Why You Need a Web Audit Strategy

A woman reviewing data and content on her computer screen.

Running and maintaining a quality website requires more than a one-and-done approach. It requires care, strategic governance, and regular audits to make it run like a well-oiled machine. These are some of our top tips on how to create a web audit strategy for your organization.

Get Buy-In from Management

First things first. Your management team must understand the value of the audits and ensure that they actually happen. They can think of an audit as another way of saying your website needs to be reviewed regularly for quality control purposes. The fewer the number of errors and glitches, the better experience for your users. This makes the investment time well spent.

Not sure where to start? We've got you covered.

Develop a Webpage and App/Product Ownership Chart

Giving employees the authority to "own" a piece of the business can make them feel empowered. With the exception of the lazy worker who probably shouldn't be there anyway, they will take care of their pages like a baby. Think about it. Who wants to deal with the embarrassment of having your colleagues knowing you can't manage your workload? Nobody. Armed with a detailed checklist of what to look out for and clear deadlines, audits are a great practice to adopt for keeping your site in order.

Select an Audit Frequency

How often should you audit your site? Well, there really is no absolute right answer here. It's more about what makes you and your team feel comfortable. Some may decide that quarterly audits work best. Others may decide to do it every 6 months, or once a year. Whatever your decision, just document it, and stick with the plan. Also, don't forget to remind the staff: "Hey, make sure to get those audits done by June 30."

Create a Checklist

Help your staff prepare for the audit by creating and documenting a formal audit checklist they can use as a reference. While checklists will vary from the mom-and-pop site to the conglomerate, they should all follow the same general principles. For each page/product, you should include at least the following on your checklist:

• Proofread content for clarity

• Edit and/or rewrite sentences if necessary

• Review for typos and grammatical errors

• Check links to make sure they work

• Make sure page is mobile responsive

• Check formatting and design

• Make sure content is SEO compliant

• Archive or retire content that is no longer relevant

Following your audits, it's always good to have a second set of eyes double check your work. That way, you can relax and focus on other priorities until the next audit deadline approaches.