An evidence-based website audit checklist for prospecting
A concise checklist for reviewing website opportunities without making claims the evidence cannot support.
A prospecting audit should document what is visible, where it appears, why it affects a customer task, and what practical change could reduce the friction. It should avoid conclusions that require performance, accessibility, ranking, or device tests you did not run.
The problem
What needs attention
Shallow audits often repeat generic advice. They mention weak SEO, poor UX, or low conversion without identifying a page, a customer action, or observable proof. That weakens trust and produces generic outreach.
What you notice
Start with the customer goal. Then inspect the pages needed to complete it: homepage, relevant service page, contact or booking page, trust information, and any confirmation step that is publicly accessible.
What proves it
For every finding, save the page URL, the visible wording or element, and the relationship to the customer journey. Cross-page inconsistency is stronger evidence than a preference about color or style.
Why it matters
Evidence makes prioritisation possible. A business can decide whether the issue affects enquiries, bookings, trust, support effort, or discoverability instead of receiving a vague list of design opinions.
What to do next
Write findings in four parts: signal, evidence, business impact, and recommended action. Remove any finding that cannot answer all four clearly.
Practical checklist
Use this before you act
- Define the primary customer task
- Review the homepage and relevant landing page
- Follow the contact, quote, or booking journey
- Check trust and proof near the decision point
- Record exact page URLs
- Separate tested facts from assumptions
- Rank findings by customer and business impact
A credible audit is not long because it has many opinions. It is useful because every important finding is tied to visible proof and a real customer outcome.
Method and limits
How this conclusion was prepared
This guide states the evidence used and the limits of the review.