If you’re reading this, you’re probably a business owner or in marketing in some capacity. So, I have a question for you. Do you want to make money faster? Would you like to know where your website reaches and plucks cash out of your wallet? A Website Audit is the answer.
A website audit—a real one, not a free review that gives you a score in two minutes—finds the holes in your sales process and shows you how to plug them. I’m talking about a comprehensive analysis of your website's performance, structure, and content. This is the most powerful tool to uncover hidden opportunities, address business-crippling issues, and measure you against your competitors.
Here are several compelling reasons to get a website audit:
Delighted or Irritated—how do your visitors feel?
The user experience is at the core of any successful website. Have you ever seen an ad for something you want, but when you click it, you get shuttled to a non-relevant page? By analyzing the website's usability and navigation, you can ensure visitors can easily find what they are looking for. Nothing makes me madder than clicking on an ad for the perfect shoes and not going directly to them on the site.
A user-friendly website makes it easy to navigate, access info, and complete whatever task I came to do—i.e., give you money. A good experience leads to higher engagement, longer visit durations, and increased conversions. Does your site direct visitors to the next logical step of the conversion funnel? Does it answer their immediate questions?
Fine-tuned or Sputtering? The Significance of SEO Performance
Search Engine Optimization is like changing the oil in your car. It’s vital maintenance on an expensive investment. You can ignore it for a while, but it will bite you in the butt if left unattended.
A website audit assesses SEO performance and identifies issues like duplicate content, missing meta tags, or low-quality backlinks that hurt your search engine rankings. Addressing these issues leads to better visibility on search engine results pages. You’ll attract more organic traffic and gain a competitive edge in your industry. Improved SEO can lead to a steady influx of high-quality leads and potential customers. And, after all, isn’t that why you have a website?
Content Gaps
Fresh and engaging content attracts and retains visitors. Does your site have information about a service or product you no longer offer? It happens! A website audit identifies outdated or irrelevant content that harms your brand reputation and confuses visitors. It also looks at the content your competitors offer you can learn from. This part of the website audit makes sure people perceive your website as relevant and cool and positions your brand as an authority, not as if it was wearing a blue plaid leisure suit.
Is every page on your website a slick tour guide or a lost GPS signal on the road to conversions?
Getting someone to your site is not enough - you want them to convert. This could be a form fill, a download, a purchase, or a request for a meeting. A website audit analyzes your website's conversion paths and identifies roadblocks and friction points in the user journey. Optimizing call-to-action buttons, simplifying the checkout process, and improving lead generation forms will significantly increase conversion rates. Even minor adjustments can translate into a substantial boost in revenue and profitability. A website audit empowers you to fine-tune your website for optimal performance in driving conversions.
Are your users frustrated, or worse, just indifferent?
How would you feel if you learned links to your social media were pointing to the wrong account? Or that most of your mobile traffic bounced because of the load time? A website audit uncovers pesky technical issues like broken links, slow loading times, and mobile responsiveness problems. Addressing these issues can improve user experience and boost your search engine rankings.
Is your security as risky as gas station sushi?
Are you vulnerable to attack? Defend against the dark arts, er, I mean, security risks. A website audit detects vulnerabilities like outdated software, weak passwords, or inadequate security measures. Ensuring the security of your website protects your data and your users' data while preserving your reputation. Perhaps a website audit could have saved Wells Fargo from getting sued for the data breach that exposed the Social Security numbers of thousands of their customers.
Press Your Competitive Advantage like a Boss
Staying ahead of the curve is crucial in today's competitive digital landscape. Regular website audits can give you a competitive advantage by keeping your website on the cutting edge. You can identify emerging trends, adopt new technologies, and adapt to changing customer preferences more effectively. You establish and maintain an industry leadership position by continuously refining your online presence. The results will help you capture a larger market share.
Data-Driven Decision Making for the Win
A website audit helps you make informed decisions about your website strategy. You’ll get actionable insights based on data and analytics—not gut feelings and guessing games. By analyzing the audit results, you can prioritize improvements, allocate resources efficiently, and measure the impact of changes over time. This data-driven approach empowers you to refine your online presence continually and adapt to evolving market conditions.
Your website is the virtual face of your business. It's often the first point of contact between you and your potential customers. Suppose your website is clunky, slow, full of broken links, and fails to convert visitors—it just became your biggest business liability.
Ok- Now for the Good Stuff
I would be remiss if I didn’t give you this link to our Website Audit. We measure your website against the Six Pillars of Digital Marketing Success by conducting 28 separate tests. Your report will rate each section and provide feedback on the next steps to improve or correct the uncovered issues. It will be the best investment you can make for the future success of your business.