When we take on a new web design client, or start working with a business owner who wants to take their online marketing to the next level, the first step is almost always to perform a website audit. If you’ve never had one run for your company, it’s essentially a deep dive into the HTML of your web presence with a specific focus on page performance and technical factors.
A thorough website audit can tell us a lot of things a simple look at your pages and content wouldn’t. To help you understand why the insights gained can be so valuable, let’s take a look at some of the things we might uncover while auditing an average business website…
Slow-Loading Web Pages or Apps
There are several different reasons a website (or a specific page) might load slowly. It might be incorrectly formatted, have images that are too large, or use apps that are outdated.
Whatever the reason, numerous surveys have shown that you only have around two or three seconds to impress someone who is visiting your website for the first time. So, if your content doesn’t display promptly, there is a good chance they’ll take their time and money elsewhere.
Missing Content and Broken Links
An older website is like an older house – there might be numerous additions, renovations, and even wholesale redesigns placed on top of one another.
A lot of that work can be necessary to keep up with the latest best practices or changes in the company. However, the revisions can leave “holes” in a website where pieces of content or entire pages are missing. Those problems can be frustrating to potential customers, and can cause a website to disappear from Google’s search listings.
Issues with Mobile Browser Compatibility
Marketers and web designers tend to divide websites into the categories of “mobile friendly” and “not mobile friendly.” However, the distinctions aren’t always so clear.
Sometimes, individual pages or elements can have problems that prevent them from working correctly with mobile browsers. Or, they can work with some browser editions but not others. As with the other technical problems we mentioned, these can cause user experience problems and affect search engine visibility at the same time.
Potential Data Security Issues
When different pieces of a website are outdated or not working properly, they can be exploited by hackers and thieves.
This is particularly true of apps and plug-ins, which can also cause conflicts, crashes, and performance issues. By auditing a website annually, you can take a simple step towards keeping your content and data secure from criminals.
Could You Benefit From a Business Website Audit?
There are two things these issues have in common. The first is that they are incredibly common. The second is that you are unlikely to spot the underlying issues with a naked eye.
If you’ve never had a website audit performed for your company, now is a good time to contact our team of technical experts and let us get to work for you. Not only will you end up with a leaner, more responsive web presence, but you could get the opportunity to uncover and repair problems that prevent you from attracting customers through Google and the other search engines.
Website audits are quick, inexpensive, and easy to implement. Why not contact us today and see what we can do to help you grow your business using common sense and cost-effective online strategies?