Website Health Check: A Practical Guide

A website health check is a review of how well a website is performing. It can reveal issues that affect speed, security, search visibility, accessibility and the experience visitors have. Regular checks help identify problems early, before they lead to lost enquiries, lower rankings or frustrated users.

A website does not need to be broken to benefit from a health check. Even a well-maintained site can develop outdated software, broken links or performance issues as content and technology change.

What does a website health check cover?

A thorough check looks at several parts of a website, rather than focusing on appearance alone. The most useful areas to review include:

Technical performance: page speed, mobile usability, broken links and server errors.
Search engine optimisation: page titles, headings, indexing, internal links and sitemap configuration.
Security: HTTPS, software updates, user access and protection against common threats.
Accessibility: whether people with different needs can navigate and understand the site.
Content: accuracy, clarity, spelling, outdated information and working calls to action.
Analytics and tracking: whether visits and important actions are being measured correctly.

Check website speed and performance

Slow pages can discourage visitors, particularly on mobile devices or slower connections. Test important pages, such as the home page, service pages and contact page. Look for large image files, unnecessary scripts, excessive plug-ins and other elements that may delay loading.

Performance tools can help identify specific issues, but results should be treated as guidance rather than a pass-or-fail score. Real-world performance can vary depending on the visitor’s device, connection and location.

Review mobile usability

Open the site on different screen sizes and check that the content is easy to read and use. Look for text that is too small, buttons that are difficult to tap, menus that do not work properly and content that extends beyond the screen.

Forms deserve particular attention. Check that fields are clearly labelled, errors are easy to understand and the form can be completed on a mobile device.

Look for technical errors

Broken links and missing pages can interrupt a visitor’s journey and make a site feel neglected. Review internal and external links, check for pages returning errors, and make sure redirects lead to relevant destinations.

It is also worth checking that search engines can access the pages intended for public viewing. Important pages should not be accidentally blocked from crawling or excluded from search results.

Check search visibility

Each important page should have a clear purpose and a descriptive page title. Headings should organise the content logically, while page descriptions should accurately summarise what visitors will find.

Check that:

important pages are included in the XML sitemap;
duplicate or outdated pages are handled appropriately;
internal links help visitors find related information;
images have useful alternative text where appropriate; and
page content answers the questions visitors are likely to have.

Search optimisation should support useful, trustworthy content. Adding keywords without improving the information is unlikely to help visitors.

Review security and privacy

Confirm that the website uses HTTPS and that its content management system, themes and plug-ins are kept up to date. Remove unused accounts and software, and use strong, unique passwords with multi-factor authentication where available.

Review how the site collects and handles personal information. Forms should request only the information needed, and privacy information should be easy to find. Cookie notices and tracking should be reviewed to ensure they are appropriate for the site and its use.

Check accessibility

An accessible website is easier for more people to use. Check that text has sufficient contrast, pages can be navigated using a keyboard, form fields have clear labels and images that convey information have suitable alternative text.

Automated accessibility tools can identify some issues, but they cannot assess every barrier. Manual checks and feedback from users can provide a fuller picture.

Make sure content is current

Out-of-date information can undermine trust. Check key pages for old prices, expired offers, former staff details, broken references and instructions that no longer apply. Make sure contact details and calls to action are accurate and easy to find.

Clear writing also matters. Use plain language, short paragraphs and descriptive headings so visitors can quickly understand what the site offers and what to do next.

How often should a website be checked?

A quick review every month can help catch obvious issues, such as broken links, failed forms or expired content. A more detailed health check is useful every few months, and after a major redesign, software update or change to the site’s structure.

Security updates should be applied promptly, rather than waiting for a scheduled review. Website owners should also check important forms and customer journeys regularly to confirm that they still work as expected.

What to do after a health check

Record each issue, its impact and the action needed. Prioritise problems that prevent visitors from using the site, expose personal information or affect important pages. Then address smaller improvements, such as refining page titles or updating older content.

A website health check is most valuable when it leads to practical action. By reviewing performance, security, accessibility, content and search visibility on a regular basis, website owners can keep their site useful, reliable and easier to navigate.

Five Drawbacks of Website Health Checks

Can take time to complete.
May require technical expertise.
Some tools provide misleading scores.
Fixes can involve extra costs.
Checks can become outdated quickly.

Identifies problems early

A website health check can identify problems early, before they affect visitors or become more costly to fix. Regular reviews may uncover broken links, slow-loading pages, security weaknesses or forms that no longer work. Addressing these issues promptly helps keep the website reliable, protects user trust and reduces the risk of small faults disrupting important business activities.

Improves page speed

A website health check can identify what is slowing your pages down, such as oversized images, outdated software or unnecessary scripts. Fixing these issues can improve loading times, making the site quicker and easier to use. Faster pages help visitors find information without delay and can encourage them to stay and explore.

Enhances user experience

A website health check can enhance user experience by identifying issues that make a site difficult or frustrating to use. It can uncover slow-loading pages, broken links, confusing navigation, hard-to-read content and problems with forms or mobile layouts. Fixing these issues helps visitors find information more easily, complete tasks with confidence and enjoy a smoother experience across different devices.

Supports search visibility

A website health check can support search visibility by uncovering issues that make it harder for search engines to find, understand or index your pages. Reviewing page titles, headings, broken links, mobile usability and site speed helps ensure your website is accessible and well organised. Regular checks can also highlight outdated content and technical errors, giving you the chance to make improvements that help both search engines and visitors find relevant information.

Checks mobile usability

A website health check reviews how well your site works on mobile devices, where many visitors browse and take action. It can identify problems such as text that is difficult to read, menus that are awkward to use, buttons that are hard to tap and forms that do not display properly. Fixing these issues makes it easier for mobile visitors to find information and complete tasks, helping create a smoother experience across different screen sizes.

Strengthens website security

A website health check helps strengthen security by identifying weaknesses before they can be exploited. It can highlight outdated software, vulnerable plug-ins, weak passwords, unnecessary user accounts and problems with SSL protection. Addressing these issues promptly helps safeguard your website, protect visitors’ personal information and reduce the risk of disruption or reputational damage.

Finds broken links

A website health check can uncover broken links that lead visitors to missing pages or outdated resources. Fixing or replacing these links helps people find the information they need, creates a smoother browsing experience and makes the site feel more reliable. It can also help search engines crawl and understand your website more effectively.

Improves accessibility

A website health check can improve accessibility by identifying barriers that make a site difficult for some people to use. It may highlight issues such as poor colour contrast, missing image descriptions, unclear form labels or pages that cannot be navigated using a keyboard. Addressing these problems helps more visitors access information and complete tasks, while creating a clearer, more inclusive experience for everyone.

Keeps content up to date

A website health check helps keep your content accurate, relevant and useful. It can highlight outdated details, expired offers, broken links and information that no longer reflects your services, so you can make timely updates. Fresh, reliable content helps visitors find the information they need and builds confidence in your website.

Can take time to complete.

A website health check can take time to complete, particularly if the site has many pages, forms or technical features to review. Identifying issues is only part of the process; each problem may also need to be investigated, prioritised and fixed. For a busy organisation, this can mean setting aside staff time or arranging help from a specialist.

May require technical expertise.

A website health check can require technical expertise, particularly when it involves reviewing security settings, diagnosing performance problems or fixing issues with code and server configuration. While basic checks may be manageable without specialist knowledge, more complex findings can be difficult to interpret or resolve, so you may need to involve a web developer or IT professional.

Some tools provide misleading scores.

Some website health check tools provide misleading scores that can make a site appear healthier or less effective than it really is. A high score does not necessarily mean the website is secure, accessible or easy to use, while a low score may reflect minor issues with little impact on visitors. Automated tools can also miss problems that require human judgement, so it’s best to treat scores as a guide, review the findings carefully and prioritise issues according to their real-world importance.

Fixes can involve extra costs.

One potential drawback of a website health check is that fixing the issues it uncovers can involve extra costs. While the check may identify problems such as slow loading times, security weaknesses or accessibility barriers, resolving them could require specialist support, new software or significant development work. It is worth considering these possible costs when planning a review and prioritising the fixes that matter most.

Checks can become outdated quickly.

Website health checks provide a snapshot of a site at a particular moment, so their findings can become outdated quickly. New content, software updates, changes to search engine guidance or emerging security threats may introduce issues soon after a check is completed. For this reason, a one-off review cannot guarantee that a website will remain healthy; regular monitoring and follow-up checks are needed to keep recommendations relevant.

Website Health Check: A Practical Guide to a Faster, Safer Site

Website Health Check: A Practical Guide