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Checklist·10 min read

Website audit checklist for small business owners

A complete, plain-language checklist for reviewing your own website — no developer knowledge required. Work through each section and you'll know exactly what's working, what isn't, and what to fix first.

This checklist covers the seven areas that have the most impact on whether your website finds customers, earns their trust, and turns visits into enquiries. You don't need to fix everything at once — work through the sections in order, since the earlier sections have the most impact.

1

Speed and performance

  • Check your mobile PageSpeed score at pagespeed.web.dev — it should be 90 or above
  • Your Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) is under 2.5 seconds
  • Your Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) is below 0.1 — the page doesn't jump around as it loads
  • Images are compressed — no single image file should be larger than 300KB
  • Images use modern formats (WebP) rather than large JPEG or PNG files where possible
  • You've removed any third-party scripts (analytics, trackers, widgets) you no longer actively use
  • The site loads in under 3 seconds on a standard mobile connection
2

SEO fundamentals

  • Every important page has a unique, descriptive title tag — not just your business name
  • Title tags are under 60 characters and include the main topic of the page
  • Every important page has a meta description that clearly explains what the page is about in plain language
  • Each page has exactly one H1 heading — clear, descriptive, and relevant to the page topic
  • Your homepage is accessible at one URL only — either with or without "www", not both
  • Your site has been submitted to Google Search Console
  • A sitemap has been submitted so Google knows about all your pages
  • Your robots.txt file is not accidentally blocking search engines
3

Content clarity

  • A first-time visitor can tell within 5 seconds what your business does
  • It's immediately clear who your services or products are for
  • Your homepage explains why a customer should choose you over a competitor
  • There is at least one clear call to action visible without scrolling (above the fold)
  • Your content is written in plain language — no unexplained industry jargon
  • Each service or product page answers the questions a real customer would ask
  • There are no placeholder texts, broken links, or outdated information
4

Trust signals

  • Your site uses HTTPS — the URL starts with https://
  • Your contact page includes a phone number, email address, or physical address
  • There are customer testimonials or reviews visible — with real names, not just initials
  • There is an About page or section that mentions real people behind the business
  • Any qualifications, certifications, or industry memberships are displayed
  • If you have case studies or examples of past work, they are easy to find
  • Your privacy policy and terms are present and accessible
5

Conversion

  • There are at least two or three calls to action across the page — not just one in the footer
  • CTAs are specific and action-oriented: "Get a free quote", not "Submit"
  • Your primary contact method (phone, form, booking link) is easy to find on every page
  • Contact forms are short — ask only for what you actually need
  • If you have a booking system, it works correctly on mobile
  • There is a clear next step for visitors who aren't ready to buy yet (newsletter, free resource, follow on social)
6

Mobile experience

  • The site looks correct and is fully usable on a smartphone screen
  • All text is readable without pinching to zoom
  • Buttons and links are large enough to tap comfortably (at least 44x44 pixels)
  • Nothing overlaps or breaks the layout on small screens
  • Phone numbers are tappable — clicking them should open the dialler
  • Forms work correctly on mobile keyboards
7

Technical basics

  • All images have descriptive alt text — important for accessibility and image search
  • There are no broken images or missing icons
  • Open Graph tags are in place so your pages display correctly when shared on social media
  • Your Google Business Profile is set up, verified, and kept up to date
  • Your business name, address, and phone number are consistent across your website and all online listings
  • There is no duplicate content — different pages shouldn't be saying exactly the same thing

How to use this checklist

Don't try to fix everything at once. Work through the sections in order — speed and SEO issues have the most impact and should be addressed first. For each issue you identify, note it down and group similar fixes together before handing anything to a developer.

Revisit the checklist every three to six months. Websites drift — plugins get added, pages get updated, content goes stale — and regular reviews catch problems before they become serious.

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