I conducted a quick SEO audit for a local service business offering auditing, accounting, and property management services. The website was new, and there were several key areas that needed attention to improve its SEO and overall performance. Here’s a summary of the most important fixes that every local service business should pay attention to.
1. Fix Broken Social Media Links
The social media links in the footer of the website weren’t working—they didn’t lead anywhere. This is a simple but important fix, as broken links can hurt user experience and SEO.
Action step:
- Ensure your social media links are active and connected to your real profiles.
- Move any unused or non-working links from the header to the footer.
By having working social media links, you show both users and search engines that your business is active and connected, which can boost trust and help with rankings.
2. Optimize Content for Keywords
The site wasn’t ranking for any keywords, which means the content wasn’t optimized for search engines. It’s essential to target the right keywords to ensure your site gets found.
Action step:
- Identify relevant keywords for your business (e.g., “auditing services,” “property management,” “accounting”).
- Integrate these keywords into your page titles, headings, and content in a natural way.
Avoid overstuffing keywords or relying on AI-generated content. High-quality, user-focused content is key to ranking well.
3. Build Quality Backlinks
The website had no backlinks, which is a major issue. Backlinks are crucial for SEO—they show search engines that other reputable sites trust your content.
Action step:
- Start building backlinks by getting listed in local business directories, submitting guest posts to industry blogs, or partnering with other relevant businesses.
- Focus on earning backlinks naturally rather than buying them. Quality matters more than quantity.
Backlinks from trusted sources will improve your site’s authority and help boost your rankings.
4. Improve Mobile Page Speed
The website performed well on desktop but had a serious issue with mobile load speed—it took 8 seconds to load, which is too long. Users expect fast-loading pages, and slow speeds can hurt both user experience and SEO.
Action step:
- Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to identify areas for improvement.
- Optimize images, minimize unnecessary code, and enable browser caching to speed up the site on mobile.
Aim for a mobile load time under 3 seconds to keep users happy and improve your search rankings.
5. Take Action Now
The site I audited was new, but the issues I found are common for many local service businesses just starting with SEO. To improve your website’s SEO, make sure to:
- Fix any broken or inactive social media links.
- Optimize your content for relevant keywords.
- Build quality backlinks.
- Ensure your site loads quickly, especially on mobile.
By addressing these areas, you’ll improve your chances of ranking higher in search engines and attract more local customers. SEO is a long-term process, but getting these basics right will give you a solid foundation.
If you need help with SEO or digital marketing, feel free to reach out. I’m here to help your business grow online.