Ads, SEO, referrals, and social media can bring visitors to your website. What happens next depends on whether people can find the information and next step they need. Imagine a homeowner looking for a plumber after a pipe bursts: a slow page or hard-to-find contact option could interrupt that task. The 17 issues below give you a practical way to check your own site, grouped by the part of the customer journey they affect.
Why These Checks Matter
Your website may be someone’s first introduction to your business. A clear opening, usable navigation, and responsive pages help them explore what you offer. Use Core Web Vitals and task-based checks to understand the experience on your own site and decide where visitors need a smoother path.
Speed, Security, and Technical Trust
Check the site beyond your usual office connection so you can spot loading, security, or mobile issues that may not appear during everyday use.
1. Slow page load speed
A slow page can leave a visitor waiting for the information they need. Images, scripts, rendering work, and server response can all contribute. Start with performance measurements, then address the causes those measurements reveal rather than assuming a hosting change or image compression will solve everything.
2. No SSL certificate
HTTPS encrypts data exchanged between a visitor’s browser and your site, helping protect the privacy and integrity of that connection. web.dev explains why HTTPS matters. If your site still uses HTTP, ask your hosting provider about a valid certificate and a complete HTTPS setup, including redirects and secure resources.
3. A site that isn't mobile-friendly
A site that looks good on a laptop can still be difficult to use on a phone. Check whether text is readable, controls are easy to tap, and forms work comfortably on a touchscreen. These checks help you find friction in the mobile experience without assuming your audience’s device mix.
4. Broken links and neglected content
Broken links can interrupt a task, and outdated prices can leave visitors unsure which information to trust. Keep essential details accurate and remove or repair links that no longer lead somewhere useful. An older article can still be valuable when its information remains relevant.
Navigation and User Experience
Once the page loads, visitors need a clear way to find the information or action they came for.
5. Confusing navigation
Clear navigation helps people find a service or contact option. Nielsen Norman Group’s 2016 usability study found lower content discoverability with hidden navigation on the sites it tested. We recommend descriptive labels and visible access to important pages where space allows. Judge the path by whether people can complete the task, rather than treating three clicks as a universal limit.
6. Pages cluttered with too much text
Headings, short paragraphs, and useful spacing make a page easier to scan. Give readers a clear way to find the detail they need, then keep that detail available for people who want to explore further.
7. Poor accessibility
Missing image descriptions, low contrast, and controls that cannot be reached by keyboard can create barriers for visitors with disabilities. Use the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as a technical reference and test real tasks with assistive technology where appropriate.
8. Complicated or overly long forms
Each form field asks for time and information. We recommend asking for what you need to handle the request well, explaining unfamiliar fields, and collecting further detail later when that suits the service. Test completion and lead quality together.
Messaging and Trust Signals
Use your messaging to explain the offer and give visitors relevant evidence to evaluate it.
9. A vague value proposition
A clear headline helps visitors understand what you do and who you help. Choose specific wording that answers their immediate question, then use the supporting copy to explain what makes your offer relevant.
10. Talking about the business instead of the customer's problem
Company history can support trust, but it should connect to the visitor’s needs. Explain the problem you solve first, then add relevant experience and background where they help someone evaluate the service.
11. No social proof
Genuine reviews, testimonials, and case studies give visitors evidence to consider. Place relevant examples near the questions they answer, using accurate quotes and verified results rather than assuming a particular number or placement will increase conversions.
12. An outdated design
Review an older design for readability, navigation, and relevance to the current business. A dated appearance alone does not establish that the site is ineffective; focus on the parts that make information harder to understand or use.
Calls to Action and Conversion
It's possible to do everything else right and still lose the sale here, because this is the moment a visitor decides whether to act.
13. No clear call to action
Give each page a clear next step. A label such as “Request a Quote” tells people more about the action than “Learn More,” provided that it matches what happens next. Evaluate the label and destination together instead of promising that one wording always performs better.
14. Hard-to-find contact information
Make contact details easy to find in useful places such as the footer and Contact page. Keep the page’s main action clear, whether that is a form, booking flow, or purchase, and offer contact information as a helpful supporting path.
Visibility and Local Search
None of the above matters if potential customers can't find the website in the first place.
15. Ignoring basic SEO
Google’s SEO Starter Guide recommends descriptive titles, helpful content, and links that make pages discoverable. Write unique descriptions that accurately summarize each page, and use headings and language that help readers understand the subject.
16. A neglected Google Business Profile
An eligible Google Business Profile should accurately describe the business. Check hours, categories, contact details, and photos against Google’s local visibility guidance so customers can make an informed choice.
17. No analytics or tracking
Analytics can show where visitors arrive and which actions they take when tracking is configured correctly. Combine those patterns with form testing and customer feedback to investigate problems; a report alone will not explain every visitor’s decision.
How to Audit a Website This Week
You can start with a focused review: open the site on a phone using mobile data; ask someone unfamiliar with the business to find a service and the contact option; check whether the headline explains the offer; review Business Profile details; and test the contact form. Use what you observe to choose a few useful fixes before considering a full redesign.
Sources and methodology
Technical recommendations draw on Google Search Central, web.dev, and WCAG. The navigation study is a 2016 usability study, not a current universal conversion benchmark. The checklist and prioritization advice are Web Designer Factory practitioner guidance.
Final Thoughts
Use these 17 checks to identify where customers need a clearer or easier path. Start with the issues you can observe, review the results, and build from there. Web Designer Factory can help you decide what is worth fixing first.
