The Brisbane Business Digital Marketing Checklist

Your website loads in under 3 seconds

Test at pagespeed.web.dev. Slow sites lose 53% of mobile visitors.

Mobile-responsive design that works on all devices

Over 60% of Australian web traffic is mobile. Your site must look great on every screen.

SSL certificate installed (HTTPS in the address bar)

Google penalises non-HTTPS sites in search rankings. Most hosting providers include this free.

Clear navigation with no more than 7 main menu items

Simplicity converts. Visitors should find what they need in two clicks or fewer.

Contact information visible on every page

Phone number, email, and location should be in your header or footer on every page.

Professional email address (not Gmail or Outlook)

hello@yourbusiness.com.au builds instant credibility versus yourname@gmail.com.

Clear calls-to-action on every page

Every page should tell visitors what to do next: call, enquire, book, or buy.

Privacy policy and terms of service pages

Legally required in Australia for any site collecting personal data. Also a Google Ads requirement.

Unique title tags on every page (under 60 characters)

Title tags are the single most important on-page SEO element. Make them descriptive and keyword-rich.

Meta descriptions on every page (under 155 characters)

These show in Google results. Write them like a mini ad for each page.

H1 heading on every page with your target keyword

Each page should have exactly one H1 tag that clearly describes the page content.

Images have descriptive alt text

Alt text helps Google understand your images and improves accessibility for screen readers.

XML sitemap submitted to Google Search Console

Tells Google every page on your site. Submit at search.google.com/search-console.

Internal links connecting your pages logically

Link between related pages. This helps Google understand your site structure and passes authority.

Clean URL structure (yourbusiness.com.au/services/seo)

Avoid URLs with numbers, special characters, or random strings. Keep them short and descriptive.

No broken links (404 errors)

Use a free tool like Screaming Frog or Dead Link Checker to find and fix broken links.

Google Business Profile claimed and verified

Search "Google Business Profile" and follow the verification steps. This is free and critical for local visibility.

Business name, address, and phone number are accurate

Must match your website exactly. Inconsistencies confuse Google and hurt your ranking.

Business categories set correctly

Choose a primary category that best describes your business, plus relevant secondary categories.

Business hours listed and kept up to date

Include holiday hours. Outdated hours frustrate customers and generate negative reviews.

At least 10 quality photos uploaded

Real photos of your team, premises, and work. Businesses with photos get 42% more direction requests.

Regular posts published (at least fortnightly)

Google Business posts appear in search results and signal to Google that your business is active.

Review response strategy in place

Reply to every review within 48 hours. Thank positive reviewers. Address negative reviews professionally.

Products or services listed in the profile

Add your key services or products with descriptions and pricing where relevant.

Active profiles on 2 to 3 relevant platforms

Focus on where your audience actually is. For most local businesses: Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.

Consistent branding across all platforms

Same logo, same colours, same tone of voice. Recognisability builds trust.

Complete business information on every profile

Website URL, phone number, email, location, and business hours on every social profile.

Posting at least 3 times per week

Consistency matters more than frequency. Three quality posts beat seven mediocre ones.

Engaging with comments and messages within 24 hours

Social media is a conversation. Ignoring comments signals you do not care about your audience.

Content mix: educational, social proof, behind-the-scenes, promotional

Follow the 80/20 rule: 80% value-adding content, 20% promotional.

Google Ads account created and linked to Analytics

Create an account at ads.google.com. Link it to your Google Analytics property for full data visibility.

Conversion tracking set up (form submissions, phone calls)

Without conversion tracking, you cannot measure what is working. This is non-negotiable.

Landing pages built for your key services

Never send ad traffic to your homepage. Build specific landing pages for each service or offer.

Keyword research completed for your industry

Use Google Keyword Planner (free with a Google Ads account) to find what your customers are searching.

Negative keyword list prepared

Exclude irrelevant terms. A plumber should exclude "DIY plumbing" or "plumbing jobs" to avoid wasted spend.

Monthly ad budget defined

Start with what you can sustain for 3 months. Most local businesses see results from $1,000 to $3,000 per month in ad spend.

Google Analytics 4 installed and tracking

GA4 is the current standard. If you still have Universal Analytics, it stopped processing data in 2024.

Google Search Console set up and verified

Free tool showing how Google sees your site. Essential for understanding search performance.

Goals and conversions configured in Analytics

Track form submissions, phone clicks, bookings, and purchases as conversion events.

Monthly reporting cadence established

Set a calendar reminder to review your analytics monthly. Look for trends, not individual days.

UTM parameters used for campaign tracking

Add UTM tags to links in emails, social posts, and ads so you know exactly where traffic comes from.

Core Web Vitals in acceptable range

Check in Search Console under Experience. These metrics affect your Google ranking and user experience.