Website audit: why you need one and when

A website audit is a health check for your online presence. Like a medical check-up, it is not about finding problems for the sake of it: it pinpoints exactly what is costing you customers and prioritises the fixes with the greatest impact.

What is a website audit?

A complete website audit looks at several dimensions:

The technical SEO audit

It examines the technical health of your website: loading speed, indexing by Google, URL structure, broken links, redirects, missing tags, structured data and mobile compatibility. This is often where the least visible but most costly problems hide.

The content audit

It assesses the relevance and quality of your copy: is it optimised for the right keywords? Does it answer your prospects’ questions? Is there duplicate content? Do your key pages rank well?

The UX (user experience) audit

It analyses your visitors’ journey: can they easily find what they are looking for? Are the calls to action clear? Does the website inspire trust? Are the forms easy to use?

The performance audit

It measures key indicators: bounce rate, average session duration, most visited pages, traffic sources and conversion rate by page. This data reveals what works and what gets in the way.

When should you audit your website?

Before a redesign

This is the ideal moment. An audit before a redesign ensures you do not repeat the mistakes of the current website and that you build on solid foundations. Without one, many agencies deliver an attractive new website with exactly the same problems as the old one.

When your traffic drops

If your visibility on Google falls, there is always a cause: a Google algorithm update, a technical problem or penalised content. The audit identifies the cause so that you can act.

When your website generates no enquiries

If you have traffic but no conversions, the problem lies in the UX, the content or the trust your website inspires (or fails to inspire). The audit pinpoints the exact points of friction.

Every 12 to 18 months

Even if everything seems to be working, an annual audit is good practice. The web moves fast, and so do your competitors. It is better to spot problems before they become critical.

How does a website audit work?

1. Analysis of existing data (Google Analytics, Search Console)
2. Technical crawl with specialist tools (Screaming Frog, Semrush, Ahrefs)
3. Manual review of the user journey
4. Competitive benchmark: how do you compare with your competitors?
5. A report with prioritised recommendations: quick wins first, structural work next

How much does a website audit cost?

• Basic audit (technical and SEO): €300 to €600
• Complete audit (technical, content, UX and performance): €600 to €1,500
• In-depth audit with detailed recommendations: €1,500 to €3,000

A well-run audit pays for itself quickly. If your fixes bring in even one extra customer a month, the investment is recovered within a few weeks.

At VulcainDesign, we offer a free audit to give you a clear picture of your website’s condition before you commit to anything.