new year, new website: quick audits to kickstart your 2025 digital strategy
Ava Page-Arnold
Ava Page-Arnoldstart the year strong with a website health check.
Your website is the heart of your digital strategy. It’s your virtual handshake, storefront, and lead generator all rolled into one. But if it’s slow, hard to navigate, or packed with outdated content, it could be costing you conversions, search rankings, and customer trust.
With 2025 in full swing, it’s the perfect time for a website audit. Don’t worry – it’s easier than you think. A little effort now can go a long way in making your website a high-performing powerhouse all year long.
test your page load times.
Studies show that 40% of visitors will abandon a site if it takes more than 3 seconds to load. Slow pages hurt your user experience, search rankings, and bottom line.
Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix to measure load times and identify problem areas. Common culprits include:
- Oversized image files
- Too many plugins or widgets
- Outdated hosting
Pro Tip: Compress images and upgrade your hosting plan if needed to handle increased traffic.
check for mobile-friendliness.
With 58.43% of global web traffic coming from mobile devices, a mobile-friendly design is non-negotiable. Google also prioritizes mobile-first indexing, meaning mobile usability affects your search rankings.
Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to see how your site performs on different devices.
Focus on:
- Ensuring buttons and links are easy to tap.
- Optimizing font sizes for smaller screens.
- Avoiding intrusive pop-ups that block content.
update your content.
Content that’s outdated or irrelevant can damage your credibility and hurt SEO rankings. Fresh content keeps visitors engaged and helps you rank for current keywords.
One way to start the healing process is to conduct a content audit. Look for:
- Blog posts or pages with outdated statistics or references.
- Broken links or missing images.
- Opportunities to optimize older content for new keywords.
Pro Tip: Revamped blog posts can increase traffic by up to 30% without creating entirely new content.
test navigation for usability.
Visitors should be able to find what they need in three clicks or fewer. Clunky menus or confusing layouts will have them hitting the back button fast.
Use heatmaps and analytics tools to see how visitors interact with your navigation. Simplify menus, add breadcrumbs, and ensure CTAs are visible and clear.
example: If your navigation includes redundant or overly detailed submenus, consolidate them into broader categories.
secure your site.
Security breaches can cost you more than just trust. They can also lead to fines, downtime, and lost business. Plus, Google flags sites without HTTPS as “not secure,” which can deter visitors.
what you can do:
- Verify your SSL certificate is active.
- Update plugins and CMS software regularly.
- Implement strong password policies for admin accounts.
ready to optimize?
Your website deserves to be your greatest asset, not your biggest stressor. A quick audit now will set you up for success all year long.
Let us do the heavy lifting with a free consultation.