An online presence audit checks six things: your Google Business Profile, your reviews, your business listings, your website on a phone, whether AI tools mention you, and how recently you published something new. Score each one from 0 to 2. It takes about 30 minutes.
Most owners never search for their business the way a customer does. They search by name, see themselves at the top and assume everything is fine. Customers search “plumber near me” or “best brunch in St. Augustine.” That is the search that matters.
Grab a notepad. For each check, score yourself 0 (missing), 1 (partly there) or 2 (done).
Is your Google Business Profile complete and active?
Your Google Business Profile is the listing that shows up on Google Maps and in the local results. For most local businesses it brings in more calls than the website does.
How to check: search your main service plus your city, such as “roofer St. Augustine.” Find your profile in the map results.
- 2: every field filled in, the right primary category, real photos, and a post in the last 30 days
- 1: claimed, but missing details or no recent activity
- 0: not claimed, or you can’t find it at all
If you scored low here, start with the Google Business Profile setup guide for St. Augustine.
Do you have recent reviews, and do you reply to them?
Reviews tell Google and customers that you are real, active and trusted. Recent reviews count more than old ones.
How to check: open your profile and sort reviews by newest.
- 2: a steady flow of new reviews in the last three months, and you reply to all of them
- 1: you have reviews, but the newest is months old or most have no reply
- 0: a handful of reviews, or none
Getting more is simpler than it sounds. Here is how to get more Google reviews without being pushy.
Are your name, address and phone the same everywhere?
Google cross-checks your details across directories. When they don’t match, it trusts your business less.
How to check: search your phone number in quotes. Look at every listing that comes up, such as Yelp, Apple Maps, Bing, Facebook and your local chamber.
- 2: same name, address and phone everywhere
- 1: small mismatches, like an old suite number or “Street” versus “St.”
- 0: an old address or phone number still showing, or very few listings
The local citations guide lists the directories that matter for St. Johns County businesses.
Does your website load fast on a phone?
Most local searches happen on a phone. If your site is slow or hard to use there, people leave before they call.
How to check: run your homepage through PageSpeed Insights and look at the mobile score. Then open the site on your own phone and try to call yourself.
- 2: loads quickly, and the phone number is one tap away
- 1: slow, or calling takes some hunting
- 0: broken on mobile, or no website at all
If this check went badly, the guide to why websites don’t rank walks through a deeper website check.
Do ChatGPT and Google’s AI mention your business?
More customers now ask AI tools for recommendations. These tools pull from your listings, reviews and website, so they reflect everything above.
How to check: ask ChatGPT, Perplexity and Google the question a customer would ask. For example: “Who is the best HVAC company in St. Augustine?”
- 2: you’re mentioned, and the details are correct
- 1: you only appear when asked by name, or the details are wrong
- 0: not mentioned at all
A business in the historic district and one out by Vilano Beach can get very different answers here. It depends on how clearly each one says what it does and where. More on this in how AI search works for St. Augustine businesses.
When did you last publish something new?
Fresh content tells Google and AI tools that your business is active. A blog post, a Google Business Profile update or a new project photo all count.
How to check: find the date of your most recent blog post or profile update.
- 2: within the last 30 days
- 1: within the last six months
- 0: longer than that, or never
What does your score mean?
Add up your six scores for a total out of 12.
| Score | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| 10 to 12 | You're easy to find | Keep it up and audit again in three months |
| 6 to 9 | You have gaps competitors are using | Fix your lowest score first |
| 0 to 5 | Most customers can't find you | Start with your profile and reviews, they move fastest |
Most small businesses across Northeast Florida land in the middle. That is normal, and every check here is fixable. The St. Augustine small business SEO guide covers the full picture if you want to go deeper.
Next step: fix the lowest score first
You now know where you stand, which is more than most of your competitors know. If you’d rather hand the fixes to someone, send me your score and the checks where you lost points. I’ll tell you what to fix first and what it takes.