If you have a website, it should be part of your marketing strategy. Full stop!

But what we see all too often is that businesses leave their websites as an afterthought. Most companies know that they do, in fact, need to have a website, but they’ve never really thought about their website as a critical component of their marketing strategy. This is an enormous missed opportunity!

Today, websites are central to successful marketing strategies, supporting the buyer's journey from beginning to end and serving as a digital billboard that attracts "drivers" on the information highway to your business. Problem is…not every website is effective at supporting these functions or other business goals. 

That is where a website audit comes in. 

Checking in on the Health of Your Website

Think of a website audit as a checkup of the site. It's a thorough examination of each part of your website to assess page and site performance in relation to your business and marketing goals. We like to think of it as a checkup because, just like our health, things change! Maybe your site worked for you when it was first created but as changes occur in your industry, your business itself, or the greater economy, the site might not quite hit the mark anymore.

Now, you may know that it's time to adapt your marketing strategy and your website in order to meet new challenges, opportunities, and business goals but…you’re just not quite sure what needs to be done or even where to start. Don’t worry - we’re about to break it down for you!

The Components of a Website Audit

A website audit will examine:

• Website Performance. This step examines how well the site is currently performing from a technical and strategic perspective. Are the pages loading? Do all of the links work? Is it easy to navigate? How does it perform on a desktop vs. a mobile device? What does the user experience look like? Does it guide users to take the next step?

• Search Engine Optimization (SEO). SEO strategies change all the time. Search engines are constantly tweaking algorithms to make searches more effective and results more accurate. If you have not looked at your website’s SEO in the last 12-18 months, you are well overdue. A website audit will identify SEO gaps and any dated, ineffective, or even harmful practices that are affecting your search engine ranking (i.e., where you show up on google’s search results).  

• Conversion Rates. By taking a fresh look at your site, you can identify aspects that could help improve conversion rates and lead generation. Are there places where you can add some Calls to Action (CTAs)? Do you have a lead magnet to capture customer contact information? What kinds of actions can customers actually take on your website? Can you provide new opportunities for customers to engage with you?

• Competitive Analysis. A website audit is also a chance to compare your website against your competitors' sites. This is a terrific way to brainstorm the possibilities because it shows you what your competitors are doing (well or poorly). You may get ideas for new services, site pages, or keywords that you might want to use on your own site.

• The Big Picture. The most crucial piece of the website audit is to clarify the purpose and intent of the site. What do you want your site to do for you? Setting clear goals for the website will make it easier to compare and contrast performance and identify areas that need to be changed, eliminated, or improved. 

Schedule a Mini Website Audit With HeiPro

A website audit is the first step in aligning your website with your marketing strategy. Discover what's working, what's not, and how you can change it with help from HeiPro! We offer mini website audits to help get you started. You'll walk away with a checklist of actions to take that will help improve your website's effectiveness and role in your marketing strategy