The complete YMYL SEO audit checklist for regulated industry Wix websites

This capstone lesson brings together every YMYL SEO requirement from this module into a comprehensive audit checklist. Use this checklist to systematically evaluate your regulated industry Wix site against every Google quality standard for YMYL content. Whether you are a therapist, dentist, solicitor, accountant, or any other regulated professional, this checklist covers the universal YMYL requirements plus industry-specific items. Run this audit quarterly to maintain and improve your YMYL compliance as Google standards continue to evolve.

Section 1: Credentials and Qualifications (10 Points)

• 1. Every practitioner has a dedicated profile page with full name, title, and qualifications
• 2. Regulatory registration numbers are displayed for every practitioner
• 3. Direct links to regulatory body verification pages are provided
• 4. Educational qualifications list institution names and years
• 5. Professional body memberships are listed with membership status
• 6. Years of professional experience are clearly stated
• 7. Areas of specialisation are defined with specific detail
• 8. Professional headshots show practitioners in appropriate professional settings
• 9. CPD and recent training are documented
• 10. Published work and media appearances are referenced where they exist

Section 2: Regulatory Compliance (8 Points)

• 11. Regulatory body name and registration number are in the footer of every page
• 12. A dedicated Regulatory Information page exists with full compliance details
• 13. Complaints procedure is documented with reference to relevant ombudsman
• 14. Professional indemnity insurance is mentioned
• 15. Privacy policy complies with GDPR and ICO requirements
• 16. Terms of service or terms of engagement are published
• 17. Industry-specific regulatory requirements are met (FCA risk warnings, SRA requirements, etc.)
• 18. Data protection registration (ICO) is referenced

Section 3: Content Quality (12 Points)

• 19. Every content page has an author byline with credentials
• 20. Every content page has a "Last reviewed: [date]" indicator
• 21. Clinical/legal/financial disclaimers are present on all advisory content
• 22. Claims are supported by references to authoritative sources
• 23. Language is evidence-based, avoiding absolute claims and guarantees
• 24. Content is comprehensive, covering topics with sufficient depth for YMYL standards
• 25. Safety information, risks, and limitations are clearly stated where applicable
• 26. Readers are advised to seek professional consultation where appropriate
• 27. Content is current with latest guidelines, legislation, or tax year figures
• 28. No inaccurate or outdated information is present on any page
• 29. Content distinguishes between general information and specific professional advice
• 30. Annual content review process is documented and scheduled

Section 4: Schema Markup (10 Points)

• 31. Industry-specific schema type is used (MedicalBusiness, LegalService, FinancialService, etc.)
• 32. The most specific schema subtype is used (Dentist, AccountingService, etc.)
• 33. Person schema with hasCredential is implemented for every practitioner
• 34. memberOf properties link to professional body organisations
• 35. sameAs properties link to all verified professional profiles
• 36. AggregateRating schema is present with accurate review data
• 37. Service or hasOfferCatalog schema lists available services with descriptions
• 38. Address and areaServed are specified in the schema
• 39. All schema passes Google Rich Results Test with zero errors
• 40. Schema data matches visible page content exactly

Section 5: Local SEO (10 Points)

• 41. Google Business Profile uses the most specific industry category
• 42. All industry-specific GBP attributes are completed
• 43. GBP description includes regulatory status and registration number
• 44. NAP is consistent across GBP, Wix site, and all directory listings
• 45. Industry-specific directory listings are complete and accurate
• 46. Reviews are actively managed with professional responses
• 47. Review request process complies with industry regulations
• 48. Local landing pages include credentials and regulatory information
• 49. LocalBusiness schema with industry subtype is on all location pages
• 50. Google Business Profile posts are published regularly

Section 6: Authority Signals (10 Points)

• 51. Professional directory listings are complete on all relevant platforms
• 52. Regular expert content is published on the Wix site blog
• 53. Guest contributions or media appearances are documented on the site
• 54. Awards, rankings, or accreditations are displayed with supporting evidence
• 55. Backlinks from authoritative industry sources exist
• 56. LinkedIn profile matches Wix site credentials and information
• 57. Professional entity is recognisable in Google Knowledge Graph
• 58. Testimonials and case studies demonstrate professional expertise
• 59. Community involvement or pro bono work is documented
• 60. Digital footprint is consistent across all platforms and profiles

Scoring Your YMYL Compliance

• 54-60 points: Excellent. Your Wix site meets the highest YMYL standards. Focus on maintaining and building authority.
• 42-53 points: Good foundation with gaps. Address missing items to reach full compliance.
• 30-41 points: Significant gaps that are likely suppressing your rankings. Prioritise credentials and content quality.
• 18-29 points: Major YMYL compliance issues. Your site is likely underperforming significantly. Work through this module lesson by lesson.
• Below 18 points: Critical. Google is almost certainly suppressing your site for YMYL queries. Immediate action is required.

Complete How-To Guide: Running the Full YMYL SEO Audit

Follow these steps to complete the full 60-point YMYL audit for your Wix site

• Print or create a digital copy of the 60-point checklist above
• Work through each section systematically, scoring each item: Pass (1 point), Partial (0.5 points), Fail (0 points)
• For each failed item, document the specific issue and the page URL
• Calculate your total score and identify which section has the most failures
• Create a prioritised action plan: Credentials first, then Regulatory Compliance, then Content Quality, then Schema, then Local SEO, then Authority
• Set deadlines for addressing each failure, prioritising items that directly impact patient/client trust
• After completing all fixes, rerun the full audit to verify improvement
• Search your key YMYL keywords and compare your site against the top-ranking results for quality signals
• Monitor GSC for ranking improvements, which typically appear within 4-8 weeks for YMYL quality improvements
• Schedule quarterly re-audits using this checklist
• Share relevant sections of this checklist with practice staff who contribute to website content
• Update your compliance documentation as regulations, guidelines, or Google quality standards change