# Local SEO — Off-Site & Maintenance Checklist

The on-site work for Prayagraj/UP local SEO is already shipped in this repo
(`/prayagraj/`, `/locations/`, site-wide `LocalBusiness` schema, geo meta tags,
NAP footers, expanded sitemap). This checklist is the off-site and operational
work that only you can do — and the few placeholder values that need replacing
inside the codebase.

---

## Phase 0 — Replace placeholders in the code (15 min)

The schema and visible footers currently use sensible defaults, but a few values
are placeholders that must be replaced with your verified business data. They
appear in exactly these locations:

1. **Exact street address** — currently `Office address — shared after first call`
   - `index.html` (LocalBusiness JSON-LD + footer `<address>`)
   - `prayagraj/index.html` (LocalBusiness JSON-LD + visible NAP card)
   - `prayagraj/build_pages.py` → `NAP["street"]` constant, then re-run
     `python3 prayagraj/build_pages.py` to regenerate the 6 service pages.
   - `industries/build_pages.py` template (search `Office address — update via`)
     and re-run `python3 industries/build_pages.py`.
   - `services/custom-software-development.html`, `services/ai-integration-services.html`, `services/fintech-software-development.html` (NAP block at the bottom).

2. **Exact PIN** — currently `211001`. Replace the same way as above if your
   PIN is not 211001.

3. **Exact lat/long** — currently `25.4358 / 81.8463` (Prayagraj city centre).
   Replace via the `meta name="geo.position"`, `meta name="ICBM"`, and the
   `GeoCoordinates` blocks. The generator scripts both centralise these in
   `NAP["lat"]` / `NAP["long"]` constants.

4. **Phone, hours, email** — already correct: `+91 70076 04585`,
   `Mon–Sat 10:00–19:00 IST`, `hello@cpstechlabs.com`. Edit the NAP constant in
   `prayagraj/build_pages.py` if any of these change.

> Tip: change the NAP constants in `prayagraj/build_pages.py`, re-run the
> script, and use Find-and-Replace once in the static HTML files (`index.html`,
> `services/*.html`, `industries/*.html` template). Every page picks up
> consistent values.

After updating placeholders, run:

```bash
python3 industries/build_pages.py
python3 prayagraj/build_pages.py
python3 locations/build_city_pages.py
```

This regenerates the 12 industry pages + 6 Prayagraj service pages + 3 city
pages + the locations index from a single source of truth.

---

## Phase 1 — Google Business Profile (1–2 weeks, blocks everything else)

GBP is the single highest-leverage local SEO action. Until it is verified,
nothing else moves the needle.

- [ ] Create a Google Business Profile at <https://business.google.com>.
  - **Business name:** `CPS TechLabs` (exactly — no extra keywords or commas).
  - **Primary category:** `Software company`.
  - **Secondary categories** (add all that apply): `Website designer`, `Computer consultant`, `Business management consultant`, `Computer support and services`.
  - **Address:** Exact Prayagraj street, area, PIN. Match the address used on the site to the comma. Tick the box for "I deliver goods and services to my customers."
  - **Service areas:** Add `Prayagraj`, `Allahabad`, `Lucknow`, `Kanpur`, `Varanasi`, plus `Kaushambi`, `Pratapgarh`, `Mirzapur`, `Raebareli` if you actively serve them. These tell Google which city searches you want to surface in (organic + sometimes the local pack).
  - **Phone:** `+91 70076 04585` (must be answerable).
  - **Website:** `https://cpstechlabs.com/prayagraj/` (deep-link to your local hub, not the homepage — the hub is your local landing page).
  - **Hours:** Mon–Sat, 10:00–19:00 IST.
- [ ] Verify by **postcard** (most reliable in India). Allow 7–14 days. Do not pivot to other verification methods unless postcard fails twice.
- [ ] After verification, complete every field GBP asks for:
  - **Description (750 chars):** rewrite using NAP, primary services, and city names. Sample below.
  - **Services:** add all six — Website Development, Custom Software Development, AI Integration, Automation Solutions, Data & Analytics, Cloud & DevOps. Add a one-line description and price band for each.
  - **Photos:** 10+ photos. Office exterior + interior, team, logo, sample work screenshots (mosaic), Prayagraj cityscape (helps "place" your business). Re-upload monthly.
  - **Products/Posts:** at least one Post per week for the first month — case study, hiring update, festival greeting, blog excerpt. Even 200-word posts compound.
  - **FAQ:** copy the 12-question FAQ from `/prayagraj/` directly into GBP's Q&A. Pre-seed each question with your answer so prospects do not get random crowd-sourced answers.

**GBP description template (≤750 chars):**

> CPS TechLabs is a software development, AI, and automation company based in Prayagraj (Allahabad), Uttar Pradesh. We build websites, custom software, AI integrations, automation, data dashboards, and cloud infrastructure for startups, MSMEs, coaching institutes, clinics, manufacturers, and B2B teams. We serve Prayagraj, Allahabad, Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi, and clients across India. Engagements are remote-first with scheduled on-site visits in UP. Call +91 70076 04585 or email hello@cpstechlabs.com. Mon–Sat, 10:00–19:00 IST.

- [ ] Once verified, get the **GBP embed iframe** and replace the placeholder
      generic Google Maps iframe on `/prayagraj/index.html` and the 6 Prayagraj
      service pages. Steps: GBP dashboard → "Share your profile" → embed code.
      The CID in the iframe is what ties on-site signals to your GBP profile.

---

## Phase 2 — Reviews flywheel (ongoing)

Reviews are the second-biggest local ranking factor after Distance. The first
five reviews unlock a disproportionate ranking jump.

- [ ] Generate your **short Google review link** from GBP → "Get more reviews."
- [ ] Add this link to:
  - [ ] Every project-completion email (the moment when goodwill is highest).
  - [ ] Invoice PDFs (via `invoice.html` / `invoice-storage.php`).
  - [ ] WhatsApp signature for client-facing accounts.
  - [ ] Email signature.
- [ ] **Target: 5 reviews in month 1, 20 in 6 months.** Ask every client. The
      first ask gets the highest reply rate.
- [ ] **Reply to every review within 24 hours** — both positive and negative.
      Reply text from the business is itself a ranking signal.
- [ ] When reviews mention specific services, those keywords feed into local
      pack ranking — politely suggest review prompts to clients
      ("could you mention the type of project we worked on?").
- [ ] Do **not** buy fake reviews or ask employees/family. Google detects this
      and suspensions are very hard to reverse.

---

## Phase 3 — Citations (top 15 Indian directories)

A "citation" is any directory that lists your business with NAP. Consistency
matters more than count — the NAP must be **byte-identical** everywhere.

Use this canonical string everywhere (replace the address line first):

```
CPS TechLabs
[Street], [Area], Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh 211001, India
Phone: +91 70076 04585
Email: hello@cpstechlabs.com
Website: https://cpstechlabs.com/
Hours: Mon–Sat, 10:00–19:00 IST
```

For platforms with multi-city "areas served" fields, list: Prayagraj, Allahabad,
Lucknow, Kanpur, Varanasi.

- [ ] [Justdial](https://www.justdial.com/) — highest-impact Indian directory.
- [ ] [Sulekha](https://www.sulekha.com/) — strong B2B presence.
- [ ] [IndiaMART](https://www.indiamart.com/) — manufacturing/B2B; useful even
      if it feels off-brand.
- [ ] [TradeIndia](https://www.tradeindia.com/)
- [ ] [Yellow Pages India](https://www.yellowpages.in/)
- [ ] [Hotfrog India](https://www.hotfrog.in/)
- [ ] [Cylex India](https://www.cylex-india.in/)
- [ ] [AskLaila](https://www.asklaila.com/)
- [ ] [IndiaCom](https://www.indiacom.com/)
- [ ] [Tuugo India](https://www.tuugo.in/)
- [ ] [Clutch.co](https://clutch.co/) — international, helps for global SEO too.
- [ ] [GoodFirms](https://www.goodfirms.co/)
- [ ] [DesignRush](https://www.designrush.com/)
- [ ] [F6S](https://www.f6s.com/)
- [ ] [Crunchbase](https://www.crunchbase.com/)

After all 15 are live, check NAP consistency once with a tool like
<https://moz.com/local/search> or Whitespark's free local citation finder.

---

## Phase 4 — Additional map listings

- [ ] **Bing Places for Business:** <https://www.bingplaces.com/>. Same NAP.
      Bing/Yahoo still drive 5–8% of Indian search.
- [ ] **Apple Maps:** <https://mapsconnect.apple.com/>. Free, takes 10 minutes.
      Apple users in Lucknow/Kanpur often have iPhones — easy win.
- [ ] **Yandex Business** (optional) for any Russia-facing exposure.

---

## Phase 5 — Local backlinks (target: 1 per week, 12 in Q1)

A single backlink from a high-trust UP institution is worth dozens of citations.

**Prayagraj-anchored targets:**

- [ ] [Allahabad University](https://www.allduniv.ac.in/) — Training &
      Placement cell. Sponsor a hackathon or workshop in exchange for a partner page.
- [ ] [IIIT Allahabad](https://www.iiita.ac.in/) — Innovation & Incubation
      Centre. Offer technical mentorship or hosted talks.
- [ ] [MNNIT Allahabad](https://mnnit.ac.in/) — Entrepreneurship Cell.
- [ ] Prayagraj Chamber of Commerce — membership + listing.
- [ ] Local press: Hindustan Times Allahabad, Amar Ujala, Dainik Jagran
      Prayagraj edition. Pitch one founder-led op-ed per quarter.
- [ ] TEDx Prayagraj — sponsorship usually buys a permanent partner page.
- [ ] Prayagraj startup / tech meetups on Meetup.com or Eventbrite.

**Lucknow-anchored:**

- [ ] [IIIT Lucknow](https://iiitl.ac.in/) — startup cell / placement.
- [ ] [IIM Lucknow E-Cell](https://www.iimlec.org/) — guest talks.
- [ ] [TiE Lucknow](https://lucknow.tie.org/) — chapter sponsorship/listing.
- [ ] Lucknow Times, Dainik Jagran Lucknow — op-eds, sponsored articles.

**Kanpur-anchored:**

- [ ] [IIT Kanpur SIIC](https://www.siicincubator.com/) — startup incubator.
- [ ] CII Kanpur — chamber listing.
- [ ] Kanpur manufacturers' associations (leather, textile).

**Varanasi-anchored:**

- [ ] [BHU Innovation Centre](https://www.bhu.ac.in/) — research partnerships.
- [ ] Varanasi Tourism Department — vendor listing if you ship a tourism build.
- [ ] Local Hindi blogs covering Kashi commerce.

For each link earned, file the URL + date in a simple Google Sheet so you can
monitor decay (some lapse) and chase replacements.

---

## Phase 6 — Search Console + Bing Webmaster

- [ ] Verify ownership in **Google Search Console** (GSC): <https://search.google.com/search-console>.
      Submit `https://cpstechlabs.com/sitemap.xml`.
- [ ] Verify in **Bing Webmaster Tools**: <https://www.bing.com/webmasters>. Submit the same sitemap.
- [ ] In GSC → Performance → Search results, create regex filters for tracked queries:
  - Query matches regex: `prayagraj|allahabad|lucknow|kanpur|varanasi`
  - Save the view. Check weekly for impressions/CTR/positions.
- [ ] In GSC → URL inspection, request indexing for:
  - `https://cpstechlabs.com/prayagraj/`
  - The 6 `/prayagraj/*` service pages
  - The 3 `/locations/*` city pages

---

## Phase 7 — Rank tracking (light, weekly)

Track these target keywords from a Prayagraj IP (free options: AccuRanker
trial, SerpRobot free tier, or a manual incognito check).

**Map-pack targets (Prayagraj-only):**

- software company Prayagraj / Allahabad
- web development Prayagraj
- AI integration Prayagraj
- IT company in Prayagraj

**Organic targets (multi-city):**

- software development company in Prayagraj
- website development in Allahabad
- AI company Lucknow
- custom software Kanpur
- IT services Varanasi
- web development company Lucknow / Kanpur / Varanasi

Record positions weekly. Expect 30–60 days before measurable movement on
new pages, 60–120 days for map-pack changes after GBP verification.

---

## Phase 8 — On-site monthly maintenance

- [ ] Publish at least one new long-form local page or blog post per month
      (e.g. "Top 10 software companies in Prayagraj — what to look for",
      "How Lucknow startups choose a software partner"). This signals freshness.
- [ ] Re-run sitemap with current `lastmod` if any page changes substantially.
- [ ] Quarterly: re-validate every Prayagraj page through Google's
      [Rich Results Test](https://search.google.com/test/rich-results) and
      [Schema Markup Validator](https://validator.schema.org/).
- [ ] Quarterly: PageSpeed Insights on `/prayagraj/` and one service page.
      Target ≥ 90 mobile.

---

## Out of scope / things not to do

- **Do not create extra LocalBusiness entries** with fake Lucknow/Kanpur/Varanasi
  street addresses. Google detects this and suspends GBPs. Your real edge is one
  honest NAP plus organic city pages.
- **Do not buy reviews, citations, or links.** Indian SEO marketplaces are full
  of vendors offering this. It is the fastest way to get the GBP suspended.
- **Do not over-optimise anchors.** A backlink with anchor text "best software
  company Prayagraj" looks unnatural. Brand and bare-URL anchors do most of the
  work.
- **Do not change the canonical domain** (we use `cpstechlabs.com`, not `www.`).
  Pick one and stay there.

---

## Quick-reference: the NAP block used on-site

This exact string lives in the footer of every page on the site. Use it
verbatim everywhere you list the business off-site so Google sees a
byte-identical NAP.

```
CPS TechLabs
[Street], [Area], Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh 211001, India
Phone: +91 70076 04585
Email: hello@cpstechlabs.com
Hours: Mon–Sat, 10:00–19:00 IST
```

When you replace `[Street]`/`[Area]` in this file, also update them on the
site by following Phase 0 above.