It’s usually pro bono, especially if you have met personally with a potential client.
This is the professional website audit, not including a specific SEO audit, which is entirely different.
The reason for its free no-cost work is of course to potentiate the work – turn that work
from an introduction to management.
But it truly is a win win situation, because if the potential client does ask for help,
you now know much more about the site’s strengths and weaknesses,
and therefor more intelligent about the labor involved to bring it up and continue management,
giving a more fair (to both parties ) the fees.
The SEO audit is too laborious for that. And truthfully, there are so many tools to utilize and to try to draw all the raw data into a report is very time consuming.
Whereas the site audit is much more fun, and takes less than half a day.
There is a section on seo, of course that is an ingredient, but it is superficial at best.
But still important enough to include.
And there are some things that could be improved by adding a few more things,
but to keep it reasonable for a worker bee like myself, it is enough.
One knows by doing this sort of work that it is a never ending story.
One has to limit the horizon day to day so that when the day is over
you know what you have accomplished, and you always know there will be more to do.
And be happy with that.
I think accessibility is very important with age demographics increasing for visitors
in a site specific context, which will be mentioned in the ratings section as well as in all other aspects.
This post could be labeled Journal Day 1 Million, but it’s just another workday.
Higher Source Sites
Here is the outline of the site audit.
Professional Website Audit
Prepared for: __________________________
Website: ______________________________
Prepared by: Ed Rosenthal
Date: _________________________________
Executive Summary
Purpose
This report evaluates the website from the perspective of visitors, search engines, accessibility, security, and long-term stewardship. Recommendations are prioritized to provide practical next steps rather than simply identifying issues.
Overall Assessment
| Area | Rating | Comments |
| Design | Excellent / Good / Fair / Needs Attention | |
| Accessibility | Excellent / Good / Fair / Needs Attention | |
| Performance | Excellent / Good / Fair / Needs Attention | |
| SEO | Excellent / Good / Fair / Needs Attention | |
| Security | Excellent / Good / Fair / Needs Attention | |
| Maintainability | Excellent / Good / Fair / Needs Attention | |
| Overall | Excellent / Good / Fair / Needs Attention |
BUILD
Design & Branding
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Navigation
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Content
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
First Impressions
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
IMPROVE
Accessibility
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Performance
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
SEO
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Mobile Experience
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
PROTECT
Security
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Hosting
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Backups
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Updates
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
SUPPORT
Maintenance Plan
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Training
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Documentation
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Future Growth
Observations:
______________________________________________________________
Recommendations:
______________________________________________________________
Priority: High / Medium / Low
Prioritized Roadmap
| Priority | Recommendation | Benefit | Estimated Effort |
Estimated Investment
Phase 1: Audit
Scope:
________________________________________
Estimated Cost Range:
________________________________________
Phase 2: Website Improvements / Redesign
Scope:
________________________________________
Estimated Cost Range:
________________________________________
Phase 3: Monthly Care Plan
Scope:
________________________________________
Estimated Cost Range:
________________________________________
The Steward’s Recommendation
This website already serves an important purpose. The recommendations in this report are intended to preserve what is working well while improving accessibility, performance, security, and maintainability. The goal is not merely to redesign a website, but to steward a digital resource that faithfully serves the organization and its community for years to come.
Prepared by Higher Source Sites
Building • Improving • Protecting • Supporting