Your website is often the first impression customers have of your business. But what should actually be on it? This checklist covers everything a local business website needs — from the basics to the details that set you apart.

Use this to audit your current site or plan a new one. Each item includes why it matters, not just what to do.

TL;DR: The Quick Score

0-20 points: Your site needs significant work
21-40 points: Foundation exists, but gaps are costing you leads
41-60 points: Solid site with room for optimization
61-75 points: Strong site, focus on refinement
76-85 points: Excellent site, you’re ahead of most competitors

Print this, check off what you have, and see where you stand.

How to Use This Checklist

Scoring:

✅ = You have this (1 point)
⚠️ = Partial/needs improvement (0.5 points)
❌ = Missing (0 points)

Go through each section, tally your score, and identify your biggest gaps.

Section 1: Foundation (10 points possible)

These are non-negotiables. Without them, nothing else matters.

Domain & Hosting

Professional domain name (yourbusiness.com, not yourbusiness.wixsite.com) — Your domain is your address. A professional domain costs $10-20/year and signals legitimacy.
Domain matches business name — Customers should be able to guess your URL. Avoid hyphens, numbers, or creative spellings.
Reliable hosting — Your site should load, every time. Downtime means lost customers. Quality hosting costs $10-50/month.
SSL certificate (HTTPS) — The padlock icon in the browser. Required for security, SEO, and customer trust. Usually free with modern hosting.

Technical Basics

Site loads in under 3 seconds — Slow sites lose visitors. Test at PageSpeed Insights.
Works on all devices — Mobile, tablet, desktop. Over 60% of local searches happen on phones.
No broken links or errors — Click every link. A “404 Not Found” page kills trust.
Site is indexed by Google — Search “site:yourdomain.com” — if nothing shows up, you’re invisible.
Basic security measures — Updated software, strong passwords, regular backups.
Analytics installed — Google Analytics or similar. You can’t improve what you don’t measure.

Section 1 Score: ____ / 10

Section 2: Design & User Experience (15 points possible)

How your site looks and feels. First impressions happen in seconds.

Visual Design

Professional, modern appearance — Design that looks current, not dated. If your site looks like it’s from 2010, visitors assume your business is stuck there too.
Consistent branding — Same colors, fonts, and logo treatment throughout. Inconsistency feels unprofessional.
Quality images — Real photos of your business, team, and work. Avoid generic stock photos when possible.
Readable typography — Font size at least 16px for body text. Good contrast between text and background.
Appropriate white space — Don’t cram everything together. Let content breathe.

Clear main navigation — 5-7 items max. Visitors should find what they need in 2 clicks.
Logo links to homepage — Universal expectation. Don’t break this convention.
Consistent layout across pages — Navigation, footer, and key elements in the same place on every page.
Search function (if site has many pages) — For sites with 15+ pages or extensive content.
Mobile-friendly navigation — Hamburger menu that works smoothly. Touch targets large enough to tap.

Accessibility

Alt text on images — Describes images for screen readers and helps SEO.
Keyboard navigable — Users should be able to tab through your site without a mouse.
Sufficient color contrast — Text readable for people with visual impairments.
Captions on videos — If you have videos, they should be captioned.
Clear focus states — When tabbing through, users can see which element is selected.

Section 2 Score: ____ / 15

Section 3: Essential Pages & Content (20 points possible)

What content your site needs to inform and convert visitors.

Core Pages

Homepage that explains what you do — Within 5 seconds, visitors should know: what you do, who you serve, and what makes you different.
About page — Your story, your team, why you do this work. People hire people, not companies.
Services/Products pages — Individual pages for each major service. Not just a list — explain the benefit, process, and outcomes.
Contact page — How to reach you. Phone, email, address (if applicable), contact form.
Location/Service area page — Where you operate. Critical for local SEO.

Content Quality

Clear, benefit-focused headlines — “We Fix Leaks Fast” beats “Our Plumbing Services.”
Customer-focused copy — “You” more than “we.” Focus on their problems and solutions.
Scannable content — Short paragraphs, bullet points, subheadings. Nobody reads walls of text.
Specific details — Concrete facts beat vague claims. “15 years experience” not “experienced team.”
Updated content — Copyright year is current. No outdated promotions or announcements.

Business Information

Complete address (if you have a location) — Matches Google Business Profile exactly.
Phone number — Prominently displayed, clickable on mobile.
Email address — Professional email (you@yourbusiness.com), not personal Gmail.
Business hours — When you’re available. Update for holidays.
Service area — Cities, neighborhoods, or radius you serve.

Legal & Trust Pages

Privacy policy — Required if you collect any information. Template is fine.
Terms of service (if applicable) — For e-commerce or service bookings.
Accessibility statement — Shows you care about serving everyone.
Physical address or registered agent — Required in some jurisdictions for businesses.
Licenses/certifications displayed — If your industry requires them.

Section 3 Score: ____ / 20

Section 4: SEO Fundamentals (15 points possible)

Being found when people search for what you offer.

On-Page SEO

Unique title tags — Each page has a descriptive title (50-60 characters) that includes relevant keywords.
Meta descriptions — Each page has a compelling description (150-160 characters) that encourages clicks.
One H1 per page — Main headline, includes primary keyword naturally.
Logical heading hierarchy — H1 → H2 → H3, not random heading sizes for styling.
Descriptive URLs — /services/plumbing/ not /page-id-12847/

Local SEO Signals

NAP consistency — Name, Address, Phone identical everywhere (website, GBP, directories).
City/area mentioned naturally — In content, titles, and meta descriptions where relevant.
Google Business Profile linked — Embed map, link to profile.
Local schema markup — Structured data that tells Google your business info. Ask your developer.
Location-specific pages (if multiple areas) — Unique content for each service area, not just city name swapped.

Technical SEO

XML sitemap — Helps Google find all your pages. Usually auto-generated.
Robots.txt file — Tells search engines what to crawl. Default is usually fine.
Google Search Console connected — Monitor your search performance.
No duplicate content issues — Each page has unique content.
Image optimization — Compressed images, descriptive filenames.

Section 4 Score: ____ / 15

Section 5: Conversion Elements (20 points possible)

Turning visitors into leads and customers.

Calls to Action

Clear primary CTA — One main action you want visitors to take, prominently displayed.
CTA visible without scrolling — “Above the fold” on desktop and mobile.
Multiple CTAs throughout — Don’t make visitors hunt. CTA in header, throughout content, and in footer.
Action-oriented language — “Get a Free Quote” not “Submit.”
Phone number clickable — On mobile, tapping calls. Seems obvious, but often broken.

Contact & Lead Capture

Contact form that works — Test it yourself. Forms break more than you’d think.
Form asks right questions — Enough to qualify, not so many that visitors abandon.
Form confirmation — Thank you page or message after submission.
Response time expectation set — “We’ll respond within 24 hours” reduces anxiety.
Multiple contact options — Form, phone, and email. People have preferences.

Trust Builders

Testimonials/reviews displayed — Real quotes from real customers with names (and photos if possible).
Google reviews embedded or linked — Show your rating prominently.
Case studies or examples — Show your work, not just claim you’re good.
Trust badges — Certifications, associations, awards, guarantees.
Social proof — “500+ customers served” or similar credibility indicators.

Urgency & Value

Clear value proposition — Why should they choose you over competitors?
Pricing transparency (where appropriate) — At minimum, “starting at” or “free estimates.”
Risk reducers — Guarantees, free consultations, no-obligation quotes.
What happens next — After they contact you, what’s the process?
FAQ section — Answers common questions before they have to ask.

Section 5 Score: ____ / 20

Section 6: Technical & Security (5 points possible)

The behind-the-scenes stuff that keeps everything working.

Regular backups — If your site disappears, can you restore it? Automatic daily backups are ideal.
Software updates — CMS, plugins, and themes kept current. Old software is vulnerable.
Spam protection — Forms protected with CAPTCHA or similar. No one wants spam submissions.
404 page customized — When someone hits a broken link, give them a way back, not a dead end.
Site monitoring — Get notified if your site goes down. Services like UptimeRobot are free.

Section 6 Score: ____ / 5

Your Total Score

Section	Your Score	Maximum
Foundation		10
Design & UX		15
Pages & Content		20
SEO Fundamentals		15
Conversion Elements		20
Technical & Security		5
TOTAL		85

What Your Score Means

0-20: Critical gaps Your website is likely hurting your business more than helping. Visitors who find you are probably leaving with a negative impression. Prioritize the Foundation section first, then Conversion Elements.

21-40: Foundation exists, but leaking leads You have a website, but it’s not working as hard as it could. Focus on the sections where you scored lowest. The Conversion Elements section often has the biggest impact on lead generation.

41-60: Solid base, room to grow Your site is functional and probably generating some leads. Now it’s about optimization. Look for quick wins — items you’re missing that would be easy to add.

61-75: Strong site You’re ahead of most local competitors. Focus on refinement: improving page speed, adding more trust signals, and creating better content. Consider A/B testing to optimize conversions.

76-85: Excellent Your site is a competitive advantage. Maintain it, keep content fresh, and focus on growth strategies beyond the website itself (SEO, content marketing, reputation management).

Priority Actions by Score Range

If you scored 0-20:

Get professional hosting and a real domain
Make sure the site loads and works on phones
Add your contact information prominently
Install analytics

If you scored 21-40:

Add a clear call-to-action above the fold
Create individual service pages
Add testimonials and trust signals
Set up Google Search Console

If you scored 41-60:

Optimize page speed
Improve your forms and response process
Add local SEO elements
Build out FAQ and supporting content

If you scored 61-75:

A/B test your CTAs and forms
Add case studies and detailed examples
Implement advanced schema markup
Focus on content marketing and link building

If you scored 76-85:

Maintain and refresh existing content
Monitor and improve Core Web Vitals
Expand to new service pages or blog content
Focus on review generation and reputation

Frequently Asked Questions

How often should I audit my website?

Do a full audit quarterly. Check critical items (forms working, site loading, contact info correct) monthly. After any major update, test everything.

What’s the most important section?

For lead generation, Conversion Elements. For being found, SEO Fundamentals. For first impressions, Design & UX. They all matter, but start where you’re weakest.

Should I fix everything at once?

No. Prioritize items that directly impact leads (forms, CTAs, contact info) first. Then work through other sections systematically. Perfect is the enemy of done.

How does my site compare to competitors?

Run them through this same checklist. You’ll quickly see where you have advantages and where you’re behind. Most local businesses score 30-50.

Can I do this myself or do I need help?

Many items you can fix yourself (updating content, adding testimonials, checking links). Technical items (schema markup, site speed, security) may need developer help.

What This Means for Your Business

A high-scoring website isn’t just about looking good — it’s about generating leads while you sleep. Every unchecked item on this list is a potential leak in your sales funnel.

You don’t need to score 85/85 to have an effective website. But you should know where your gaps are and have a plan to address them.

Whether you’re a restaurant in Reno, a contractor in Cleveland, or a salon here in Springfield, Oregon — your customers expect a certain standard online. This checklist helps you meet and exceed that standard.

Next Steps

Option 1: DIY Print this checklist, audit your site, and start fixing the gaps yourself. Start with the highest-impact, easiest fixes.

Option 2: Get a professional audit I’ll run through this checklist on your site and give you a prioritized action plan. Takes about 30 minutes and you’ll know exactly where you stand.

Option 3: Let’s fix it together If you’d rather have someone handle the improvements, that’s what I do. We can discuss what makes sense for your situation.

Get a free site audit →

Printable Version

Want a clean PDF version of this checklist? Download the printable checklist (coming soon).

Website Checklist for Local Businesses: 50 Things Your Site Needs