Why Your Website Isn’t Ranking: A Small Business SEO Audit Checklist
- Josh Levine
- Nov 24
- 3 min read
You’ve built a great website. You’ve written blog posts, shared on social media, maybe even run a few ads—but your Google rankings still aren’t budging.
Sound familiar?
The truth is, most small business websites suffer from invisible SEO issues that hold them back in search results. That’s why regular audits are critical to identifying and fixing the problems that matter most.
At Wise Roots LLC, we run detailed audits to uncover hidden SEO gaps. But if you want to start checking your site yourself, here’s a simple, effective SEO audit checklist you can use—even if you’re not tech-savvy.
What an SEO Audit Can Reveal
An audit shows what’s helping your rankings—and what’s hurting them. You might find:
Slow-loading pages
Mobile usability problems
Pages not indexed by Google
Missing or duplicate metadata
Weak keyword usage
Broken internal links
No backlinks or online mentions
These issues add up. Fixing them can give your website the boost it needs to finally start appearing on page one.
The Small Business SEO Audit Checklist
Use this step-by-step checklist to identify problem areas and quick wins:
1. Technical SEO
Is your website mobile-friendly?
Does it load in under 3 seconds?
Is it using HTTPS (secure)?
Do you have a functioning XML sitemap?
Is your robots.txt file blocking anything important?
Are canonical tags set correctly?
Tools to help: Google PageSpeed Insights, Mobile-Friendly Test, Screaming Frog
2. On-Page SEO
Are meta titles and descriptions optimized and unique for each page?
Are H1 and H2 headers used properly?
Is each page targeting a specific keyword?
Are images using alt text with relevant terms?
Are internal links guiding users (and Google) to important pages?
Tools to help: Yoast SEO, RankMath, SEMrush On-Page Audit
3. Content Quality
Do you have enough original content (500+ words) per page?
Are blog posts written with clear search intent?
Is the content up to date and valuable?
Is there duplicate content on your site?
Tip: Google favors helpful, well-organized, and regularly updated content. Low-quality or thin pages can hurt your rankings.
4. Off-Page SEO & Local Presence
Do you have quality backlinks from relevant sites?
Is your Google Business Profile complete and optimized?
Are your business details (name, address, phone) consistent across directories?
Do you have positive online reviews and engagement?
Tools to help: Moz Local, BrightLocal, Google Business Profile
5. Tracking and Analytics
Do you have Google Analytics 4 (GA4) installed and tracking key metrics?
Are you monitoring your rankings in Google Search Console?
Do you check bounce rates, average session time, and conversions monthly?
Tip: If you're not tracking, you're guessing. Analytics help you identify what’s working—and what needs improvement.
Common Audit Findings and What They Mean
Your site is indexed, but no traffic is coming in: Likely due to poor keyword targeting or low-quality content.
You have traffic but low conversions: Your content may not align with user intent, or your calls-to-action need work.
You rank but don’t get clicks: Optimize your meta titles and descriptions to improve click-through rates.
How Wise Roots LLC Can Help
Audits are just the beginning. We help businesses not only identify problems, but fix them strategically for long-term growth.
Our SEO audit services include:
Full site scan and custom scorecard
Keyword gap and opportunity analysis
Technical and on-page SEO fixes
Competitor performance comparison
Monthly SEO health monitoring
Want clarity on your SEO? Book a free audit review
Final Thoughts: Don’t Let SEO Errors Hold You Back
If your site isn’t showing up, it's not because SEO is broken—it’s because something is missing.
Running a simple audit—even once a quarter—can help you stay ahead of issues and uncover opportunities to grow. Whether you DIY it or bring in experts, the key is taking action.
Let’s fix what’s holding you back. Together.
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