Step 1: Check Your Design
There are two elements you should check when you look at your website design: mobile responsiveness and aesthetic design.
A website that is designed to be responsive when accessed on a mobile device is a website that will earn you new customers. The average business website will get 40% – 50% of traffic from users on mobile and tablet devices. If the website is not accessible from that device or is clunky to use, it will reflect poorly on your business. 57% of users say they won’t recommend a business with a poorly designed mobile site.
The second aspect of website design is the aspect that you think of when you hear the word “design.” We’re talking color, layout, font, and other design elements. Trends in web design are just that: trends. If the last time your website had an update was 2012, it probably looks outdated to today’s consumer. Just updating the color scheme or removing that last Flash piece is enough to revamp your website in your visitors’ eyes.
Step 2: Check the User Experience
User experience is a huge aspect of web design. It’s so big that you can easily Google the topic and find millions of articles with a thousand pieces of advice. But let’s boil it down to easy things that you can check during a routine website audit. If you can answer “yes” to these five questions, your website is probably at least OK on the user experience front.
1. Can your visitors understand your reason for being and how you’re different from your competitors from your homepage?
2. Can visitors easily contact your business?
3. Can visitors navigate your site with ease, no matter what device they are using?
4. Can your visitors follow a clear call to action?
5. Do your visitors know why they can trust your business?
Step 3: Check Your Search Engine Visibility
If people cannot find your website, they cannot find you. It’s important for search, especially for local search, that your business shows up on the first page of search results, ideally in the first few results. 88% of consumers who conduct a local search from their phone visit or call a store within the day. It’s not uncommon for users to not go beyond the first page of search results when they are looking for something specific. If you’re not showing up there, you need to know. A quick Google search from an incognito browser window will tell you how much work you need to do on your site’s search engine optimization.
Step 4: Check Your Conversion Rates
This also is known as “do your website visitors do what you want them to do.” You launched your website for a specific reason whether it was to get leads, make sales, gain visibility, or some other reason. No matter what the reason is, understanding whether your visitors are taking the action you envisioned is important. If your conversion rate is below what you want it to be, there are five easy ways to improve that rate.
1. Your phone number is clearly visible on your homepage.
2. There is a clear and compelling call to action on your homepage.
3. There is a lead capture form that allows you to follow up with interested parties.
4. You have testimonials and client feedback displayed prominently to entice visitors.
5. You offer a live chat option to answer questions in real-time.
Step 5: Check Your Website’s Speed
No one likes a slow website, especially if they are accessing your site on mobile. Delivering a fast website experience allows you to build trust with your visitors, keeps them engaged with your content, and helps them understand what you do. Website speed is a ranking factor with the major search engines.
Step 6: Check Your Website’s Security
Just because you are a small to medium-sized local business doesn’t mean that you are immune to web hackers and malicious cyber attacks. These days, these attacks are less about gathering sensitive information and more about spreading misinformation or promoting competitors. There are a few things you can do to ensure that your website remains secure.
● Keep your website software up to date.
● Backup your website.
● Use strong passwords.
● Use a password manager and avoid sending passwords over email.
Final Thoughts
Your website is the first impression that many of your potential customers will make of your business and you want it to be a great one. Sign up for your FREE Website Health Check to see how your web presence is doing!