Most small business websites have SEO problems. Not because they were built badly — but because SEO best practices evolve, sites change over time, and the cumulative effect of small issues adds up to real ranking damage.
This checklist covers the 15 most impactful SEO checks that any business owner can perform themselves — using free tools — to get a clear picture of where their website stands and what needs addressing.
Before You Start
The most useful free tools for this checklist are Google Search Console (free — set up at search.google.com/search-console), Google PageSpeed Insights (free — at pagespeed.web.dev), and Screaming Frog SEO Spider (free for up to 500 URLs).
Technical SEO Checks (1–5)
1. Is your site indexed by Google? Type site:yourdomain.co.uk into Google. If your pages don't appear, you have an indexation problem — the most fundamental SEO issue possible.
2. Is your site HTTPS secured? Check for a padlock in your browser address bar. Non-HTTPS sites are flagged as 'Not Secure' — damaging both SEO and visitor trust.
3. Does your site load in under 3 seconds on mobile? Test at pagespeed.web.dev. Below a score of 50 on mobile is a significant ranking problem.
4. Are there crawl errors in Google Search Console? Check the Coverage report for 404 errors, server errors, and pages excluded from indexing. Fix any critical errors promptly.
5. Is your sitemap submitted to Google? A sitemap helps Google find and index all your pages. Submit it via Google Search Console if you haven't already.
On-Page SEO Checks (6–10)
6. Does every page have a unique, keyword-rich meta title? Meta titles should be 50–60 characters and include the primary keyword for each page. Duplicate titles confuse Google.
7. Does every page have a unique meta description? While not a direct ranking factor, a well-written meta description significantly improves click-through rates from search results.
8. Does every page have a single H1 tag containing its primary keyword? The H1 is the most important on-page signal to Google about what a page is about. Missing or duplicated H1s are common and easily fixed.
9. Does your content naturally include the keywords your customers search for? Read each key page aloud — does it answer the questions your ideal customer would ask Google? If not, the content needs optimisation.
10. Do your images have descriptive alt text? Alt text helps Google understand what images depict and improves accessibility. Check your most important pages for images with empty or missing alt attributes.
Off-Page and Local SEO Checks (11–15)
11. Is your Google Business Profile complete and verified? For any local business, a fully optimised Google Business Profile is the most impactful local SEO action available.
12. Is your business NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistent across all online directories? Inconsistent business information across Yell, Yelp, Thomson Local and other directories confuses Google about your business's identity.
13. How many reviews does your Google Business Profile have? More positive reviews improve both local rankings and click-through rates. If you have fewer than 20, building your review count should be a priority.
14. Does your site have backlinks from relevant, reputable sources? Check your backlink profile in Google Search Console (Links report). Low or no backlinks from other sites is a key reason for poor rankings in competitive searches.
15. Are your internal links logical and keyword-rich? Internal links help Google understand your site structure and distribute ranking power. Review whether your most important pages are linked from elsewhere on your site.
What to Do With Your Findings
Once you've worked through the checklist, you'll have a list of issues ranging from quick wins (adding alt text, fixing meta titles) to more complex fixes (resolving crawl errors, building backlinks). Prioritise by impact — address technical issues first, then on-page, then off-page.
If the checklist reveals a significant number of issues, or if you don't have the time or technical knowledge to address them yourself, a professional SEO audit from BizG will give you a comprehensive diagnosis and a prioritised plan for every issue — including a debrief call to ensure you know exactly what to do next.
"You can't improve what you haven't measured. An SEO audit is the starting point for every ranking improvement."
SEO AuditTechnical SEOOn-Page SEOGoogle RankingsWebsite Optimisation
MP
Marcus P.
Website & SEO Specialist, BizG
Marcus specialises in website SEO audits and on-page optimisation for UK small businesses. He has helped dozens of businesses move from page 4 to page 1 on Google.