The small business SEO checklist

Technical foundations

1. Fast on mobile. Use PageSpeed Insights, aim for a score above 70, prioritise image compression and JavaScript removal.
2. HTTPS. The padlock. Non-negotiable. Most hosts include it free now.
3. XML sitemap in Search Console. Generate one, submit it, check for errors. Google needs to know what pages exist.
4. Clean URLs and one H1 per page. /window-cleaning not /page?id=42. One page, one main topic, one H1.
5. Fix broken links and redirects. Check Search Console, use a crawler, fix 404s.

Pages and structure

6. A page per service in customer language. Not jargon. "Boiler repair" not "HVAC maintenance".
7. Clear titles and meta descriptions. Titles under 60 characters, descriptions under 160. Make them human-readable, not keyword-stuffed.
8. Internal links between related pages. Link relevant services to each other, to an about page, to a contact form.
9. A simple, logical menu. Visitors and crawlers both need to find everything within three clicks.

Google Business Profile

10. Complete every field. Categories, services, hours, service area, description, attributes. Leave nothing blank.
11. Correct categories and service area. If you cover two towns, list both. Don't create fake location pages.
12. Add photos regularly. The outside of your business, the team, the work. At least one a month. Real photos, not stock images.
13. Get and reply to reviews. Ask every happy customer. Make it a one-tap link. Reply to all reviews within a few days.

On-page and content

14. Target one main keyword per page. "Boiler repair Croydon" is the keyword; use it naturally in the H1, first paragraph, and meta description.
15. Answer the question in the first two sentences. Visitors and AI crawlers need the answer immediately, not buried at the bottom.
16. Add FAQs to service pages. Answer the real questions prospects ask. Structure them as an FAQ section or a details element.
17. Publish one useful guide a month. Not a blog post. A guide. Answer a real customer question — "How do I choose a [trade]?" — that nobody else answers clearly.

Off-page

18. Get listed in your trade association and local directories. The Chartered Institute of Whatever, industry-specific directories, Google My Business.
19. Earn a few relevant links. Not bought. Suppliers, partners, local press, sponsorships. A handful of real links beats a hundred bought ones.
20. Avoid cheap link packages. "500 backlinks for £30" is a fast way to get penalised.

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