Web · Website Redesign
Website Audit Before a Redesign
A website audit is the structured diagnostic you run before committing to a redesign budget. It tells you which pages are losing traffic, where visitors drop off, what is slowing load times, and whether a full redesign is actually what you need or whether targeted fixes would do the job faster and for less.
We audit acrossCore Web VitalsGoogle Search ConsoleScreaming FrogHotjarLighthouseGA4
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What it is
What does a pre-redesign website audit cover?
A pre-redesign audit is a structured review of your current site across four dimensions: technical performance (page speed, Core Web Vitals, crawlability), SEO health (ranking pages, broken links, indexing gaps, redirect chains), user experience (heatmaps, drop-off points, navigation problems), and content quality (thin pages, duplicate content, messaging clarity). The output is a prioritised findings report that maps every issue to a clear recommendation.
The audit answers the question you need answered before you spend money: do you need a full redesign, a targeted set of fixes, or something in between? Many sites have one or two high-impact problems that a redesign would solve indirectly while introducing new ones. We will tell you plainly if a full rebuild is not the right move, and point you to the service that is.
What's included
What the audit covers
Performance reviewCore Web Vitals, Lighthouse scores, and page speed measured on real devices and connections.
SEO health checkCrawl of all indexed pages to surface broken links, redirect chains, thin content, and indexing gaps.
UX and drop-off analysisHeatmap and session data review to locate where visitors leave and which flows break down.
Conversion gap auditReview of CTAs, form placements, and page hierarchy against your actual conversion goals.
Content quality reviewAssessment of page-level content for thin copy, duplication, outdated information, and messaging clarity.
Accessibility checkAutomated scan against WCAG 2.2 AA criteria to flag compliance gaps before the redesign begins.
Prioritised findings reportA ranked list of issues with clear recommendations, so you know what to fix first and what can wait.
How we work
How we run the audit
1Scope and access
We confirm your goals, connect Google Search Console and GA4, and crawl the full site.
2Technical performance scan
We run Lighthouse and Core Web Vitals tests across key page templates on desktop and mobile.
3SEO and crawl analysis
We map your indexed pages, identify ranking assets worth protecting, and flag technical SEO issues.
4UX and conversion review
We analyse heatmaps, session recordings, and funnel data to find the drop-off points that cost you leads.
5Content and accessibility audit
We review content quality across top pages and run an automated WCAG 2.2 AA compliance scan.
6Report and recommendations
We deliver a prioritised report and a 60-minute walkthrough so every finding is actionable.
Why it matters
What you get from the audit
A pre-redesign audit means your budget goes to the problems that actually matter, not to rebuilding things that were working.
A clear brief for the redesign
You go into the build knowing exactly which problems the new site must solve, rather than guessing.
SEO assets protected from day one
Ranking pages and link equity are identified before the build so nothing is accidentally lost in migration.
Budget confidence
You know whether a full redesign is justified or whether targeted fixes deliver the same result at a fraction of the cost.
Who this is best for
The right fit
Best before any significant redesign or replatform
Teams who are considering a redesign but are unsure of scope, or who have had a previous redesign harm their traffic, get the most value. Also right for any site that has grown organically and never had a structured review.
You might not need a standalone audit
If you have already decided to redesign and have a clear brief, the audit is built into our SEO-Safe Redesign process. A standalone audit makes most sense when you are still deciding whether to rebuild at all.
FAQs
Common questions about pre-redesign audits
Do I need an audit before a redesign?
Not always, but skipping it is a common reason redesigns fail to improve results. Without an audit, it is easy to spend the budget on visual changes while leaving the actual problems, such as slow load times, broken funnels, or lost rankings, untouched. An audit takes a week and can prevent a six-figure redesign from missing its goals.
What is the difference between a website audit and a redesign?
An audit is a diagnostic: it identifies what is wrong and what is working. A redesign is the build that fixes what the audit found. Running an audit first means the redesign has a specific, evidence-based brief rather than a list of aesthetic preferences.
How long does a pre-redesign audit take?
For most sites, one to two weeks from access to final report. Larger sites with complex analytics setups or thousands of pages may take three to four weeks. [verify] We confirm the timeline at the scope stage.
Will the audit tell me if I actually need a redesign?
Yes, and that is one of its main purposes. Some sites have one or two fixable problems, not a systemic issue that requires a rebuild. If targeted fixes are the right answer, we will say so and scope them instead.
What does a website audit report include?
A prioritised list of findings across performance, SEO, UX, conversion, content, and accessibility, each with a clear recommendation and an indication of effort versus impact. You also get a 60-minute walkthrough so every item is understood before the build begins.
Can you audit a site built on any platform?
Yes. The audit is platform-agnostic: we work with WordPress, Webflow, Shopify, custom builds, and anything else. The findings apply regardless of what the site is built on, and the recommendations account for your platform when scoping fixes.
11Selected work
Redesigns that moved the numbers.
Proof over promises, a sample of redesign and rebuild engagements, with the before/after that mattered. Filter by what you care about.
12In their words
In our clients' words.
Image, audio and video, because trust reads differently in each.
Not sure if you need a redesign?
Get a free site audit and we will tell you honestly what your site needs, whether that is a full rebuild, targeted fixes, or something in between.
Get your free site audit