Whether you're auditing a potential client's website or evaluating your own, you need a consistent checklist. Gut feelings like "this site feels outdated" don't sell redesigns. Data does. Here's the exact 20-point checklist I use to evaluate small business websites.
Security and Trust (4 Points)
1. SSL certificate. Does the site load over HTTPS? Check the browser bar. If you see "Not Secure," that's an immediate red flag. Google penalizes sites without SSL, and visitors will bounce. This is the single easiest thing to fix and the most damaging when missing.
2. Privacy policy. Does the site have a privacy policy page? Required by law in many jurisdictions if the site collects any data (contact forms, cookies, analytics). Missing one looks unprofessional and creates legal exposure.
3. Contact information visible. Can visitors find a phone number, email, and address within 5 seconds? Many small business sites bury their contact info on a separate page. It should be in the header or footer of every page.
4. Trust signals. Are there Google reviews, testimonials, certifications, or badges displayed on the homepage? Trust signals reduce friction for first-time visitors deciding whether to call.
Mobile Experience (4 Points)
5. Mobile responsiveness. Load the site on a phone. Does it actually work? Can you read text without zooming? Are buttons tappable? Over 60% of local searches are on mobile, so this is non-negotiable.
6. Tap targets. Are buttons and links big enough to tap with a finger? Tiny links that require precision tapping frustrate mobile users and Google measures this.
7. No horizontal scrolling. If the page scrolls sideways on mobile, the layout is broken. This is more common than you'd think, especially on older sites.
8. Mobile page speed. Load time on a mobile connection (not Wi-Fi). Anything over 3 seconds is too slow. Google's recommended threshold is 2.5 seconds. Test it here for free.
Performance (4 Points)
9. Desktop load time. Should be under 2 seconds. Test with Google PageSpeed Insights or Lighthouse. Slow sites lose visitors and rank lower.
10. Image optimization. Are images huge, uncompressed files? Right-click and check file sizes. A hero image shouldn't be 4MB. Modern formats like WebP can cut image sizes by 50% or more.
11. No broken links or errors. Click through the main pages. Any 404 errors? Broken images? Forms that don't submit? These are instant credibility killers.
12. Core Web Vitals. Check Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). These are Google's official metrics for user experience and directly affect rankings.
SEO Basics (4 Points)
13. Unique page titles. Each page should have a unique, descriptive title tag. "Home" or the business name on every page is a missed opportunity. It should be "Plumber in Austin TX | Emergency Plumbing Services | [Business Name]".
14. Meta descriptions. Every page should have a custom meta description. This is what shows up in Google search results. Missing descriptions mean Google picks random text from your page.
15. Schema markup. Does the site have structured data? LocalBusiness schema helps Google understand what the business is, where it's located, and its hours. Most small business sites don't have this.
16. Google Analytics or tracking. Is there any analytics installed? If the business can't measure their website traffic, they can't improve it. Surprising how many sites have zero tracking.
Content and Conversion (4 Points)
17. Clear value proposition. Within 3 seconds of landing on the homepage, can you tell what the business does and why you should choose them? Vague taglines like "Excellence in Service" say nothing.
18. Call to action above the fold. Is there a clear "Call Now," "Book Online," or "Get a Quote" button visible without scrolling? If the first action requires scrolling past three paragraphs, they're losing leads.
19. Updated content. Check the copyright year, blog dates (if any), and any time-sensitive info. A site with "Copyright 2019" and a blog post from 2020 looks abandoned.
20. Service pages. Does each service have its own dedicated page with relevant content? A single "Services" page listing everything is a missed SEO opportunity. Each service should target its own keywords.
How to Use This Checklist
For qualifying prospects: Run through this list on a potential client's website. Every failed point is something you can reference in your outreach. "Your site failed 12 out of 20 checks" is a compelling opening.
For client pitches: Turn the results into a one-page PDF report. It looks professional, demonstrates expertise, and gives the business owner clear reasons to invest in a redesign.
For your own site: Be honest. Your agency website should pass all 20 points. If it doesn't, fix it before pitching to clients.
Want to automate the technical checks? LeadsByLocation's free website scorer handles SSL, mobile responsiveness, page speed, analytics, schema, and CMS detection automatically. Combine that with the manual content checks above and you have a complete audit in under 5 minutes.