A step-by-step SEO checklist you can start implementing this week

This checklist is built for independent insurance agents and small-to-mid-sized agencies running their own websites or partnering with a designer who doesn't specialize in SEO. If you're an agency owner, office manager, or marketing coordinator responsible for your online presence, you can use this to audit what's missing and prioritize next steps.

The tasks are organized by phase—foundation first, then growth—so you don't waste effort optimizing content before your site is technically sound. Each section links to detailed guides for deeper dives.

Not for you? If your agency has 50+ employees or operates in 20+ states, you'll benefit from a full audit with local market context. See our agency audit guide for a more comprehensive framework.

Not all SEO tasks have equal impact. This matrix shows what to do first based on effort and payoff.

Phase 1 (Do These First — High Impact, Low Effort):

• Claim and optimize your Google Business Profile
• Fix mobile responsiveness and page speed
• Add schema markup for local business
• Audit and fix NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across web and directories

Phase 2 (Medium Impact, Medium Effort):

• Rewrite title tags and meta descriptions for buyer keywords
• Build a content plan mapped to service areas and policy types
• Submit your site to key insurance directories (TrustedChoice, Insureon, Yelp)
• Create local landing pages for service areas

Phase 3 (Long-term Growth, High Effort):

• Build authority through guest posts and industry partnerships
• Develop testimonial strategy with compliance review
• Link building to underperforming service area pages

1. Mobile Responsiveness — Google ranks mobile-first. Test your site on phone using Google's Mobile-Friendly Test. If your homepage doesn't stack properly or text is tiny, fix it immediately.

2. Page Speed — Insurance shoppers expect pages under 2 seconds. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to identify bloat. Compress images, defer JavaScript, enable caching. Slow sites lose leads to competitors.

3. SSL Certificate (HTTPS) — All pages must use HTTPS, not HTTP. Check your address bar. No green lock = lost trust and lower rankings.

4. XML Sitemap — Create an XML sitemap at /sitemap.xml listing all your pages. Submit it in Google Search Console so Google crawls your entire site.

5. Robots.txt — Block crawlers from admin pages, duplicates, and thin content. Allow crawlers to index your service area pages and blog.

6. Canonicals — If you have duplicate pages (e.g., auto-insurance and car-insurance), add a canonical tag to point to the preferred version. Prevents ranking dilution.

7. Indexing Check — Go to Google Search Console and search site:yoursite.com. If pages you expect are missing, they're blocked from indexing. Fix robots.txt or noindex tags.

Title Tags — Should be 50–60 characters, include your primary keyword and service area. Example: "Auto Insurance in Denver | [Agency Name]". Write one title per page; don't reuse.

Meta Descriptions — 120–155 characters. This is your ad copy in search results. Include a benefit: "Get homeowners insurance quotes in 5 minutes. Bundled discounts. Local agents.". Google doesn't rank on meta, but better CTR = more traffic.

H1 Tags — One H1 per page. Should match or closely mirror your title tag. For a life insurance page, use "Life Insurance Quotes for [City Name]" not "Welcome to Our Site".

Headings Structure — Use H2 for major topics (e.g., "How Auto Insurance Works"), H3 for subtopics. This helps Google and users navigate your content.

Keyword Placement — Include your target keyword in the first 100 words of body copy, naturally. For "workers comp insurance in Houston," your opening paragraph should mention this phrase at least once.

Image Alt Text — Describe what's in the image: "Two agents reviewing insurance policy" instead of leaving it blank. Helps accessibility and image search.

Internal Links — Link related service pages. On your "auto insurance" page, link to "bundled insurance" if you offer it. Use descriptive anchor text, not "click here".

Service Area Pages — Create one page per city or region you serve. "Auto Insurance in Phoenix," "Auto Insurance in Scottsdale," etc. Use the same template but customize headlines, opening paragraph, and local details (agent name, office hours, address). Don't duplicate content word-for-word; Google penalizes this.

Policy Type Pages — Build core pages for each policy your agency sells: auto, home, life, business, umbrella. These are your highest-intent pages. Optimize for keywords like "best auto insurance for high-risk drivers" or "small business liability insurance."

Local Citations — Submit your business to insurance-specific directories: TrustedChoice.com, Insureon, Yelp, and your state's Department of Insurance agent locator. Ensure Name, Address, Phone (NAP) match exactly across all profiles. Mismatches hurt local rankings.

Google Business Profile — Claim your profile at google.com/business. Add a detailed description, service areas (not just city), hours, photos of your office, and a link to your site. Update it monthly with posts about new policies, rate changes, or seasonal tips.

Review Generation — Ask satisfied clients to leave Google reviews. More reviews = higher local ranking. Respond to all reviews, positive and negative. This shows you're active and trustworthy.

Local Blog Posts — Write 1–2 posts monthly about insurance topics relevant to your area. "Hurricane Season Insurance Tips for Florida Homeowners" ranks better than generic "What Is Homeowners Insurance?" because it's location-specific and timely.

This is educational content, not legal or compliance advice. Verify current regulations with your state Department of Insurance and carrier compliance teams.

Disclaimer Language — Insurance advertising is regulated by state insurance departments and the NAIC (National Association of Insurance Commissioners). Ensure your site includes a disclaimer like "Insurance products issued by [Carrier Names]. Not all products available in all states." Check your carrier's co-op ad agreement for required language.

Testimonials and Reviews — If you feature client testimonials, FTC endorsement guidelines require: clear disclosure of any compensation, accurate representation of typical results, and written permission from the client. Don't cherry-pick only five-star reviews; a mix of 4–5 star reviews looks authentic.

Licensing Information — Display your agency license number, insurance producer license, and E&O (errors and omissions) insurance carrier prominently in the footer or "About" page. This builds credibility and satisfies state DOI transparency rules.

Rate and Quote Disclaimers — If you provide quotes or rate estimates online, include a disclaimer that final rates depend on underwriting and current company guidelines. Don't guarantee rates; this violates most state insurance codes.

Privacy Policy — Clearly state how you handle client data. Include your CCPA/GDPR policies if you serve California or EU residents. Link to it in the footer.

Carrier Logos and Brands — Use carrier logos and brand names only if permitted by your carrier's co-op ad agreement. Don't imply carrier endorsement beyond what your contract allows.

Use this checklist to track your progress. Print it, assign tasks to team members, and mark completion dates.

Technical SEO

• ☐ Test mobile responsiveness (Google Mobile-Friendly Test)
• ☐ Run PageSpeed Insights; improve to 50+ score
• ☐ Enable HTTPS on all pages
• ☐ Create and submit XML sitemap to Search Console
• ☐ Audit robots.txt for blocks
• ☐ Add canonicals to duplicate pages
• ☐ Verify indexing in Search Console (site:yoursite.com)

On-Page Optimization

• ☐ Rewrite title tags (50–60 chars, keyword + service area)
• ☐ Write meta descriptions (120–155 chars, benefit-driven)
• ☐ Audit all H1 tags (one per page)
• ☐ Check heading structure (H2, H3 hierarchy)
• ☐ Place primary keyword in first 100 words
• ☐ Add descriptive alt text to all images
• ☐ Add internal links between related pages

Local SEO

• ☐ Claim Google Business Profile
• ☐ Add 5–10 service areas with custom descriptions
• ☐ Upload office photos to GBP
• ☐ Verify NAP consistency (name, address, phone)
• ☐ Submit to TrustedChoice, Insureon, Yelp
• ☐ Create service area landing pages (1 per city)
• ☐ Start review generation program

Content & Authority

• ☐ Map content to service areas and policy types
• ☐ Write one core blog post per month
• ☐ Link to compliance pages from money pages
• ☐ Start tracking reviews and responding to them

Compliance

• ☐ Add state-required disclaimers to homepage and rate pages
• ☐ Review testimonial language with compliance team
• ☐ Display licensing information in footer
• ☐ Add privacy policy and link in footer
• ☐ Verify carrier logo usage is compliant