- Rudy@websitefixerguy.com
Why You Need to Conduct Annual Website Audits
You Need to Audit Your Website Annually
Conduct annual website audits to ensure that everything on your website is working properly.
Regular updates will minimize the auditing tasks. Websites seem to change instantly. don’t continually advance with technology, you must update plugins, the theme, and any other tools your website uses. And regardless of how many sites you oversee, something always seems to fall through the cracks.
Thankfully, websites don’t have to remain static either. But frequently, we discover any flaws only after something goes wrong.
A significant decline in performance, a conflict with the most recent software update, or a broken feature could all be the cause. This makes updating the website challenging. Conducting an annual website audit is one way to prevent this situation.
Although each website is distinct, there are probably some commonalities as well. For instance, the websites you oversee may have been developed using the same content management system (CMS), such as WordPress. Some people might depend on a framework like Bootstrap. Then there are the supporting languages, such as PHP, JavaScript, and CSS.
What is a Website Audit?
A website audit also referred to as a site check-up, aims to evaluate the overall functionality and online searchability of your website. It is ideal and healthy to perform a website audit once your site is operational.
No matter how thoroughly optimized your site is, a few things could still affect how visible it is to search engines.
As a result, traffic and sales are also prevented. Updates are great, but they could also cause problems that need to be fixed right away. Therefore, a website audit is essential to your site’s overall success.
A website audit records each of these elements. From there, you can make a website maintenance checklist that you can use to keep everything in top condition.
Let’s look at some things that may be on your checklist.
Basic Security Precautions
Malicious actors can access any website. Additionally, CMS users are especially vulnerable. So it makes sense to run through the security measures in detail.
Examine the easy fixes first, like using strong passwords and checking the server’s file permissions. These areas can be strengthened to help stop some of the less sophisticated attacks that are currently being used.
Search for any indications of malware infection as well. They can remain dormant for extended periods before becoming active and aren’t always easy to spot. You can stop these problems by monitoring file changes on your server and performing security scans.
Website Accessibility
Yes, you may have built and tested your website. Yet, as a website gets older, it’s easy for gaps to show up.
A basic accessibility test should be part of every audit.
You can find any flaws and correct them with the aid of a manual inspection combined with automated tools.
Is your website accessible 24/7?
When you monitor your website accessibility, you maintain good performance and functionality, which helps in your website to be discovered by users.
If you don’t regularly perform website accessibility monitoring, you might miss some of the issues that need immediate solutions.
Structure and Content
Beyond functionality, audits cover other topics. A great time to explore the content of your website is now.
Content’s relevance, accuracy, and timeliness are essential considerations. Examples include prices, phone numbers, and lists of services. Make any necessary adjustments to ensure visitors have the best experience possible.
Additionally, the organization of that content matters. The objective is to make it easier for users to quickly find what they need, including through search engines.
An annual website audit is not only a great preventative measure, but it can also be profitable. Offering this service to clients can therefore be advantageous for both parties.
Audits can be added as an add-on or are automatically included in yearly maintenance packages. There are numerous opportunities for pricing and implementation experimentation. However, a lot can depend on the customer’s spending capacity and level of interest.
Clients who tend to lose interest may be more likely to respond to an audit’s findings than to request that you conduct one. Because you can charge for any repairs you make, this business can still be profitable.
Additionally, you can repeat the process year after year once you’ve created a checklist. All things considered, it promotes ethical business practices and can improve client relationships. Every freelancer and small agency should give it some thought.
Abandoned and Out-of-Date Software
Your work is simplified by using third-party themes and plugins. However, they also call for alertness. Only the most recent update affects how good these products are.
Software that hasn’t received an update in a while may cause issues. One possibility is that it has unpatched security flaws.
Additionally, there’s a possibility that it won’t work with newly released PHP versions or other installed components. You can avoid future headaches by doing a little research now.
How Do I Conduct a Website Audit?
Check-up for On-Page Optimization
For search engines to find your websites, they must be optimized for SEO. You must ensure that, in any case, you have a better chance of being searched online.
You will evaluate how search engine visibility can be enhanced if you have an SEO strategy for your website.
You might run into various tools as you conduct a straightforward SEO website audit. The interesting thing about these tools is that they can tell you about SEO problems and how to fix them.
For instance, you can quickly find missing optimization information like Meta tags, alt tags, etc.
Evaluate the Speed and Performance of a Website
A website audit should start with an analysis of your website’s page-speed rankings. This is the usual method.
To decide what to make visible in search results, Google has prioritized page speed since 2010. It has become more significant this year as a result of the Google Page Experience Update.
The fastest search results rise to the top of the list because Google wants its users to find the best searches. To rank well on search engines like Google is a common goal for website owners.
This is why conducting a website performance and page speed assessment is essential. Making sure that your website designs are mobile-friendly increases both user and search engine favorability.
Find and Fix Technical Problems
Technical issues are typical, but you need to isolate them to give your users the best experience when they get to your landing page.
The most frequent ones include websites that are still under construction, 404 errors, and SEO-related technical issues. Page redirection is one way to solve technical issues.
Ensure Content Quality
To ensure the successful publication of your website, it is imperative to enhance the content quality. If you are aware of the problems with your content, you have a better chance of fixing them.
Focus more on the subjects, key phrases, and market segments that your target audience uses. Once you’ve figured it out, it will be simple for you to produce content based on their interests and searches.
You could also check out discussion boards dedicated to the same market that your website serves. There, you will find inspiration for writing high-quality content for your website’s visitors.
The bounce rate is another thing you should watch out for. Make content more interactive and engaging to visitors.
Run a UX Test
Be aware of how your website functions and how customers or visitors react to it whether it is in the spotlight or not.
Another crucial way to audit a website is to run a user-experience test. A poor user experience can result in a higher bounce rate, which is something you should be aware of.
What’s worse is losing potential conversion to sales or profit margin if you’re running an eCommerce website.
How Often Do You Need to Conduct a Website Audit?
You have understood the importance of running a website audit. Now, how many times do you need to audit? Twice or three times a year is the most ideal, but you can also conduct mini audits in between, especially if you’re making updates or integrating your website.
Depending on the size or number of pages, some websites need frequent checkups to ensure seamless performance and functionality.
Conclusion
Auditing your website annually have many advantages. They will assist you in identifying any potential issues before they develop into bigger problems. You and your customers will both benefit from a website that runs smoothly.
Website audits also offer a way to attract visitors to your site by keeping your website up-to-date, and current with the designs, content, and/or any advertising avenues you may use.
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