Checklist: 10 steps for a successful website audit

Your website is a bit like a car: it can shine on the outside, but under the hood, there may be small failures that hinder its performance. You wouldn't leave your car without maintenance, would you? Well, it's the same for your site! A regular audit is the key to detecting hidden concerns, whether technical or content problems, and giving it a boost.

Whether you own a showcase site, a blog or an e-commerce, this 10-step checklist will help you analyze your website from A to Z. Promise, you don't have to be a code whiz or an SEO guru to get started. So, ready to give your site a makeover? 🚀

And if that's not enough, book a call with a Studio expert. We will be happy to help you with your web problems.

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Why do a website audit?

Identify flaws to shine better

A website audit is a bit like detecting bugs (or problems). You sift through everything that can slow down your site: poor SEO, stagnant conversions or a user experience that could scare your visitors away faster than an intrusive pop-up. By identifying these flaws, you are paving the way for an optimized site that can attract more traffic, convert more and seduce your users from their first visit.

Did you know that? Even your site may be “tired”

Your website looks great, but underneath the surface, it can show signs of fatigue. The equivalent of a slack for a site is 404 errors, extended load times or abandoned SEO tags. An audit is a bit like a doctor's appointment: you check everything, you identify the injuries and you set up a treatment (without a prescription, I promise). Because a powerful website doesn't wear out as long as you maintain it... Even the oldest ones.

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1. Analyze the SEO performance of your site

Make Buddy-Buddy with Google Analytics and Search Console

For an effective SEO audit, they are your best allies. These tools are a bit like an ophthalmologist's glasses for your website: they allow you to see clearly where it gets stuck (or not).

• Google Analytics Shows you who visits your website, where they're coming from, and what they're doing. Which pages get the most traffic? The pages where your visitors run away? It's all there!
• Search Console, on the other hand, is your passport to understand how Google sees your site. You can check if your pages are well indexed, identify the keywords that generate clicks or detect technical errors that could penalize your SEO.

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Clearly, these tools give you a complete vision to assess your strengths and weaknesses. And good news: they are free! So why deprive yourself of it?

Identify the keywords that click (or don't click)

In a sense, it is the GPS of your users on the Internet. If they can't find your website thanks to them, you're probably lost somewhere in the digital desert.

With Search Console, start by analyzing the queries that generate traffic on your website. What keywords are bringing you visitors? Are there missed opportunities where you could better position yourself?

Then, dive into Analytics to find out which pages are performing and which are left in the shadows. Compare your click through rate (CTR) with your impressions: a high impression and a low CTR is a signal that a little push (for example, a more catchy meta description) could make a difference.

Bonus: use tools like SEMrush or Ahrefs to spy on your competitors and discover the keywords on which they are positioning themselves. Because we're not going to lie to ourselves, knowing what others are doing always helps! 😉

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2. Control the structure and tags of your pages

H1, H2, and company: do your titles do the job?

Your titles structure your page for your visitors and your search engine. Make sure you have:

• A single H1 per page, with the main keyword.
• Well-organized H2 and H3 to organize ideas.

A clear structure boosts your SEO and makes it easier to read. No mess, only precision!

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Metadata: small, but strong!

• Title : 60 characters max, keyword at the beginning, catchy.
• Meta description : 150-160 characters to make you want to click.

These small details influence your visibility and your click-through rate. Consider refining them with tools like Yoast SEO or Search Console. Simple, effective! 😊

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3. Test the loading speed

Faster than a Ferrari, your site?

A slow site is like an endless queue: it scares visitors away. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to assess the speed of your site. They will provide you with a score and recommendations for correcting slowdowns. Objective: a load in less than 3 seconds, top time!

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Tips to reduce “wait time”

• Optimize your images : compress them without losing quality (tools like TinyPNG).
• Clean up the code : eliminate unnecessary lines and minimize CSS/JS.
• Enable caching so that your pages load faster on subsequent visits.

With a few adjustments, your website will be as fast as a car, ready to seduce visitors and search engines. 🚀

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4. Check mobile accessibility

Is your site as cool on mobile as it is on desktop?

Today, more than half of all traffic is on mobile. If your site is not responsive, you risk losing visitors (and SEO points). Test your site with tools like Lighthouse or simply from your smartphone. Make sure everything is displayed perfectly, from the menu to the images.

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Mistakes not to make on mobile

Avoid these mistakes to provide a smooth experience:

• Buttons that are too small : make life easier for those with big fingers!
• Illegible text : use a suitable size to avoid straining your eyes.
• Invasive pop-ups : your browser penalizes them and your users hate them.

A mobile-friendly site is the guarantee of a won over audience and boosted referencing. 📱✨

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5. Evaluate the quality of the content

Is your content relevant and engaging?

Quality content attracts and retains your visitors. Analyze your pages to check that they:

• Respond to needs of your audience (clarity, useful information).
• Are up to date with current and relevant data
• Engage your readers with an appropriate tone and calls to action.

Well-designed content also means better SEO and higher conversions.

Beware of the “zombie pages” syndrome

One Zombie page, it is a page forgotten by your visitors and search engines. Little or no traffic, zero engagement, and even worse, it hampers your SEO performance.

• Identify them with tools like Google Analytics.
• Remove or improve them with fresh and useful content.

Cleaning up your pages is a bit like a detox for your site: it is doing better and so are your visitors! 🧹✨

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6. Analyze your backlinks

Are the friends on your site reliable?

It's like your relationships: it's better to focus on quality over quantity. Verify that your inbound links:

• Come from sites reliable and relevant in your field.
• Do not contain toxic links that could penalize your SEO.

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Tools like Ahrefs, Moz or Semrush help you sift through and identify opportunities for improvement

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How to find new allies (backlinks)

To get quality backlinks:

• Create compelling content : guides, studies, or blog posts that others will want to share.
• Collaborate with partners : suggest exchanges of articles or mentions on their sites.
• Look for unrelated mentions : Use tools to find out who is talking about you and ask for a link.

With good backlinks, your site gains authority and climbs in search results. 💪📈

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7. Do a technical audit

Bugs, these nasty invisible enemies

Technical issues, while invisible to the naked eye, can sabotage your site. Here's what to check:

• 404 errors : pages that cannot be found frustrate your visitors and hurt your SEO.
• Broken redirects : Make sure your links lead where they need to go.
• Crawl issues : analyze your site with tools like Screaming Frog or Search Console to detect pages that Google is having trouble crawling.

Correcting these bugs guarantees a smooth experience and optimized referencing.

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Robots.txt and XML sitemap: your best spies

These two files are your allies in guiding search engines:

• Robots.txt : it tells robots which pages to explore (or ignore). Make sure it's not blocking important pages.
• XML sitemap : it lists all the pages on your site to facilitate indexing. Make sure it's up to date and sent in Google Search Console.

Well configured, these files allow your site to shine under the radar of search engines. 🚀

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8. Check the security of the site

A secure site is a healthy site

The security of your site is like a guardrail: essential to protect your visitors and your SEO. Here's what to check:

• SSL certificate : make sure that your site displays the famous padlock and works in HTTPS. Otherwise, Google could penalize you and your visitors lose trust.
• Potential flaws : use tools like Qualys SSL Labs to detect vulnerabilities.

A secure site inspires trust and enhances your online credibility.

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Beware of hackers in ambush

To avoid unpleasant surprises, adopt these best practices:

• Update your plugins and CMS : outdated versions are open doors to attacks.
• Strengthen your passwords : a strong password is your first line of defense.
• Save regularly : in case of problems, you can quickly restore your site.

By securing your site, you protect your data, that of your visitors and your online reputation. 🔒✨

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9. Analyze the user experience (UX)

Do your visitors easily find what they are looking for?

Smooth navigation is essential to keep visitors on your site. Analyze:

• The clarity of the menu : are your key pages easy to find?
• The friction points : identify items that are frustrating users (forms that are too long, hidden buttons, etc.).
• The user journey : do the steps lead to conversion effectively?

Tools like Hotjar or Google Analytics can help you identify areas for improvement.

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The importance of simplicity: less is often better

Clean design is the art of doing more with less:

• Fewer distractions : airy pages, without information overload, help your visitors stay focused.
• Clear action : a clearly visible call to action button is better than a jumble of links.

The golden rule? If something doesn't add value, it's time to say goodbye to it. A simple and effective UX is a site that converts better and leaves a memorable impression. 😊

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10. Create a comprehensive audit report

Show your results like a pro

A good audit report is like a treasure map: clear, accurate, and easy to follow. Include:

• A summary of the points analyzed : SEO performance, structure, content, UX, etc.
• Key data : figures, graphs and results of the tools used.
• The problems identified : explain them simply, with concrete examples.

Structure your report so that it can be understood even by a non-technical person. A well-presented document inspires confidence and facilitates decision-making.

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Prioritize actions: it's time to act!

An audit is good, but acting behind it is better. Prioritize the actions to be taken:

1. Emergencies : fix critical errors (security, speed, bugs).
2. The rapid improvements : refine your tags, content, or backlinks.
3. Long-term goals : work on the global SEO strategy and UX optimization.

With a clear action plan, you can transform weak points into strengths and give your site a real boost. 🚀

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Conclusion: And that's it, your site ready to shine!

Congratulations, you've gone through all the steps of this checklist for a comprehensive website audit. From SEO analysis to technical adjustments, security and user experience, you now have all the keys to transform your site into a powerful and attractive machine.

But remember: an audit is not a one-shot. Like a good sports routine, it should be done regularly to keep your site in shape and ready to conquer the peaks of the web.

If you prefer to delegate this mission (and save yourself some headaches), the Studio Elias team is there to support you with expertise and good humor. Do you want a tailor-made audit? Contact us and let's make your site shine together! ✨

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