The Website Audit: What Every Business Owner Should Review Annually

Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. But how often do you check to ensure it’s working as it should? We’ve worked with many business owners to support the admin tasks involved in running their websites. And we know the importance of keeping everything fresh and functional.

An annual website review is your chance to ensure your site is up-to-date, user-friendly, and aligned with your business goals. Here’s how you can approach this vital task.

What is a Website Audit?

A website audit is a thorough review to check if your site is performing as expected. It involves looking at key areas like:

• Whether your content is accurate and relevant.

• If links and integrations (like contact forms) are working.

• How well your website performs in search engine rankings (SEO).

Think of it as an annual MOT for your website—a way to spot and fix issues that could impact your customers' experience.

How Often Should You Audit Your Website?

While small updates should happen regularly, a full website review should ideally be done once a year. This ensures your site continues to reflect your business accurately and keeps up with changes in technology or customer expectations.

You may want to audit your website more often if:

• You’ve introduced new products or services.

• You’ve noticed a drop in website traffic or performance.

• There are significant changes in search engine algorithms (e.g., updates from Google).

Annual Website Health Check: A Simple Checklist

Here’s a step-by-step checklist to guide your website review:

1. Check for Broken Links

Broken links frustrate visitors and can hurt your SEO. Use free tools like Google Search Console or a Broken Link Checker to identify and fix any inactive links.

2. Review Content for Updates

Take a look at your site’s content to ensure it reflects your business accurately:

• Update team bios to match your current staff.

• Refresh descriptions of services or products to ensure they’re accurate.

• Remove any outdated promotions or announcements.

3. Test Website Features

Check that all forms, payment processors, and other interactive features are working properly. Missing or broken integrations could result in lost leads or frustrated customers.

4. Assess Mobile and Device Compatibility

Test your website on different devices (smartphones, tablets, laptops) to ensure it looks good and functions well on all screen sizes.

5. Check Website Speed

A slow-loading website can drive visitors away. Use tools like PageSpeed Insights to see how your site performs and get tips for improvement.

6. Review SEO Basics

Audit your site for SEO to ensure it’s still competitive:

• Check meta titles and descriptions to ensure they reflect your business.

• Confirm that your target keywords are still relevant.

• Ensure all images have alt text to improve accessibility and SEO.

7. Look at Accessibility

Make sure your site is easy to use for everyone, including those with disabilities. For example, ensure images have alt text, and that the site can be navigated using a keyboard.

SEO: Why Your Website Review Matters

An annual website review isn’t just about keeping things tidy—it also improves your search engine rankings. Google prioritises websites that are:

• Fast and mobile-friendly.

• Full of relevant, up-to-date content.

• Easy to navigate for all users.

By dedicating time to reviewing your website, you’re improving the experience for your visitors and boosting your chances of being discovered by new customers.

A website review is an essential task that ensures your online presence stays effective, professional, and user-friendly. While some areas may require input from developers or designers, Liruss can support you with the admin side of things—ensuring your site remains organised and up-to-date.

How Liruss Can Support You

At Liruss, we understand that as a business owner, your time is precious. While we’re not website developers, we can assist with the admin tasks involved in keeping your website up-to-date

Here’s how we can help:

• Organising and uploading refreshed content, like team bios or new service descriptions.

• Monitoring broken links or outdated information and flagging them for you to address.

• Keeping an eye on integrations like forms or payment systems to ensure they’re functioning.

Think of us as your behind-the-scenes support, handling the admin so you can focus on your core business activities.