparison Method

Build a NAP consistency table:

| Platform | Name | Address | Phone | Match? |
|----------|------|---------|-------|--------|
| GBP (canonical) | Joe's Coffee | 123 Main St, SF, CA 94105 | (415) 555-1234 | — |
| Website footer | Joe's Coffee | 123 Main Street, SF, CA 94105 | 415-555-1234 | ❌ Address format, phone format |
| Yelp | Joe's Coffee Shop | 123 Main St, San Francisco, CA | (415) 555-1234 | ❌ Name has "Shop", city not abbreviated |
| Facebook | Joe's Coffee | 123 Main St, SF, CA 94105 | (415) 555-1234 | ✅ |

#### Fix Protocol

1. Choose GBP listing as canonical source of truth
2. Standardize format: full street type ("Street" not "St"), consistent phone format, exact business name
3. Update each platform to match canonical — document changes
4. Re-check in 30 days (some platforms take time to reflect)

Common Issues:

❌ "123 Main St" vs "123 Main Street" vs "123 Main St."
❌ "(415) 555-1234" vs "415-555-1234" vs "+1 415 555 1234"
❌ "Joe's Coffee" vs "Joe's Coffee Shop" vs "Joe's Coffee LLC"
❌ Suite/Unit number present on some, missing on others
❌ Old phone number on forgotten directories

Step 4: Local Schema Audit (Industry-Specific)

Check website for LocalBusiness schema markup. Use the most specific subtype for richer results:

#### Schema Subtype Selection

#### Restaurant Schema Example

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Restaurant",
  "name": "Business Name",
  "image": "https://example.com/photo.jpg",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "San Francisco",
    "addressRegion": "CA",
    "postalCode": "94105",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "telephone": "+1-415-555-1234",
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "menu": "https://example.com/menu",
  "servesCuisine": "Italian",
  "acceptsReservations": true,
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],
      "opens": "11:00",
      "closes": "22:00"
    }
  ],
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 37.7749,
    "longitude": -122.4194
  },
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.5",
    "reviewCount": "230"
  }
}

#### Generic LocalBusiness Schema Example

{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "LocalBusiness",
  "name": "Business Name",
  "image": "https://example.com/photo.jpg",
  "address": {
    "@type": "PostalAddress",
    "streetAddress": "123 Main St",
    "addressLocality": "San Francisco",
    "addressRegion": "CA",
    "postalCode": "94105",
    "addressCountry": "US"
  },
  "telephone": "+1-415-555-1234",
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "openingHoursSpecification": [
    {
      "@type": "OpeningHoursSpecification",
      "dayOfWeek": ["Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday"],
      "opens": "07:00",
      "closes": "19:00"
    }
  ],
  "geo": {
    "@type": "GeoCoordinates",
    "latitude": 37.7749,
    "longitude": -122.4194
  },
  "priceRange": "$$",
  "aggregateRating": {
    "@type": "AggregateRating",
    "ratingValue": "4.5",
    "reviewCount": "230"
  }
}

#### Schema Validation Checklist

Step 5: Review Analysis & Strategy

#### The 10-Review Threshold (Sterling Sky Research)

• 10 reviews = minimum threshold for ranking boost
• After 10, frequency matters more than total count
• Stagnant review counts hurt rankings vs. active competitors
• Google formalized review request links and QR codes (late 2025) — use them

#### Current State Assessment

#### Sentiment Mining

Extract recurring themes from reviews:

• Positive attributes (what customers praise)
• Negative patterns (what needs fixing)
• Keywords customers use naturally → feed back into GBP description
• Attribute-specific mentions ("great WiFi", "quiet workspace") → these feed Gemini Ask Maps matching

#### Review Strategy Output

## Review Velocity Program

### Collection Touchpoints
1. Google's official review request link (GBP dashboard → "Ask for reviews")
2. QR code (Google's built-in generator) on receipts/signage
3. Post-purchase email (2 hours after)
4. SMS follow-up (24 hours after)
5. Staff verbal ask at checkout

### Response Templates
- Positive (5-star): Thank + reference specific detail + invite back
- Mixed (3-4 star): Thank + acknowledge issue + describe fix + invite back
- Negative (1-2 star): Apologize + take offline + describe resolution

### Key Principle
Frequency > quantity. 4 reviews/week beats 50 reviews once then silence.

### Target Metrics
- Weekly new reviews: [X] (current: [Y])
- Response rate: 100%
- Response time: <24 hours

Step 6: Competitor Benchmarking

Local SEO is a zero-sum game — in AI Local Pack, only 1-2 businesses win. You must know what you're competing against.

#### Identify Top 3 Local Competitors

Methods:

1. Search [primary category] in [city] on Google Maps — top 3 in Local Pack are your competitors
2. Search [target keyword] — who shows in AI Local Pack?
3. Ask user directly

#### Competitor Audit Matrix

For each competitor, use WebFetch on their GBP and website to build:

| Dimension | Your Business | Competitor A | Competitor B | Competitor C |
|-----------|--------------|-------------|-------------|-------------|
| **GBP Category** | Coffee shop | Coffee shop | Cafe | Breakfast restaurant |
| **Secondary Categories** | 2 | 4 | 1 | 3 |
| **Total Reviews** | 45 | 230 | 89 | 156 |
| **Avg Rating** | 4.3 | 4.6 | 4.1 | 4.4 |
| **Review Velocity** | ~2/week | ~8/week | ~1/week | ~4/week |
| **Photos Count** | 23 | 150+ | 45 | 80 |
| **Posts Frequency** | None | Weekly | None | Monthly |
| **Attributes Filled** | 5/15 | 12/15 | 3/15 | 9/15 |
| **Website Has Schema** | ❌ | ✅ Restaurant | ❌ | ✅ LocalBusiness |
| **Booking Enabled** | ❌ | ✅ Reserve | ❌ | ✅ Custom link |
| **Social Links** | 2 | 5 | 1 | 4 |
| **Q&A Entries** | 0 | 12 | 2 | 5 |

#### Gap Analysis Output

## Competitive Gaps (Prioritized)

### You're Behind On:
1. 🔴 Reviews: 45 vs competitor avg 158 — need aggressive review velocity program
2. 🔴 Photos: 23 vs competitor avg 92 — upload 70+ quality photos
3. 🟠 Attributes: 5/15 vs competitor avg 8/15 — fill all relevant attributes

### You're Ahead On:
1. ✅ Rating: 4.3 vs competitor avg 4.2 — maintain quality
2. ✅ Hours: Open later than 2 of 3 competitors

### Quick Wins to Leapfrog:
1. No competitor has Q&A populated — first mover advantage
2. Only 1 competitor posts weekly — match them immediately

Step 7: Gemini Ask Maps Optimization

This is the 2026 update — Google Maps now uses Gemini AI for conversational search ("Ask Maps"). The ranking model shifted from keyword matching to intent understanding.

#### What Changed

#### Ask Maps Optimization Checklist

Attribute Completeness (Gemini matches user intent to business attributes):

• [ ] All physical attributes (parking, WiFi, outdoor seating, wheelchair access)
• [ ] All service attributes (dine-in, takeout, delivery, reservations)
• [ ] All audience attributes (good for kids, pet-friendly, LGBTQ+ friendly)
• [ ] Payment methods
• [ ] Sustainability practices

Q&A as AI Training Data:

• [ ] 10-15 pre-populated Q&As
• [ ] Cover situational queries ("Do you have charging stations?", "Is there a quiet area to work?")
• [ ] Use natural conversational language, not keyword stuffing

Google Posts Freshness Signal:

• [ ] Weekly post cadence (offers, events, updates, photos)
• [ ] Posts include relevant attributes and situational context
• [ ] Seasonal/event-based posts for temporal queries

Photo Strategy for Immersive Navigation:

• [ ] Storefront photo showing relationship to nearby landmarks
• [ ] Interior photos showing ambiance, seating, facilities
• [ ] Product/menu photos with quality lighting
• [ ] Refresh every quarter with new content
• [ ] Geotagged images

Review Content as AI Context: When customers mention specific attributes in reviews ("great WiFi", "quiet workspace", "fast service"), Gemini uses this as input for matching intent queries.

Strategy:

• Encourage attribute-specific feedback in review requests
• Highlight specific experience details in response templates
• DO NOT solicit fake reviews or keyword-stuffed reviews

Step 8: AI Local Pack Readiness (2026)

Google is rolling out AI-generated local packs that fundamentally change visibility:

What this means:

• Competition for the top 1-2 spots is now existential, not just beneficial
• 68% fewer businesses get organic visibility in AI packs
• Local Services Ads (LSAs) grew from 11% to 31% query coverage
• Pure organic local strategy is no longer sufficient for competitive markets

Action items:

• GBP optimization must be flawless (no room for "good enough")
• Multi-location businesses have a structural advantage over single-location
• Diversify traffic sources: YouTube, Reddit, social — don't depend solely on Maps

#### Local Services Ads (LSA) Readiness

LSAs now cover 31% of local queries — ignoring them is leaving money on the table.

What LSAs are: Pay-per-lead ads at the very top of Google results with "Google Guaranteed" or "Google Screened" badges.

Available categories: Home services, legal, financial, healthcare, real estate, auto, pet care, and expanding.

Setup checklist:

• [ ] Check eligibility: ads.google.com/local-services-ads
• [ ] Complete background check / license verification
• [ ] Set weekly budget (pay per lead, not per click)
• [ ] Define service areas and job types
• [ ] Enable message leads + phone leads
• [ ] Track lead quality — dispute bad leads within 30 days

When to recommend LSAs:

• Competitive local market (high-value services)
• You're not in the top 2 organic Local Pack positions
• Service-based business (plumbing, legal, dental, HVAC)
• Budget available: typical CPL ranges $20-$150 depending on category

When NOT to recommend:

• Already dominating organic Local Pack
• Category not supported by LSAs
• No capacity to handle additional leads

Step 9: Local Content Strategy

Website content that supports local search:

Location Page Template:

• H1: [Service] in [City] — [Business Name]
• Unique description (300+ words, not duplicated across locations)
• Embedded Google Map
• Industry-specific schema (see Step 4)
• NAP in structured format
• Service list
• Customer testimonials from that area
• Driving directions from landmarks
• Parking information

Step 10: Multi-Location Management

Skip this step for single-location businesses.

#### Core Challenges

#### Multi-Location Checklist

• [ ] Each location has its own GBP with unique phone number
• [ ] Each location has a dedicated landing page (not /locations with a list)
• [ ] Each landing page has unique content (not template fill-in-the-blank)
• [ ] Each location page has its own LocalBusiness schema
• [ ] NAP is consistent per-location across all platforms
• [ ] Reviews are managed per-location (respond with local context)
• [ ] Google Posts are per-location (local events, local offers)
• [ ] Photos are per-location (actual storefront, actual team, actual interior)

#### Location Page Differentiation

Avoid the "same page, different city name" trap. Each location page must include:

• Unique staff bios or team photos
• Neighborhood-specific directions and parking info
• Local testimonials from customers in that area
• Location-specific services or specialties
• Community involvement / local partnerships
• Unique meta title and description

#### Store Locator Best Practices

If 5+ locations, implement a store locator:

• Search by zip/city/current location
• Each result links to dedicated location page (not GBP directly)
• Schema: use Organization as parent, individual LocalBusiness for each location
• Internal linking: hub-and-spoke from locator to location pages

Output

Local SEO Report

# Local SEO Audit: [Business Name]
Generated: [Date]

## Overall Score: XX/100

## GBP Completeness: XX/100  ████████░░
- [List of missing/incomplete fields]
- Industry-specific gaps: [vertical-specific missing items]
- Suspension risk: [any red line violations detected]

## NAP Consistency: XX/100  ██████████
- Platforms checked: X
- Inconsistencies found: X
- [Table of discrepancies]

## Reviews: XX/100  ███████░░░
- Rating: X.X ⭐ (X reviews)
- Velocity: X/week
- Response rate: X%
- Key themes: [positive], [negative]
- vs. Competitors: [behind/ahead by X reviews]

## Local Schema: XX/100  █████░░░░░
- Schema type: [current] → Recommended: [industry subtype]
- [Missing markup elements]

## Competitor Benchmark: XX/100  ██████░░░░
- Local Pack position: #X of 3
- Review gap: [X reviews behind leader]
- Attribute gap: [X/Y vs competitor avg]
- [Top 3 gaps to close]

## Ask Maps Readiness: XX/100  ████████░░
- Attributes: X/Y filled
- Q&A: X entries
- Posts: [frequency]
- Photo freshness: [last updated]

## AI Local Pack Readiness: XX/100  ███████░░░
- Traditional Pack presence: [yes/no]
- AI Pack presence: [yes/no/unknown]
- LSA opportunity: [eligible/not eligible/already running]
- Multi-channel diversification: [strong/weak]

## Multi-Location Status (if applicable): XX/100
- Locations audited: X
- Locations with unique content: X/Y
- Locations with own schema: X/Y

## Priority Actions
1. 🔴 [Critical action — suspension risk or major gap]
2. 🔴 [Critical action — competitive disadvantage]
3. 🟠 [High priority — quick win with large impact]
4. 🟠 [High priority]
5. 🟡 [Medium priority]
6. 🟢 [Quick win]

Deliverables

Integration with Other Skills

Monitoring Cadence

Ask Maps Self-Test Queries

Test your business visibility by searching these patterns in Google Maps:

"[category] near [landmark]"
"[category] with [attribute] in [city]"
"where can I [intent] near [area]"
"best [category] for [situation] in [city]"
"[category] open now with [specific need]"

Document what Gemini says. If your business is missing or described inaccurately, trace the gap back to a specific GBP field, review pattern, or website content issue.

Sources (March 2026)

• Google Official GBP Optimization Playbook (emailed March 13, 2026)
• Google Official Industry Playbooks: Food & Drink, Service, Tours & Attractions, Hotels
• Sterling Sky: "The State of Local SEO in 2026"
• Sterling Sky: "#1 Checklist to Optimize Your Google Business Profile"
• Google: Gemini Ask Maps + Immersive Navigation (announced March 12, 2026)

[PROTOCOL]: Update this header on changes, then check CLAUDE.md