website audit checklist

Does Your Website Pass The Test?

Having a website is not enough these days. You must keep an eye on its performance and regularly check to see if it’s giving you the return on investment you’re expecting. There are four areas to focus on to make sure your site is set up for optimal conversions:

  1. Offer
  2. Call to Action Form
  3. Trust
  4. Visual Hierarchy

Your Offer

What you have to offer is obviously the most important thing about your website — otherwise, what are we talking about!? Let’s face it, if your offer sucks, it won’t matter how your website is designed. You may have heard the phrase, “content is king”. I prefer to think that “content is queen” and “clarity is king”. Your offer needs to be clear and obvious.

The way you display your offer should meet visitor expectations accurately and in an attractive way. The next steps for your visitor should be obvious to them — “hey I have this pain, this [thing/item/whatever] can solve my problem! Take my money!”

Your Call-to-Action

Your website should have some kind of form on it that is understandable and ONLY collects the most vital information. The form should be simple and ‘whisker free’. Meaning doesn’t clutter it with fancy graphics or fields that are required. Get the person’s email address and name. The other items if needed can be gathered at a later date once they’re engaged.

Finally, the form should have a compelling headline and be obvious as to what the form’s action is — downloading a report, registering, subscribing. Don’t try to fool your visitors.

Trust

You need to reduce your visitor’s anxiety; convince them to convert from a visitor to prospect or customer. There are many ways to do this, the first is to simply be genuine. Other items on your website that can help with trust include:

  • Testimonials from other customers
  • A privacy policy
  • Guarantees of service or product
  • A return policy (if product based)

You only have a few seconds of someone’s time before they make a decision to stay on your website or click the back button. Yes, your website should be attractive, but a good design is not the only factor. You need to speak to your target market website visitor in their language, using words from their industry. Talk about their pain points and how your product or service can make that pain go away.

Visual Hierarchy

The layout of your website is important and should present a flow that is easy for the eye to glance over and scroll through. Sections should be clearly defined, each with its own purpose. The flow of the website should end with the Call to Action button or form.

Any images or graphics on the site need to reflect your brand — ditch the stock photography. Or if you must use, decorate them in a way to make them your own (e.g. color overlay, text overlay, etc)

Each page on your website should have the same general elements — header area, footer, etc. It’s fine to have targeted layouts for specific service or product offerings but the overall site needs to have these consistent “signpost” visual cues so the visitor doesn’t get lost.

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