What is in the free SEO checklist?

A 13-page PDF with about 190 checkpoints across 16 dependency-ordered sections — from strategy baselines and Google Business Profile through tracking, AI search visibility, operating cadence, and a risk register of tactics you should not use.

Is the checklist actually free?

Yes. Enter your name, email, and website to download the PDF. We may follow up if you want help implementing it.

Who is this checklist for?

Anyone running a website that needs to rank — a single location, a multi-location brand, or a franchise. Built as a sequence you can run, not a grab-bag of SEO tasks.

Does it include grey-hat or spam tactics?

No. Those eight tactics are documented as a Risk Register: why they look tempting, the real exposure (including 16 CFR Part 465 review rules), and the legitimate alternative.

Free download

The complete SEO checklist for your site

13 pages, ~190 checkpoints across 16 sections. Written as a build sequence, not a grab bag.

pages

~190

checkpoints

sections

Starts with the 12 highest-leverage moves. Then Strategy & Foundations before anyone touches the profile. Ends with an operating cadence and a risk register for the shortcuts people always ask about.

Get the PDF

16 sections, in build order

The original 7 categories became 16, dependency-ordered so it reads as a sequence you can run — not a pile of unrelated tasks.

01
12 Highest-Leverage Moves
The front page: the dozen actions that move rankings and leads first.
02
Strategy & Foundations
Baseline capture before you touch anything — geo-grid snapshot, NAP source of truth, competitor category audit.
03
Google Business Profile
Video verification prep, suspension evidence packs, category side-effects, UTM per surface, Reserve with Google, LSA.
04
NAP, Citations & Consistency
One source of truth, directory hygiene, and the mismatches that tank local pack trust.
05
Reviews & Reputation
Ask flow, response cadence, and what is now illegal under 16 CFR Part 465.
06
On-Page Local SEO
Location pages, service pages, internal links, and intent matching.
07
Structured Data & Technical
LocalBusiness schema, crawl/index health, Core Web Vitals, and site architecture.
08
Content & Topical Authority
What to publish so you own the category — not just a handful of keywords.
09
Tracking, DNI & Conversions
Call tracking that does not break NAP, server-side tagging, offline conversion import.
10
Multi-Location & Franchise
Entity design, location page templates, and brand vs. location GBP rules.
11
AI Search & LLM Visibility
How you show up in ChatGPT, Perplexity, and Google AI Overviews.
12
Local Pack & Maps
Proximity, prominence, and the signals that actually move the map 3-pack.
13
Links, Mentions & PR
Earned citations and mentions that look like a real business, not a link scheme.
14
Conversion Paths & UX
From pack click to booked job — forms, click-to-call, hours, and offer clarity.
15
Operating Cadence
A table for who does what, how often, and what “done this month” looks like.
16
Risk Register
Eight tempting tactics, named plainly — exposure, and the legitimate alternative.

Why the Risk Register exists

Grey-hat tactics were rewritten as a Risk Register — same eight moves, named plainly, each with why it is tempting, the actual exposure, and the legitimate alternative.

Since 16 CFR Part 465 took effect in October 2024, review gating and incentivized reviews carry civil penalties north of $50k per violation. Each review can count separately, and the rule names the business and anyone acting on its behalf as liable. Fake reviews or negative SEO aimed at competitors can go further, into tortious interference.

Every site owner eventually asks why a spammy competitor is outranking them. This page answers it — and draws the line between what actually works and what will get a site penalized.

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