How to Audit Your Website in 30 Minutes (No Developer Needed)

A website audit doesn’t need to be complicated, time-consuming, or heavily technical. In fact, with the right approach, even non-developers and small business owners can perform a focused, effective audit of their website in just 30 minutes. Regular audits help ensure your site is user-friendly, visible in search engines, accessible to all, and contributing positively to your business goals. Below, we outline a step-by-step guide to auditing your website — quickly, simply, and without any coding expertise.

Why Regular Website Audits Matter

Websites are dynamic assets. Content changes, technology evolves, user expectations shift, and new opportunities (or problems) emerge. Regular website audits build awareness of:

• User experience issues like slow load times or broken navigation
• SEO problems that may impact your visibility on Google and other search engines
• Accessibility shortcomings which could exclude or frustrate users
• Inaccurate or outdated content that undermines your credibility
• Mobile usability challenges as more browsing takes place on phones

A quick audit won’t replace a full technical review, but it will catch the most common problems and give you clear action steps.

Before You Start: What You’ll Need

• A computer with a modern web browser (preferably Chrome, Firefox, Edge, or Safari)
• Access to your website (public, not behind a password)
• Pen and paper, or a digital note-taking app to jot down issues and action points
• Optional but helpful: free online tools (linked in each section below)

1. Review Your Website’s Homepage (5 minutes)

First Impressions Check

Load your homepage in your browser. Ask yourself:

• Is it obvious what my business does? Can first-time visitors immediately understand your offering?
• Are key contact details visible? (phone, email, or a contact button?)
• Are branding and messages clear, professional, and up-to-date?
• Is there a clear next step? (such as calling, emailing, buying, or learning more?)

Tip: Show your site to a friend or colleague and ask for their honest first impressions.

2. Check for Broken Links and Navigation Issues (4 minutes)

• Click through your main menu and footer links. Do they all lead to the correct pages?
• Look for “404 Not Found” or error pages.
• Explore a few side links or call-to-actions on your homepage and services pages — do they work?

For a quick automated check, try a free tool like Broken Link Checker. Enter your homepage address and review results for any URLs showing errors.

Action Steps: List any broken or misdirected links, and prioritize fixing those that block access to important content or features.

3. Run a Speed Test (4 minutes)

Site speed plays a major role in user satisfaction and SEO rankings. An overly slow site deters visitors and search engines alike.

Use Google PageSpeed Insights (free). Paste your website address and review both “Mobile” and “Desktop” scores.

• Scores are from 0 to 100. You’ll see color codes: red (slow), orange (needs improvement), green (fast).
• It also lists opportunities for improvement, such as optimizing images, removing unused scripts, or leveraging browser caching.

You don’t need to understand all the technical details, but note if your scores are particularly low (<50) and whether images or scripts are flagged as major offenders.

Action Steps: If your site is slow, plan to compress large images, reduce third-party scripts, and consult your web manager or host for additional improvements.

4. Check Mobile Friendliness (4 minutes)

More than half of website visits now happen on smartphones. A site that works poorly on mobile risks losing a large share of your audience.

Use your phone, or try Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test:

• Browse your site on your mobile device. Is the text easy to read? Do images and buttons fit the screen? Is navigation accessible?
• Check menus, forms, and call-to-actions. Can you interact with all elements without zooming or pinching?

If your site fails the tool’s test, or you spot usability issues on your phone, these should be flagged for fixing.

Action Steps: Note areas where your site “breaks”, such as off-screen buttons, unreadable text, or non-working menus.

5. Scan for Outdated or Incorrect Content (5 minutes)

Trust depends on your website being up-to-date. Quickly review key pages:

• Contact Page: Are phone, email, and address details accurate?
• About Page: Are team profiles, awards, or dates current?
• Services/Products: Are offerings and pricing accurate?
• Blog or News: Is the latest post less than 6 months old (if you have a blog)?

Action Steps: Make a list of any inaccuracies, old staff photos, outdated service descriptions, or lapsed promotions to update.

6. Perform a Basic SEO Check (4 minutes)

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) affects how your business ranks in search results. While a full audit is more complex, anyone can check for major issues:

• Page Titles and Descriptions: In Google, search for site:yourdomain.com (replace “yourdomain.com” with your site’s address). Are page titles clear and accurate? Do meta descriptions entice visitors to click?
• Keywords: Do the homepage and key product/service pages use words that your customers might actually type into Google?
• Alt Tags: Hover over a few images — do they have descriptive text “alt” tags? (This also helps with accessibility.)
• Headings Structure: Skim through your pages: Are headings (“About Us”, “Our Services”) present, making content easy to scan?

Use a tool like SEOptimer or WooRank (offering free, limited audits) for an instant overview.

Action Steps: Note missing, confusing, or duplicate page titles; blank meta descriptions; missing headings.

7. Test Your Contact Form and Calls-to-Action (4 minutes)

Your site’s main goal is often conversion: whether it’s selling, booking, or inviting contact. Spot-check:

• Contact forms: Submit a test message; does it go through (and do you receive it)?
• Newsletter signups: Try subscribing; does it work, and do you receive a confirmation email?
• Click-to-call or email links: Try clicking from mobile and desktop – do they initiate as expected?
• Book/purchase/demo buttons: Do these direct users to the intended workflow?

Action Steps: Log any broken forms, confusing processes, or missing confirmations that frustrate conversions.

8. Spot-Check Accessibility (4 minutes)

Making your website accessible isn’t just considerate; in many regions, it’s also a legal requirement. A simple spot-check can help you identify glaring issues:

• Image alt tags: Right-click images and select “Inspect”; does the HTML show alt="..." text for important images?
• Color contrast: Is text clear against its background? Avoid light text on light backgrounds or dark on dark.
• Keyboard navigation: Try tabbing through your main pages using only the keyboard (Tab/Shift+Tab/Enter). Can you navigate menus and reach forms?

For automated checks, tools like WAVE Web Accessibility Evaluation Tool provide a free in-browser scan.

Action Steps: List missing alt text, low contrast areas, or navigation issues for your developer or web team.

Summing Up: Your 30-Minute Fast Audit Checklist

In just half an hour, you can spot the most common blockers to a healthy, effective website. After your review, you’ll have a prioritized list of improvements. Here’s a quick recap of your audit steps:

• Assess first impressions and clarity of your homepage
• Test menu and key links for errors or broken destinations
• Run a speed test and note major performance issues
• Check mobile usability, both visually and with Google’s tool
• Skim for outdated contact info and service/product details
• Review page titles, meta descriptions, and basic SEO signals
• Test all contact forms, signups, and calls-to-action
• Scan for basic accessibility issues like alt text and keyboard navigation

What Next? Acting on Your Audit Results

Use your notes to create a prioritized list:

1. Critical fixes: Broken links, non-functioning forms, wrong contact info, or anything that blocks user action
2. Quick wins: Outdated content, missing page titles, or easy-to-spot speed drains like oversize images
3. Complex issues: Larger design, navigation, or technical improvements (flag for further review with your web team)

If you don’t have a regular support provider, or if you’re unsure how to implement certain fixes, reach out to a trusted web professional. The most important thing is to tackle the basics — and make site audits a regular practice, not a one-off event.

Final Thoughts

A non-technical website audit is well within reach for any business leader or marketer. By taking just 30 minutes to follow these steps, you’ll improve your website’s impact, protect your reputation, and better serve your customers.

If you need help with your website, app, or digital marketing — get in touch today at info@webmatter.co.uk or call 07546 289 419.