Easy Website Audit Checklist 2024 (Free PDF and 20 Steps)

Learn how to perform a website audit with this comprehensive guide featuring 20 easy-to-follow steps. This blog post includes a free PDF for beginners to help them get started with auditing their website.

Here is what you`ll learn about doing a website audit / website revision:

• Why doing a Revision of Your Website is Important?
• What is a Website Audit?
• How to Design a Website Audit with Helpful Websites. The 20 Step Easy Website Audit Checklist:

PART 1: SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Relevant Website Audit Topics

PART 2: Accessibility and Usability Relevant Website Audit Topics 

PART 3: Other Topics to be Mindful of for a Website Audit in 2023

Why Run a Website Audit/ Website Revision?

Because it will help you understand your online customers and find out what you can improve so that your website performs better, is more findable (e.g., SEO), is accessible, and looks professional (e.g., branding).

What is a Website Audit?

A *website audit evaluates a website's performance based on criteria such as SEO (Search Engine Optimization), design, usability, accessibility, content, conversion rate, etc. It is an essential step in the process of improving your website.

How to Design a Website Audit?

If you are a small business owner, start-up, solopreneur, or someone new to digital marketing and are looking for free resources with a simplified, step-by-step overview to run your website audit, this document can help. 

• Objectives: In general, start with identifying the goals and objectives of the site audit. This will help determine what needs to be measured and analyzed during the audit.
• Identification: The next step is to identify what data insights you want to collect from the website, which can be done by using tools such as Google Analytics or other tools you can use mentioned in this document.
• Analysis: The third step is to analyze this data and identify any problems, such as low traffic, low CTR (Click Through Rate), or high bounce rates. 
• Action plan: The final step is to create an improvement action plan for fixing these problems, including content, design, or marketing strategy changes.

*blog.hubspot.com/marketing/website-audit

PART 1: SEO (SEARCH ENGINE OPTIMIZATION) RELEVANT

Step 1: Check your website in general by using online tools.

There are many options, and the Website Grader tool from Hubspot can help. 

Step 2: Analyse your Google Analytics. Identify top data insights and actions you will take.

Step 3: Check the mobile compatibility of your website. Click to Visit the Google Tool to Test Mobile Friendliness of Your Website. 

Step 4: Test the speed of your website. Here are websites that can help:

• www.webpagetest.org
• www.pagespeed.web.dev/report
• www.gtmetrix.com

Step 5: Assess your On–Page SEO. This article can help: On-Page SEO: What It Is and How to Do It (semrush.com)

Step 6: Find Indexing Problems. This website can help: search.google.com/search-console

Step 7: Fix the broken links on your website. (404 pages). These websites can help:

• search.google.com/search-console
• www.semrush.com
• www. ahrefs.com/site-audit

Step 8: Remove low-quality content (e.g., Pages with less than 100 words, old content pages, etc.)

Step 9: Check keyword rankings. Find content gaps and opportunities in your business area. These websites can help:

•  www.ahrefs.com
• www.semrush.com/features/keyword-research-toolkit/
• www.answerthepublic.com
• www.trends.google.com 

Infographic of Website Audit Checklist:

PART 2: ACCESSIBILITY & USABILITY RELEVANT

Step 10: Check if your website is accessible. Are your fonts readable? Do your images have alt texts? Does your website work on all browsers? How about the colors of the texts and buttons? These websites can help:

• www.webaim.com
• www.siteimprove.com
• www.webaccessibility.com

Step 11: Check if your logo is visible. Is there a tagline on your homepage? When people visit, can they immediately see what you are selling or what your business is about?

Step 12: Check if your navigation is straightforward.

Step 13: Check your branding. Are the styles, branding, logos and colours consistent? 

Step 14: Check if the most important content is above the fold. Can people see your most important content (e.g., what your business is about, what you offer) and Call to Action message (e.g.; Book a call, buy now, explore more etc.)

Step 15: Do you have a Frequently Asked Questions page and a sitemap? (It helps for search engine findability purposes.)

PART 3: OTHERS 

Step 16: Do you have a Privacy Policy online?

Step 17: Is there a Contact section online? 

Step 18: Do you have Terms and Conditions online?

Step 19: If relevant, do you have testimonials and product reviews online?

Step 20: Did you include links to your social media profiles?

✅Do you want to download this checklist as PDF? Click here to download the Free Website Audit Checklist PDF.

✅Would you like an even more simplified overview with suggestions on what to improve/change? Explore the "Pick My Brain (Website Audit)" Consulting Offer.