How to Do a Website Audit

At Cup O Content, we like to think of your website as your hardest-working salesperson. It doesn’t take weekends off, doesn’t call in sick, and doesn’t ask for vacation days. But just like any salesperson, it needs the right tools and training to do the job well. If your site isn’t being found by search engines., or if potential customers land on it and leave without taking action, your “salesperson” isn’t working for you at all.

That’s where a visibility audit comes in. A visibility audit is a structured way to evaluate whether your website is easy to find, easy to use, and easy to convert. And while it may sound technical, you don’t need a developer’s background to spot some of the biggest opportunities. Here's how to do it.

1. Check if Your Website is Easy for Search Engines (and Humans) to Find

Let’s start with the basics: if a search engine can’t understand your site, you’ll never show up in search results. Visibility begins with three core elements:

1. Keywords in the right places. Every page should clearly state what you do and who you do it for. That means using relevant keywords naturally in your page titles, meta descriptions, headers (H1, H2), and throughout the copy. If you run a coffee shop in Lancaster, for example, make sure “Lancaster coffee shop” appears where it counts, in headings and subheads, not just once in a buried paragraph.

2. Logical site structure. Search engine crawls websites by following links. If your pages are buried or poorly linked, your content may not be indexed properly. The same is true for humans: if it takes more than three clicks to reach your services page, you’ve already lost people. Clear menus and internal links keep both search engines and users on track.

3. Fresh content. Search engines prioritizes sites that look alive and active. A regularly updated blog, news section, or even simple page refreshes signal that your business is current. For humans, fresh content is also a trust-builder: if your latest blog post is from 2019, potential clients may assume you’ve closed shop.

And don’t forget the human side. Readability matters. Keep sentences short, paragraphs skimmable, and language clear. Most people skim first and read later. If your site feels like a research paper, you’ll lose them.

2. Use These Tools and Quick Checks for SEO, Speed, and Mobile Usability

Here’s the good news: you don’t need expensive software or advanced coding skills to get started. Some of the most effective website audit tools are free and easy to use:

• Google Search Console: This free tool shows you how your site appears in search results. You’ll see which keywords bring visitors, how many impressions your pages get, and where errors are hiding. It’s like a report card from Google itself.

• Google WebDev PageSpeed Insights: Page speed is one of Google’s ranking factors and a major user experience issue. Plug in your site URL and you’ll instantly know how quickly your pages load on desktop and mobile. Remember: more than half of visitors leave if a site takes longer than three seconds to load.

• Screaming Frog SEO Spider (free version): For those who want to dig deeper, this desktop tool crawls your website and highlights broken links, missing meta descriptions, duplicate content, and more.

Running even one of these tests can highlight immediate fixes like reducing oversized images, tightening up meta descriptions, or correcting broken links. That improve both SEO and user experience.

3. Eliminate Red Flags That Drive Potential Customers Away

Even if a search engine finds your site, visitors won’t stick around if they’re met with frustration. Here are some common red flags we spot during visibility audits:

• Broken links and missing pages. A “404 Not Found” message doesn’t just irritate visitors. It signals neglect. Fixing these should be top priority.

• Walls of text. If your homepage looks like a novel, expect bounce rates to skyrocket. Break up content with headlines, images, and bullet points.

• Unclear calls-to-action. A visitor should always know what to do next; call, book, buy, or fill out a form. If they have to guess, they’ll leave.

• Overly complex navigation. Too many menu items or confusing labels can make your site a maze. Keep navigation simple and intuitive.

• Slow loading times. A gorgeous design doesn’t matter if it takes forever to appear. Speed is both a ranking factor and a customer patience issue.

• Not optimized for mobile. Pinching and zooming on a phone are instant deal-breakers. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing leads every day.

Think of your website as your digital front door. If it’s hard to find, hard to open, or uninviting once inside, customers won’t stay long.

4. Measure What Matters

Visibility isn’t just about traffic. It's also about action. A successful audit goes beyond rankings and looks at whether your website is generating inquiries. Metrics worth tracking include:

• Bounce rate: Are people leaving after one page?

• Conversion rate: How many visitors complete your desired action (filling a form, booking, calling)?

• Average time on page: Are visitors actually engaging with your content?

• Lead sources: Where are your most valuable visitors coming from; organic search, social, or referrals?

By connecting these dots, you can see whether your website is simply “busy” or driving business.

Small Fixes = Big Results

Your website can either be your biggest asset or your biggest obstacle. A visibility audit shines a light on what’s working and what isn’t, from keyword usage to site speed to user experience.

At Cup O Content, we’ve seen firsthand how even small fixes can lead to dramatic improvements in visibility and inquiries. The best part? Most of these changes don’t require a complete redesign or a massive budget.

If you’re not sure whether your site is working for you or against you, we can help. Contact us today and ask for a simple visibility audit together and uncover the quick wins that will make your website the hardworking salesperson it was always meant to be.