Before I touch any new client’s site, I run the same 12 point website check. It tells me in about half an hour where enquiries are leaking and what to fix first. Here’s the full list, so you can run it on your own site.
Why I run a website check before anything else
Most owners come to me wanting more traffic. Often the bigger, cheaper win is making the traffic they already have enquire. This website check finds both kinds of problems: the ones stopping people finding you, and the ones stopping them calling.
The first 6: will visitors enquire?
1. Does the headline say what and where? A stranger should know what you do and where you do it without scrolling.
2. Is there tap to call on mobile? A phone button in the header that starts a call in one tap.
3. Is the form short? Name, phone or email and a message. Anything more needs a reason.
4. Is there proof above the fold? A real photo, a real review or an accreditation near the top.
5. Are the photos real? Stock photos make you look like everyone else.
6. Does every page have one clear next step? One button, one action, on every page.
The next 6: will Google send them?
7. Mobile PageSpeed score. Below 50 needs fixing first. One hire company I work with went from 56 to 74.
8. Page titles and meta descriptions. Unique, under 60 and 160 characters, with the service and town.
9. Location pages. A genuinely useful page for each town you want work from.
10. Google Business Profile match. Same name, address, phone, services and towns as the website.
11. Internal links. Services, towns, case studies and blog posts linked to each other so Google can see how the site fits together.
12. Tracking. Google Analytics and Search Console set up, with forms, phone clicks and email clicks tracked as key events.
How to score your website check
Give yourself a point for every yes. Most sites I check score between 6 and 8. Anything under 8 usually means quick wins are being missed.
Start with the lowest numbered point you failed. The first six usually take a day or two to fix and work immediately.
Common website check mistakes I see
Testing on desktop only. Most of your visitors are on a phone. Run every point of the website check on your phone first, then your laptop.
Checking the homepage and nothing else. Many visitors land on a service page, a town page or a blog post from Google. Run the first six points on your three most visited pages, not just the homepage. Search Console shows you which pages those are.
Ignoring forms after launch. Forms break more often than people think: a plugin update, a changed email address, a spam filter. Send yourself a test enquiry every month and make sure it arrives.
Tracking clicks but not calls. If your phone number isn’t tracked as a key event, your reports will undercount the enquiries your site brings in, sometimes badly. That makes good pages look weak and leads to the wrong decisions.
Fixing everything at once. The website check gives you a list. Work through it in order, one or two fixes a week, and watch the enquiries in your next monthly report. That way you know what worked.
What happens after the check
For my clients, the check turns into a simple plan: quick fixes this week, then location pages, Google Business improvements and content over the following months. Every month a report shows what moved: rankings, clicks and, most importantly, enquiries.
Want me to run it on your site?
I’ll run this full website check on your site for free and send you your score with the fixes in order. Comment or message AUDIT, or use the button below.
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FAQ
How long does a website check take?
About half an hour for me. Doing it yourself with this list takes about the same.
Do I need special tools?
No. A phone, Google’s PageSpeed Insights and access to your Google Business Profile cover most of it. Search Console and Analytics cover the rest.
What’s the most common failure?
Point 1. Most homepages don’t say what the business does and where in the first line.
