This is the checklist we use internally when onboarding a new Edmonton client for local SEO. We're publishing it because if you want to do this yourself, you should have access to the same framework we use.
It's organized by priority. Start at the top. Work your way down. Skip nothing.
Phase 1: Foundation (Do This First)
Google Business Profile
- Claim and verify your GBP at business.google.com
- Set correct primary category (most specific option available)
- Add all relevant secondary categories (5-10 if applicable)
- Write a complete 750-character business description with natural keywords
- Add all services with descriptions
- Set accurate business hours (including special/holiday hours)
- Configure service area correctly (for service-area businesses)
- Upload 10+ real photos (exterior, interior, team, work examples)
- Add your logo and cover photo
- Set up appointment/booking link
- Complete all applicable attributes
- Seed Q&A section with 5-10 common customer questions
- Link to the correct website page
Website Basics
- NAP (Name, Address, Phone) on every page — consistent with GBP
- Clickable phone number (tel: link) for mobile users
- Google Map embed on contact page
- HTTPS enabled (SSL certificate active, no mixed content)
- Mobile-responsive design verified across devices
- LocalBusiness schema markup implemented
- Contact page with full business information
Citations
- Verify NAP consistency across all existing listings
- Fix any inconsistencies (old addresses, phone numbers, name variations)
- Create listings on: Google, Yelp, Yellow Pages Canada, Facebook, Bing Places, Apple Maps
- Create listings on Edmonton-specific directories (Chamber of Commerce, local BIAs)
- Create listings on industry-specific directories
- Remove or update any duplicate listings
Phase 2: Optimization (Build on the Foundation)
On-Page SEO
- Unique, keyword-optimized title tag for every page (under 60 characters)
- Compelling meta description for every page (under 155 characters)
- One H1 per page with primary keyword
- Logical heading hierarchy (H2, H3) throughout content
- Primary keyword in first 100 words of body content
- Internal links between related pages (service → industry, blog → service)
- Image alt text with descriptive, keyword-relevant text
- Clean URL structure (/services/local-seo/ not /page?id=47)
- No broken internal or external links
Content
- Dedicated page for each core service you offer
- Location pages for each neighbourhood/city you serve
- About page with genuine company information and credentials
- FAQ page answering real customer questions
- Blog with at least 4-5 locally relevant articles
- No thin pages (every page should provide genuine value)
- No duplicate content between pages
Technical SEO
- Page speed under 3 seconds on mobile (check with PageSpeed Insights)
- Core Web Vitals passing (LCP, INP, CLS)
- XML sitemap created and submitted to Google Search Console
- Robots.txt configured correctly (not blocking important pages)
- Google Search Console set up and verified
- Google Analytics installed and tracking
- No crawl errors in Search Console
- All important pages indexed (check with site: search)
Phase 3: Growth (Ongoing Activities)
Reviews
- Review request process built into customer workflow
- Direct Google review link created and ready to share
- Responding to all reviews within 24-48 hours
- Monitoring review velocity (target: 2-4+ per month minimum)
- Tracking competitor review counts and ratings monthly
Content Marketing
- Monthly blog post published (minimum)
- Seasonal content published 2-3 months before peak season
- Existing content updated when information changes
- New location pages added for service area expansion
- Content optimized based on Search Console performance data
Link Building
- Local links from Edmonton organizations and associations
- Industry-relevant links from trade publications
- Community involvement generating mentions and links
- Guest content on relevant publications
- Monitoring backlink profile for toxic links
Google Business Profile Maintenance
- Weekly Google Post published
- New photos uploaded monthly
- Services and attributes updated when offerings change
- Hours updated for holidays and seasonal changes
- Q&A section monitored for new questions
Monitoring & Reporting
- Keyword rankings tracked weekly
- Map Pack positions tracked for target keywords
- Organic traffic monitored in Google Analytics
- Google Search Console checked for errors and opportunities
- Competitor movements monitored monthly
- Monthly report reviewing all key metrics
The "Quick Wins" Shortlist
If you can only do 5 things today, do these:
- Verify your GBP categories are correct — wrong primary category is the #1 quick fix we find
- Make your phone number clickable on your website — on mobile, this alone increases calls
- Respond to your unanswered reviews — all of them, starting with the negative ones
- Check your NAP on Yelp and Yellow Pages — fix any inconsistencies with your GBP
- Upload 3 new photos to your GBP — real photos of your business, not stock
These five tasks take under an hour and can have a noticeable impact within weeks.
When to Call a Professional
This checklist gives you the framework. But local SEO in competitive Edmonton markets — dental, legal, HVAC, restaurants, home services — often requires professional tools, strategic expertise, and consistent execution that most business owners don't have time for.
If you've worked through this checklist and want to see how your business stacks up, or if you'd rather have experts handle it from the start:
Get your free local SEO audit →
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