How can I tell if my website is actually working?

A website doesn't have to be complicated to be useful. But it does need to do its job — helping people understand what you do, find what they need and get in touch.

Having a website is one thing. Knowing whether it's actually helping your business is another. You don't need complicated analytics or a pile of technical reports to get a good idea. Start by looking at your website as if you've never seen it before.

Can you understand what the business does?
Can you find the information you need?
Can you work out what to do next?

If the answer is yes, you're off to a good start. If not, there are probably some things worth improving.

Start with your phone

This is probably the quickest test you can do. Open your website on your phone and pretend you've never seen it before. Don't give yourself any special knowledge about where things are. Ask yourself:

Can I immediately tell what this business does?
Is the text easy to read?
Can I find the main services?
Can I find the phone number or contact details?
Are the buttons easy to use?
Does anything look broken?
Is there anything I have to pinch, zoom or scroll around to understand?

Your customers don't know where everything is. If something is obvious to you because you've built the website or used it for years, that doesn't necessarily mean it's obvious to someone visiting for the first time. If you think there's a problem, I can help.

Can people understand what you do?

Your homepage doesn't need to explain absolutely everything. It does need to answer some basic questions quickly.

What do you do? This should be obvious. Don't make people work it out from a clever headline or a photograph.

Who do you help? If you're a local business, say so. If you specialise in a particular type of customer, make that clear too.

Where do you work? If location matters to your business, don't make people guess. Tell them where you're based and the areas you cover.

What should someone do next? Give people an obvious next step.

That might be:

Call me
Get in touch
Request a quote
Book a consultation

The wording doesn't really matter as long as the next step is clear.

Check your contact details

This sounds obvious but it's still worth checking. Make sure your:

phone number is correct
email address is correct
contact form works
opening hours are up to date
address is correct
service area is accurate
social media links still work

And actually test the contact form. Send yourself a message. Don't assume it works because it used to work.

Is the information still up to date?

Businesses change, and you might offer different services now. You might have changed your prices. You might work in different areas. You might have new photographs, new qualifications or better examples of your work. Your website should reflect the business you're running today. Not the business you were running three years ago. Look for the little things, check things such as:

old telephone numbers
old opening hours
outdated photographs
services you no longer provide
references to old businesses or partners
broken links
old offers
old dates
pages you no longer need

These might seem like small things, but they all affect how professional and trustworthy your website feels.

Can people find what they're looking for?

Imagine someone arrives on your website because they're interested in one particular service. Can they find it easily? They shouldn't have to click through six pages to discover what you actually offer. Your navigation doesn't need to be complicated. In fact, simple is usually better. Give people the information they need, in the order they're likely to need it.

Have a look at Google too

Search for your own business. Start with your business name. Then try some searches that a potential customer might use. For example:

plumber in Whitley Bay

accountant North Tyneside

dog groomer Whitley Bay

web designer Whitley Bay

Don't panic if you aren't number one. Search results can vary depending on the search, the location and lots of other factors. Instead, look at what Google currently understands about your business:

Is your Google Business Profile correct?
Does your website appear?
Are your phone number, opening hours and other details accurate?

Try the ten-minute website check

If you haven't got much time, run through this list.

☐ I can tell what the business does immediately.

☐ The website works properly on my phone.

☐ The main services are easy to find.

☐ The contact details are correct.

☐ The contact form works.

☐ The website reflects what the business does today.

☐ The location or service area is clear.

☐ The important pages have an obvious next step.

☐ The links and buttons work.

☐ The website gives people a good reason to get in touch.

If you've ticked most of those boxes, you're probably doing pretty well. If you've found quite a few problems, don't panic.

You might not need a new website

This is probably the most important thing to remember. Finding problems with your website doesn't automatically mean you need to replace it. Sometimes it just needs a bit of attention. A few changes to the wording, a better homepage, clearer navigation, even updated photographs.

Maybe you need a more obvious contact button, some SEO improvements or a few mobile layout changes. Those things can make a surprisingly big difference.

Sometimes a second pair of eyes helps

It's difficult to judge your own website objectively. Don't forget your website is for your customers, not you. Remember that you know your business, you know where everything is, you know what you meant when you wrote something - however your customers don't. That's why an outside opinion can be useful.

I'll look at your website from the point of view of someone who doesn't already know your business and tell you what I think is working, what could be better and what I'd leave alone. If the best option is to keep your existing website, I'll tell you that too. You don't need to rebuild a website just because something could be improved.

Want someone to take a proper look?

If you've gone through the checklist and found a few things that aren't quite right, I can help. A website health check can give you a clearer picture of what's working and what could be improved. Or, if you already know what you'd like changed, I can simply help you get those things sorted. No complicated report for the sake of it. Just practical advice about what I'd do next.

Get a website health check →

Tell me what you'd like to improve →