What Should a Local SEO Report Show?
A useful local SEO report starts with leads and booked jobs, then explains why they changed: Maps rankings, Google profile actions, reviews and website traffic. If a report starts with “impressions” or “domain authority”, it isn’t answering the question you care about.
The 9 Metrics, in Order of Importance
| # | Metric | Source | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Calls and form leads | Call tracking, form logs | Direct revenue signal |
| 2 | Booked jobs and revenue | Your CRM or job sheet | The real ROI |
| 3 | Cost per booked job | Fee ÷ jobs | Compare with ads and lead platforms |
| 4 | Map pack rankings (grid) | Grid rank tool | Coverage across your service area |
| 5 | GBP calls, directions, website clicks | GBP Performance | Profile health |
| 6 | Reviews: new, average, response rate | GBP | Trust and ranking |
| 7 | Organic clicks to service pages | Search Console | Website SEO progress |
| 8 | Work completed | Task log | Proof of work |
| 9 | Next month’s plan | Agency | Accountability |
What Should I Ignore?
Total impressions alone, “keywords ranked” counts that include junk terms, and third-party authority scores. None of them pay your bills.
How Do I Track ROI From Local SEO?
Tag every lead with its source (call tracking numbers, UTM links on the profile website button), mark which ones booked, then divide revenue by your SEO cost. Our SEO ROI calculator does the math.
Local SEO Report Checklist
Use this to check any report you receive, from us or another agency:
- Work completed this month
- Maps grid visibility compared with last month
- Organic traffic and top pages
- Calls and form leads (tracked)
- Reviews gained and replied to
- Google Business Profile activity, explained honestly
- What’s working and what isn’t
- Plan for next month
Why Aren’t Rankings Enough?
Rankings change by location and by day, and a high ranking doesn’t guarantee calls. A report that shows only keyword positions can hide whether the phone actually rang. Calls, leads and booked jobs show real results.
What Are the Red Flags in an SEO Report?
Watch for reports that only show rankings, list vague tasks without specifics, use Google Business Profile views as proof of success, never mention leads, or change metrics every month. These often hide a lack of real work or results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How often should I get a report?
Monthly, with a short weekly update while major work is going on.
Should a local SEO report include Google Business Profile views?
As context only. Views can count the same person more than once, so calls, leads and booked jobs matter more.
Should I see the raw data?
Yes. Ask for access to Search Console, GBP and call tracking in your own name.
See a sample report on WhatsApp · How to choose a local SEO agency
