Free checklist
Is your website ready for customers?
8 concrete points that determine whether your website is professional enough to build trust, get found, and convert visitors.
The 8 points
Website checklist
Your own domain + professional email address
A .com, .be or .co.uk domain in your name — not a free subdomain from a platform. And an email address ending in your domain name (jane@yourbusiness.com), not Gmail or Hotmail. This is the minimum for a professional appearance.
Mobile-friendly design
More than 60% of web traffic comes from smartphones. Your website must look good and work smoothly on every screen size — not just on desktop. Test it yourself: open your site on your phone.
Fast loading speed (Core Web Vitals)
Google uses loading speed as a ranking factor. A slow site loses visitors and positions. Aim for a loading time under 2 seconds and a good score on Core Web Vitals (Largest Contentful Paint, Cumulative Layout Shift).
Clear call-to-action on every page
Every page has one primary goal: what should the visitor do? Call now, send a message, request a quote. Make sure that action is visible without scrolling. If the next step isn't clear, the visitor leaves.
Basic SEO in order
Every page has a unique title tag and meta description. Headings are logically numbered (H1 → H2 → H3). Alt text on images. An XML sitemap. These are the fundamentals — without them, Google won't find you.
Analytics set up
You can't improve your website if you don't know what's happening on it. Install Google Analytics 4 (or Plausible if you prefer privacy-first) and check at least monthly: which pages work, where visitors drop off.
SSL/HTTPS active
Your website must be accessible via https:// — the padlock in the address bar. Without SSL, Chrome marks your site as 'not secure'. Modern hosting handles this automatically. Check it works and that all internal links also use https.
Maintenance and backups
A website isn't a one-off purchase. Software updates, security patches, regular backups — these aren't extras, they're basic requirements. Plan this in, or have it managed.
What does your score mean?
How does your website measure up?
0–4 points
Urgent attention needed
Your website is missing fundamental elements. Customers drop off before they get to know you.
5–6 points
Decent, but room for improvement
You're on the right track but leaving opportunities on the table for SEO, conversion or credibility.
7–8 points
Strong foundation
Your website is in good shape. Focus now on conversion optimisation and content strategy.
Want to be sure?
Get your website reviewed
Need a website built?
A website that scores all 8 points
I build websites for freelancers and small businesses that load fast, rank well in Google, and convert visitors into customers.