Example report
See what a Website Health Check report looks like
This is a complete report, the same layout you get by email, for an invented business called Lakeshore Plumbing. Every score, AI answer and website named in it is made up. It is here so you can see exactly what you would get for C$12 before you pay.
What to look for
- Four scores out of 100, with a plain verdict, then up to five first jobs with the reason and the fix for each.
- The searches the site already appears for, and where, in section 4.
- The backlink report: how many other websites link to the business, how that compares with a year ago, which ones, and links that lead to missing pages, in section 5.
- The AI assistant test: four questions put to ChatGPT, Gemini and Perplexity, who was named, who was named instead, and which websites they relied on, in section 6.
- Speed on a phone, trust and contact details, then ready-made titles, questions and business details code to copy and paste.
- The guide. Every section ends with a line pointing to the same-numbered section of the Website Health Check Guide, which also comes as a PDF with your report. In the example below, those lines are links.
The business, its website and the other websites with ".example" in their address do not exist. The assistants' answers, the scores and the links are invented to show the layout. Your own report is written from what we find on your website on the day.
Lakeshore Plumbing
Hello Sam,
Lakeshore Plumbing has a sound base. The site is secure, loads in a sensible time on the server and the home page says you are licensed, insured and listed on HomeStars. What is holding you back is mostly wording. Your page title is just your name, the home page is short, and Google and the AI assistants have little to go on when they decide who to recommend in Hamilton.
The one change that will help most: Change your home page title from 'Lakeshore Plumbing' to say what you do and where, for example 'Plumber in Hamilton, ON | Lakeshore Plumbing'. It takes a few minutes and it is the line Google leans on most.
Your scores at a glance
| Being found on Google | Needs attention (38 out of 100) |
| Being recommended by AI assistants | Needs some work (76 out of 100) |
| Speed and mobile | Good (94 out of 100) |
| Trust and contact details | Good (96 out of 100) |
These scores are our own guide to how much needs doing. They are not a number that Google gives you.
Your first 5 jobs
Why it matters. The title is the blue link people see in Google. Yours says "Lakeshore Plumbing", so it does not tell anyone what you do or where. Google leans on it heavily to decide what to show you for.
What to do. Change it to say what you do and where, then your name. For example: "Plumbing in Hamilton | Lakeshore Plumbing". Keep it under about 60 characters.
Seen on: https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/
Why it matters. Some links on your site go to pages that no longer exist. Visitors hit a dead end, and Google sees a neglected site. We found 3 cases.
What to do. Fix or remove the broken links listed below.
Seen on: https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/gallery/, https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/old-prices/
Why it matters. The description is the short paragraph under your blue link in Google. Without one, Google picks random scraps from the page, which rarely make anyone click. Our scan found 3 pages without one.
What to do. Write one or two sentences (about 150 characters) saying what you do, where, and one reason to call you. Most website editors have a box for this on each page.
Seen on: https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/boilers/, https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/bathrooms/, https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/about/
Why it matters. Each photo should have a short description (called alt text). It helps blind visitors, and it is how Google and AI tools understand what your photos show.
What to do. In your site editor, click each photo and fill in the "Alt text" box with a plain description, such as "Plumbing job in Hamilton".
Why it matters. If two pages have the same title, Google cannot tell which one to show, and they compete with each other. We found 2 cases.
What to do. Give each page its own title describing what is on that page.
Seen on: https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/boilers/, https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/boiler-repair/
What is already working
Worth knowing, so nobody changes these by mistake.
- Your home page has a clear main heading.
- Your site has 9 pages, which gives Google plenty to list.
- Your site uses a secure (https) address.
- You have a sitemap listing 9 addresses.
- Your address or area is shown on the page.
- Your home page mentions things customers look for: licensed, insured, years in business, HomeStars.
- Your robots.txt lets AI assistants read your site.
Being found on Google
Why it matters. Your home page has about 240 words. Google and AI assistants answer questions by reading, and a page this short gives them very little to work with. Pages that rank well for local services usually explain the service, the area covered, prices or how pricing works, and answer common questions.
What to do. Aim for 400 to 800 useful words on the home page: what you do, who for, the places you cover, what makes you different, and a few common questions answered in plain English.
Seen on: https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/
Already in your first jobs: Your page title is just your name; Links on your site lead nowhere; 3 pages have no description; 8 photos have no description; Several pages share the same title.
Searches you already appear for
You already appear for a handful of searches, mostly your own name. 'Water heater repair hamilton' sits on page 2, which is your best chance of a quick win: a clearer title and a fuller water heater page may be enough to move it up.
| Search | Searches a month | Your position |
|---|---|---|
| lakeshore plumbing hamilton | 30 | 1 (page 1) |
| water heater repair hamilton | 140 | 14 (page 2) |
| plumber hamilton | 720 | 23 (page 3) |
| emergency plumber hamilton | 110 | 31 (page 4) |
| bathroom renovation hamilton | 170 | 42 (page 5) |
Positions 1 to 10 are the first page of Google. Most people never go past page 1.
Links from other websites
We found links to your site from 7 other websites (about 11 a year ago).
Some of the sites linking to you: hamilton-chamber.example, ontario-plumbers-association.example, bay-area-news.example, minor-hockey-sponsors.example, local-trades-list.example.
Why it matters. Other websites link to pages on your site that no longer exist, usually after a redesign. Visitors from those links hit an error, and the recommendation the link carries is wasted.
What to do. Redirect each old address to the closest current page (a "301 redirect"). Google Search Console lists them under Pages, then "Not found (404)". Reply to this email if you would like the list.
Why it matters. A link from another website is like a recommendation. Google counts them when deciding who to show, and AI assistants read many of the same sites. We found links from 7 other websites. Well-placed local businesses usually have links from dozens.
What to do. Ask for links from places that already know you: suppliers, trade bodies you belong to, local directories, local clubs or charities you support, and the local paper if you do something newsworthy. Never pay for links. Google penalizes that.
Why it matters. A year ago about 11 websites linked to you. Now it is about 7. Links disappear when directories close or listings lapse.
What to do. Check your old directory and trade listings are still live and still point at your current website address.
Being recommended by AI assistants
We asked ChatGPT, Perplexity and Gemini four questions a customer might ask. You were named twice in twelve answers, once by ChatGPT and once by Perplexity, and Gemini did not name you at all. Your site was used as a source in three answers, which is a good sign that the fixes below will help.
What we asked, and who got named
| Question | ChatGPT | Gemini | Perplexity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who are the best plumbing companies in Hamilton? | Named | Not named | Not named |
| Who can I use for plumbing near Hamilton? | Not named | Not named | Not named your site was a source |
| Recommend a reliable plumbing company in Hamilton | Not named | Not named | Named |
| How much does plumbing cost in Hamilton? | Not named | Not named | Not named |
AI answers change from one ask to the next, so treat this as a snapshot, not a verdict.
Businesses the assistants named or used instead
harbour-city-plumbing.example, escarpment-drains.example, steeltown-heating.example
Sites the assistants leaned on
homestars.com, yelp.ca, 411.ca, bestrated.company (our own directory)
What to change
Why it matters. Structured data is a hidden label on your page that states your business name, phone, address, opening hours and the areas you cover in a form machines read without guessing. Google and AI assistants use it to be sure who you are. We found none on your home page.
What to do. Add a "LocalBusiness" block to your home page. A ready-made one with your details is in Section 9 (Copy and paste) of this report. WordPress users can also get it from the Yoast SEO or Rank Math plugins.
Why it matters. People ask AI assistants questions ("how much does it cost to...", "do you cover..."). Assistants quote pages that answer questions plainly, and Google often shows them as expandable questions. Your home page has no question-and-answer content.
What to do. Add a short FAQ with 5 to 8 real questions customers ask you, each answered in two or three honest sentences. Some starter questions are in Section 9 (Copy and paste).
Why it matters. AI assistants lean heavily on directory and review sites when they recommend local businesses. In our test they used: homestars.com, yelp.ca, 411.ca, bestrated.company. We found no link to your website from homestars.com, yelp.ca, 411.ca, bestrated.company, so you may not be listed there, or your listing may not include your website. Wrong or missing details there lead to you being skipped or mixed up with another business.
What to do. Make sure you are listed on these where they fit your trade, with exactly the same business name, address and phone number everywhere. Also claim your Google Business Profile and ask happy customers for Google reviews; AI answers often note when a business has few or no reviews.
Why it matters. You were named in 2 of 12 AI answers to questions a customer might ask. That is a start. The aim is to be named in most of them.
What to do. Strengthen the same things: a page for each service and town, structured business details, direct answers to common questions, and consistent listings elsewhere.
Speed and mobile
On a phone, Google scored your home page 54 out of 100. The main content appeared after about 3.9 seconds (under 2.5 is good).
Why it matters. Google scored your home page 54 out of 100 for speed on a phone, and the main content takes about 3.9 seconds to appear. Under about 2.5 seconds is good. Slow pages lose visitors before they see anything.
What to do. The usual causes are huge photos and too many add-ons. Shrink photos before uploading (under 300KB each is plenty), remove plugins you do not use, and ask your host about caching.
Trust and contact details
Why it matters. On a phone, a visitor should be able to tap your number to call you. Yours is plain text.
What to do. Turn the number into a link (in most editors: select it, add a link, and type tel: followed by the number with no spaces).
Why it matters. Customers, Google and AI assistants all look for when you are open, and whether you answer the phone at weekends. We could not see any opening hours on your home page.
What to do. Add your opening hours to the footer of every page, in plain text, and make sure they match your Google Business Profile.
Copy and paste
Page title ideas for your home page
- Plumber in Hamilton, ON | Lakeshore Plumbing
- Water Heater Repair and Plumbing in Hamilton | Lakeshore Plumbing
- Licensed Hamilton Plumber | Lakeshore Plumbing
Description under your link in Google
Family owned, licensed and insured plumbers in Hamilton. Water heater repair, bathrooms and emergency calls. Call Lakeshore Plumbing for a clear quote.
Main heading for the top of your home page
Plumbers and water heater experts in Hamilton, Ontario
Questions to answer on your site
Write a short, honest answer to each, in your own words.
- How much does a water heater repair cost in Hamilton?
- Are you licensed and insured?
- Do you take emergency calls on weekends?
- Which areas around Hamilton do you cover?
- Do you give a fixed price before you start?
Pages worth adding
- Water heater repair in Hamilton. Your best search is already on page 2, so a proper page for it is the quickest win.
- Emergency plumber in Hamilton. Customers searching this want to call someone right now, and you have no page for it.
- Areas we serve. A short page naming the towns and neighbourhoods you work in helps Google and AI assistants decide you are close to the customer.
Business details for search and AI
Ask your web person to add this to your home page, or paste it into the "custom code" or "head" box if your site editor has one. Replace everything in [square brackets] with your real details first, and leave out anything that does not apply.
<script type="application/ld+json">
{
"@context": "https://schema.org",
"@type": "LocalBusiness",
"name": "Lakeshore Plumbing",
"url": "https://www.lakeshore-plumbing.example/",
"telephone": "(905) 555-0142",
"address": {
"@type": "PostalAddress",
"streetAddress": "[ADD STREET ADDRESS]",
"addressLocality": "Hamilton",
"addressRegion": "[ADD PROVINCE, for example ON]",
"postalCode": "[ADD POSTAL CODE]",
"addressCountry": "CA"
},
"areaServed": "Hamilton",
"openingHours": "[ADD OPENING HOURS, for example Mo-Fr 08:00-17:00]"
}
</script>What happens next
Changes to your own pages can show in Google within a few days to a few weeks. Being recommended by AI assistants usually takes longer, because it follows how well you are covered across the web, not just on your own site. Nobody can promise a position, and we do not.
If you get stuck on any step, reply to this email and tell us which one.
Please note. Everything in this report is a suggestion, not professional advice. If you are in any doubt, or before you make major changes to your website, such as changing its address, moving host, rebuilding it or removing pages, speak to an SEO specialist or your web person first.
This check looks only at public pages and was produced by an automated scan. Facts can occasionally be wrong, so if something here does not match your site, tell us.
Make sense of it
Each section of the report has a page explaining it in plain words:
- How to read your report and your first jobs (sections 1, 2 and 10)
- Being found on Google, and the searches you appear for (sections 3 and 4)
- Backlinks: links from other websites (section 5)
- Being recommended by AI assistants (section 6)
- Speed and mobile (section 7)
- Trust and contact details (section 8)
- Copy and paste (section 9)
Keep reading
Try it on your own website
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