Why a Website Audit is a Brilliant Business Investment

Mar 6

A website is a big, exciting investment in your business.

One of the things that makes it so exciting is that, when it’s launched, it makes you look good - VERY good - online. A well-built website represents your business well while making your life easier.

If only websites magically changed over time to continually represent us well!

While larger businesses often have a website pro on their team to keep their website up to date, most small business owners are on their own once their website is launched.

And, while it’s possible that you feel confident diving into your website and making occasional changes, this is pretty uncommon.

Over time, this means that your website represents your business less - and less, and less - effectively. At some point, you probably feel a little embarrassed by how your website is failing to show the quality of your work.

The good news? There’s a solution that is simple and effective.

Part 1: Do I need a website audit?

Do you remember the day your website first launched?

The feeling of relief, the pride in being so well-represented online?

Your website was fresh, up-to-date, and user-friendly. It was an accurate and engaging representation of your business; your new website engaged your audience and supported you beautifully.

Here’s the thing that’s easy to forget about a website:

It’s not meant to be a static, finished thing.

A website is dynamic. It is meant to fluctuate, change, and grow along with your goals and your business.

If your website is exactly the same a year after it was launched, it is likely no longer supporting your business well.

The beauty - and challenge - of even the best website is that it NEEDS to change to continue to represent your business.

Over time, it’s likely that you’ll feel less confident about your website. You’ll gradually begin to feel dissatisfied and uneasy, sensing that your website is starting to lag behind your business without knowing exactly what is wrong.

And that’s often the biggest challenge: not knowing what needs to change.

Because your website feels personal, it’s super difficult to be objective about it - even if you have a good eye for design, a working knowledge of SEO, and a good understanding of your audience’s needs.

It can feel like you have only two options:

Hang on and hope to find time to improve your website one day, or
Take the plunge and have a new website built.

But there’s a third option:

You can ask a web designer to show you exactly what needs to be changed on your website.

This can often extend the life of your current website, making sure that your existing site fully supports your business into the future.

This service is called a website audit.

Part 2: What, exactly, is a website audit?

As small business owners, the word “audit” doesn’t bring to mind ice cream and sparkles. But we also understand the value of taking an honest, clear-headed look at parts of our business that aren’t working.

Knowledge is power.

And, when it comes to your website, an audit can be a VERY powerful tool.

Let’s start with the short definition of a website audit:

A website audit is a clear snapshot of how your website can be changed to serve you more effectively.

The longer definition:

A website audit is a comprehensive review of your website, by a website professional, of the areas of your website that show room for improvement. The audit results are shared with you in a live session, you have a chance to ask questions, and you receive a hard copy of the results.

Part 3: What happens during my website audit?

The first step in a website audit is to choose a website professional to audit your site. Once you’ve found someone you trust, you’ll be able to book and pay for your website audit.

Once the audit is booked, the website pro (usually a web designer, SEO specialist, or similar) will sit down with your website and comb through it carefully. They will assess your website in key areas like design, user experience, clarity, and SEO.

The website pro will take clear notes on ways to improve your website, compiling them in a spreadsheet (or similar) for easy reference.

Once your audit is complete, you and the website pro will meet to discuss your results (for us, this takes place on Zoom). You’ll have a chance to see your website from another perspective and ask questions about your results.

Part 4: What should I do with my audit results?

Here’s how to get the maximum benefit from your website audit:

The most important thing is to put your results to use immediately. As we all have experienced, it’s easy to put tasks like this off until it’s convenient - which means your results might sit in the drawer until they’re no longer relevant.

Here’s my recommendation:

As you’re booking your website audit, mark a time in your calendar for the day after your audit to sit down and decide what to do with your results.

During that post-audit session, mark a date in your calendar by which you will have implemented your changes. Decide how to proceed and schedule the work you need to have done on your website.

The relief will be huge! And your business will benefit tremendously from a website that supports you well.

Part 5: What if my website is too outdated to fix?

While maintaining and updating your website will extend the life of it, eventually your website will need to be rebuilt. Platforms change, technology evolves, and every few years your business is likely to need a new website. It’s a normal investment that will help keep your business healthy and growing.

If you suspect that your website has reached the point of needing to be rebuilt, talk with your website auditor about it. They can give you an honest assessment (a good reason to find someone you trust!), and let you know whether they would recommend updating your website or rebuilding it.

If your website auditor is a web designer or developer, they may credit the cost of your audit toward a new website - so your investment is a solid one, regardless of whether you update or rebuild.

Part 6: Can you audit my website for me?

I thought you’d never ask.

We DO offer website audits. Our process is simple, and at the end, you’ll have a clear set of website recommendations to take with you.

You can implement these changes yourself, hand them to your web designer or maintenance pro, or - if your website is on Squarespace - hire us to make them for you.

And, if you decide that it’s time to rebuild your website, we can see if we’re the right fit to do that for you. If so, we’ll credit the cost of your website audit toward the cost of your new website - so your website audit is a fail-safe investment in your business.