Perform a website audit
Many website owners take the Ron Popeil approach with “set it and forget it” and while that may work for roasting chickens, it is a terrible web strategy. If it has been awhile since you reviewed your own website, now is an ideal time to do it. Here are 8 things to look for when you are doing a website audit.
Review your title tags: The title of your website is a critical factor when it comes to the major search engines understanding what your website is all about. A good title should be less than 55 characters and should contain a keyword (or two) that you want your website to be found for in a search. The title tag appears in the tab of your browser and in the search engine results page. Check out the titles on your website pages. If they are all the same and non-descriptive, it is time to update them with more relevant and search friendly titles (see how to update titles in WordPress). If you need help, a professional web design company Bellingham can handle this for you.
Update content. Things can change rapidly in business. What was true about your company and its offerings when you launched your website may not be relevant today. Be on the lookout for:
- Making sure all of your products and services are represented on your site
- Employee profiles are current.
- News stories and press releases are up-to-date
Add video content: Processing over 3 billion searches per month, YouTube is now the 2nd largest search engine. Video content is becoming more and more important for your business. Share your process, products, promotions and people with short video clips that can be uploaded to YouTube and embedded on your site. Check out our tips on how to DIY a great video! Video works even better when paired with a strong digital marketing strategy.
Contact Information. Your contact information (address, phone and email) should be located and easy to find on every page of your site.
Refresh graphics. Do a quick once over on your site. Do your graphics look crisp and clear? Do they load quickly and are sized properly for use on the web? If not, it is time to edit the graphics and re-upload them.
Social media accounts. Can people easily find links to your Facebook, twitter, LinkedIn and other social media accounts? Adding a clickable logo to your page makes this easy for all users to find and use. Need help growing your presence there? Our social media marketing services can help you build an engaged following.
Cross links. Linking from one page of your website to another is an easy way for users to find and access information on your site. If in your opening paragraph on your homepage, you talk about one of your products, be sure to link the product name on the homepage to the product page. Creating these links can also be good for Search Engine Optimization. Add these links from one page to another where it makes sense and seems logical for the user.
Optimized for mobile. This is no longer an option or a nice to have feature. Having a mobile optimized site is an absolute must for businesses. With over 50% of searches being done on mobile devices, if your site isn’t optimized for those users you are very likely losing out on a lot of potential business. Check out what your website looks like on a mobile device. If it is not optimized for a smaller viewport, give us a call to see what it would take to mobile optimize your site. A modern WordPress website Bellingham is naturally mobile-friendly and easier to maintain.
These are just a few critical items that you can review your website for to make sure your site is an asset to your company.
If you’d like us to run a comprehensive website analysis on your site, let us know! An annual website review can be a great way to start your marketing and sales planning for the new year. Request your website evaluation today!
Conclusion
A website audit doesn't have to be overwhelming. Run through these 8 checks once a year. Fix title tags. Update old content. Add video. Check mobile usability. Small improvements add up. They keep your site working as a marketing asset, not a digital liability. Skip the audit and your competitors will outrank you. Simple as that.
Not sure where to start with your website audit? Contact Profusion Web Solutions at (360) 738-8188 or [email protected]. We will run a full analysis and show you exactly what to fix.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a website audit?
A website audit is a full checkup of your site. It looks at SEO, performance, content, mobile usability, and user experience.
How often should I audit my website?
At least once per year. Fast-growing businesses should audit every 6 months. Ecommerce sites benefit from quarterly checks.
How long does a website audit take?
A basic DIY audit takes 2 to 3 hours. A professional technical audit can take 2 to 5 days depending on site size.
What are title tags and why do they matter?
Title tags are clickable headlines in search results. They tell Google and users what your page is about. Bad titles kill your click-through rate.
Does video content really help SEO?
Yes. Google owns YouTube. Video keeps people on your page longer. Longer visits tell Google your content is valuable.
Why is mobile optimization critical now?
Over half of all web traffic comes from phones. Google uses mobile-first indexing. That means Google ranks your mobile site, not your desktop version.
What are cross links and how do they help?
Cross links are internal links between your own pages. They help users navigate. They also spread SEO value throughout your site.
How do I know if my graphics are hurting my site?
Slow loading graphics increase bounce rate. Blurry images look unprofessional. Check your site on desktop and mobile. Replace any image that takes more than 2 seconds to load.
Can I audit my own website or need a pro?
You can do the 8 checks above yourself. But a professional audit finds technical issues you will miss, like broken schema markup or crawl errors.
What is the cost of a professional website audit?
Most agencies charge $500 to $2,500 depending on site size. Many offer free basic audits to win your business.