DIY Website Audit Matrix
How Well Does Your Website Perform?
Your website is evaluated across multiple key areas that influence its performance, the visitor experience, and online visibility. These areas can determine whether your visitors stay, engage, and take action or leave and look elsewhere.
Understanding how your website scores in each category is the first step toward meaningful improvement. The brief explanations below will help you see where you stand. If you want more clarity and guidance, you can request a personalised audit and follow-up service to help boost your online presence and results.
At first glance, some of the terminology might seem overwhelming or confusing, but don’t let that scare you off. With just a little curiosity, it will start to make sense. Think of it as picking up a new skill or learning the basics of a new language; easier than you think and well worth the effort.
Why isn’t it a downloadable PDF? Simple, as things change fast. By the time you open it again, some parts might already be outdated. I keep this page fresh and up to date, so whenever you visit, you’ll get the latest info on what really matters when your website is being evaluated.
Performance & Speed
Fast-loading websites offer a better user experience and rank higher on Google, as site speed is an official ranking factor.
To evaluate performance, check your site’s Core Web Vitals and review suggestions for improvement.
A basic audit should focus on key areas like image sizes, browser caching, and render-blocking scripts that may slow down loading times.
Free tools:
PageSpeed Insights
GTmetrix
WebPageTest
SEO, AEO & Content
This checks how easily search engines understand your website.
Clear titles, headings, and image descriptions help your site appear in search results.
When your content includes the right keywords and is well-structured, more people can find you online.
Free tools:
SEOptimer (SEO audit)
Google Search Console
Ahrefs Webmaster Tools (free site audit)
Ubersuggest SEO Analyzer
Mobile-Friendliness
Many people visit websites on their phones.
If your site does not work well on mobile, it may be harder to find and frustrating to use.
Make sure text is readable, buttons are easy to tap, and everything resizes properly.
A mobile-friendly site helps both your visitors and your search ranking.
Free tools:
Mobile-Friendly Test by SmallSEOTools
Mobile Simulator
Web Content Accessibility
… isn’t optional – it’s a legal requirement
The European Accessibility Act, EN 301 549, and the Americans with Disabilities Act demand that websites must be usable by people with disabilities.
Make sure your website uses clear alt text for images, descriptive text for links, and colours with strong contrast for easy reading.
Improving accessibility helps more people use your site and also keeps you legally compliant.
Free tools:
WAVE Web Accessibility tool,
axe DevTools,
Google Lighthouse Accessibility audit (built into Chrome DevTools).
Security & HTTPS
Modern websites need to be secure to build trust and perform well in search engines.
Your website should use HTTPS, which shows a padlock symbol in the browser and means the connection is safe.
Make sure your site’s security certificate is active and your website is free from harmful software or other security issues.
Keeping your site secure helps protect both you and your visitors.
Free tools:
Qualys SSL Labs SSL Test
Sucuri SiteCheck
securityheaders.com (HTTP header analysis)
Technical Health &
Best Practices
Make sure your website is technically sound. Check for broken links, clean code, and a well-organised site structure. Ensure important files like robots.txt and an XML sitemap are in place, and that all forms and scripts function properly. Identifying dead links and crawl errors is essential. A clean, error-free site helps search engines index your content accurately and improves your overall visibility.
Free tools:
W3C HTML Validator,
BrokenLinkCheck,
Google Search Console (for crawl errors),
PageSpeed/Lighthouse Best Practices
Attention!
- Keep in mind that many tools provide results on a page-by-page basis
- This means you need to run tests on each client-facing page individually
- Only a few tools offer insights that apply to your entire website
And Since You're Already Here...
Now that we’ve covered the key areas every website should prioritise, let’s take a moment to look at a few equally important topics that often don’t get the attention they deserve. These areas may seem secondary, but they play a crucial role in building trust, maintaining credibility, and ensuring your website and your online business stay future-ready.
GDPR & Legal Pages
GDPR compliance is important because it protects your website visitors’ personal data and builds trust with your audience.
It is a legal requirement in the European Union and applies to any website that collects data from EU citizens.
Non-compliance can lead to serious fines and damage to your business reputation.
Free tools:
Paid tools:
Termageddon Website Policies that Automatically Update as the Laws Change,
use promo code 2TRAINERS to get 10% off your first year payment.
Email Authentication Protocols
DKIM, SPF, DMARC
Setting up DMARC, SPF and DKIM helps protect your domain from being used for spam or phishing attacks.
These email authentication protocols verify that messages sent from your domain are legitimate.
Without them, your emails are more likely to end up in spam folders or be rejected entirely.
Your email list is pure gold:
yours to leverage and grow.
Free tools:
Purpose, Funnel, Customer Journey & Customer-Led Growth
Your website should guide visitors from curiosity to action.
Each page needs a clear purpose within a simple funnel, from first visit to enquiry or purchase.
Your website guides visitors from curiosity to action.
Funnels turn cold leads into prospects, and tracking customer behaviour provides the insights your business needs to grow and scale.
Free tools:
Personal & Professional Brand
A clear personal and professional brand strategy positions you as the trusted expert in your field.
It defines how you want to be perceived and ensures every message, visual, and interaction reinforces that image.
A strong brand builds recognition, attracts the right clients, and makes selling your services far easier.
I suggest you explore ikigai, an old Japanese method for discovering your purpose and aligning what you love, what you do well, and what the world needs.
Free tools:
Ikigai
Business Plan
Measure results, not ego
A smart business plan makes your venture profitable and scalable, ensures the right resources are available, and manages risks so you can grow with confidence.
Use the Business Model Canvas or any planning tool you prefer, and focus on understanding your business’s profitability while clarifying how your product or service genuinely improves your customers’ lives.
Free tools:
Business Model Canvas
by Alex Osterwalder
Deep Fake Detection
Deep fake technology has become increasingly realistic, making it harder to detect manipulated videos or audio.
Cybercriminals use deep fakes to impersonate trusted individuals, spread misinformation, or trick people into transferring money or revealing sensitive data.
To protect yourself, always verify requests through a second channel and be cautious with unexpected messages or videos.
Organisations should train staff on these threats and use tools that help detect manipulated media.
Too Much? Want a Professional to Handle It?
You’ve just explored key areas that shape your website’s effectiveness from performance and SEO to legal compliance, accessibility, and mobile usability. If you prefer expert insight or need help fixing what you’ve uncovered, I’m here to help.
Paid Website Audit
Let me take a deep dive into your site and deliver a personalised report with clear, actionable suggestions. This audit covers the above-mentioned essentials.
Website Optimisation Support
This service isn’t available yet, and it may never be, unless there’s enough real interest. If you’re serious about taking your website from “just online” to “working for you,” let me know. The plan is simple: identify what’s holding your site back and fine-tune it into a reliable, compliant, and effective business tool.
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