In the dynamic and often complex B2B industry, your company's website is not just a digital address but a vibrant meeting point, persuasive salesperson, and most compelling marketing asset. But just having a website isn't enough. It must perform, captivate, and convert, to truly serve your business. How can you ensure that your website is doing all this and more? The answer is simple: website auditing.
Why is Website Auditing Important?
A website audit is akin to a comprehensive health check for your online presence. It meticulously scrutinises every aspect of your website, identifies potential issues that may hamper its performance, pinpoints areas that could benefit from a touch-up or an overhaul, and, subsequently, helps draw up a strategic roadmap for enhancements.
But why should a Marketing or Sales Director concern themselves with website audits? Because your website's performance can have a direct and significant impact on your business outcomes. An optimised website garners higher customer engagement, increased conversion rates, improved search visibility, and superior user experience, ultimately leading to greater profits and brand reputation.
What Does a Website Audit Cover?
Website auditing may seem like a generic term, but its scope is wide and its impact profound. Here are the key areas a robust website audit will cover:
- Technical SEO: This involves examining your website's structure and backend setup to ensure maximum visibility and accessibility for search engines. Factors such as indexability, meta tags, URL structure, and link integrity fall into this bucket.
- Content: The audit evaluates the quality, relevance, uniqueness, and SEO-friendliness of your website content. It checks whether the content matches user intent, follows best practices for formatting, and uses keywords effectively.
- Design and UX: A good audit also appraises the website's design from a usability and aesthetic standpoint. This includes assessing navigability, consistency in design elements, mobile responsiveness, and overall user experience. Read here about the 10 Brilliant B2B Website Design Examples that will inspire you.
- Performance and Speed: Slow websites are a big no-no in our fast-paced digital world. The audit thus tests your website's load times, mobile and desktop speed, and suggests improvements for any identified lag.
For more guidance on how to design a better website, read more about the 7 Tips for Designing a Website that Actually Drives Leads and Conversions.
How to Conduct a Website Audit: A Comprehensive Step-by-Step Guide
Embarking on a website audit might seem daunting, especially if you're new to the territory. But worry not. We're here to guide you through the process, step-by-step:
1. Preparation
Before you begin, define what you want to achieve with the audit. Set clear goals that align with your business objectives and identify key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure success.
2. Technical SEO Audit
Use SEO tools like Google Search Console or AHREFs to crawl your site and identify potential SEO issues, such as broken links, crawl errors, or duplicate content.
3. Content Audit
Review each piece of content on your site for quality, relevance, and optimisation. Check if the content aligns with your brand voice, matches user intent, and utilises keywords strategically. Consider updating or repurposing outdated content.
4. Design and UX Audit
Engage in user testing to understand how visitors interact with your site. Identify potential navigation problems, assess mobile friendliness, and look for design inconsistencies that may be causing user frustration.
5. Performance and Speed Audit
Use speed testing tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to identify slow-loading pages and pinpoint potential causes, such as unoptimised images or render-blocking JavaScript.
6. Reporting and Developing an Action Plan
Once you've completed the audit, compile your findings into a comprehensive report. Prioritise the identified issues based on their potential impact on your business and user experience. Then, create a detailed action plan, complete with deadlines and responsibilities, to guide you through implementing the recommended improvements.
Common Mistakes to Avoid During a Website Audit
While auditing your website, it's crucial to be mindful of some common pitfalls. These include:
- Overlooking mobile performance: In an increasingly mobile-first world, don't forget to test your site's performance and UX on mobile devices.
- Ignoring user behaviour data: Use analytics tools like Google Analytics to understand how users interact with your site and to make data-driven decisions.
- Failing to prioritise fixes based on potential impact: Allocate your resources strategically by focusing on the most significant issues first.
The Advantages of Consulting a Professional Agency
While you can attempt a DIY website audit, engaging a professional agency offers several advantages. A professional agency:
- Provides a more comprehensive and data-driven audit
- Brings industry expertise and experience to the table
- Offers actionable insights to help you achieve tangible results
- Saves you time and resources by handling the entire process
Ultimately, partnering with a professional agency can help you unlock the full potential of your website and drive higher ROI.
Why HubSpot Can Enhance Your Website Performance
To optimise your website performance, it is also important to choose the right website design software. HubSpot is a comprehensive platform with a suite of powerful tools designed for website management, marketing, sales, and customer service. Its intuitive design capabilities and insightful analytics can complement your website audit efforts, enabling you to better understand your website's performance and track improvements over time.
Moreover, HubSpot offers seamless integration with other popular tools, allowing you to further optimise your website and automate routine tasks, all within a single platform. HubSpot also offers technical support through registered agencies – find out more information about onboarding HubSpot!
Wrapping Up
A website audit is not merely a health check. It's a key that unlocks the door to your website's full potential. By systematically identifying issues and implementing targeted enhancements, you can ensure that your website becomes a powerful asset in driving sustainable business growth.
Whether you need a thorough website audit, a comprehensive digital marketing strategy, or assistance in optimising your website using cutting-edge tools like HubSpot, Oxygen is here to help you. Feel free to contact us today!
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