As we step into 2025, it’s the perfect time to ensure your website is in top shape for the year ahead. A well-maintained website not only boosts user experience but also enhances search engine rankings and increases conversions. Here are 10 essential health checks to keep your website performing at its best:
Focus on Mobile-First Design
With over half of all internet browsing happening on mobile devices, mobile optimization is no longer optional—it’s essential. Every website we design is built with a mobile-first approach, ensuring seamless functionality and an attractive display on all devices, from smartphones and tablets to laptops and desktops.
A responsive, mobile-friendly design not only enhances the user experience by making navigation effortless for your visitors, but it’s also a crucial ranking factor in Google’s algorithm. Prioritising mobile optimisation doesn’t just keep your audience happy—it gives your SEO a significant boost too!
Check Google Analytics Is Installed and Working
Having a website means you have access to valuable insights about how visitors interact with your pages, and tools like Google Analytics make this information easily accessible. Ensure Google Analytics (or your preferred analytics tool) is correctly installed and actively tracking data. By analysing user behaviour, you can identify opportunities to improve your site’s navigation, update images, refine headings, and optimise yxour copy to drive more conversions. Data empowers you to make smarter, evidence-based decisions—so don’t let it go to waste. Dive into your analytics and put that data to work!
Evaluate Your Target Keywords
If your business serves local customers, focusing on local SEO is a must in 2025. While word of mouth is powerful, optimising your website for local searches can take your visibility to the next level. By targeting keywords that combine your services with your geographic location, you make it easier for nearby customers to find you online.
We’ve seen incredible success with this strategy for our clients, helping them connect with their communities and drive more local traffic. Need help refining your approach? Let us help you unlock the full potential of local SEO and boost your business’s visibility!
Run a Website Speed Test
In today’s fast-paced digital world, a quick-loading website isn’t just nice to have—it’s essential. Visitors expect pages to load almost instantly, and delays can lead to frustration and lost opportunities. Moreover, slow page speeds can negatively affect your SEO, as search engines prioritise fast-loading sites.
We use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and GTMetrix to evaluate your website’s performance and address any speed issues. Whether it’s optimising images, removing unnecessary plugins, refining code, or upgrading your hosting, we ensure your site runs at top speed.
Speed matters—not just for user experience but for your search rankings too. Make it a priority!
Test Emails on Your Contact Forms
A broken contact form means lost leads. Test all forms to ensure emails are being sent and received correctly. Ensure the correct email address is receiving your contact from submissions. If you’re using tools like WP Mail SMTP, double-check its configuration.
We also add an extra fail-safe into our client websites, we store all email submissions into a database which you can easily export to CSV, these get stored whether the email gets delivered or not. Just another step we take to ensure your business runs as smooth as it can!Audit Your Content
Is your content still relevant and engaging? Regularly updating your website content not only keeps it engaging for visitors but also gives your SEO a significant boost. Adding new blogs, case studies, or refreshing existing page content signals to both users and search engines that your business is active, informed, and relevant.
Fresh material helps you stay top-of-mind for your audience and shows search engines that your site deserves attention. If you’re struggling for ideas, we’re here to help. Let’s turn customer FAQs, client success stories, and industry insights into compelling content that resonates with your audience!
Check and Fix Broken Links
Broken links are more than just an annoyance—they can harm your website’s SEO and frustrate your visitors, leading to a poor user experience. When a user clicks on a link that leads to a “404 Page Not Found” error, it not only disrupts their journey but also signals to search engines that your website might not be properly maintained.
To stay on top of this, regularly scan your website for broken links using tools like Screaming Frog, Broken Link Checker, or Google Search Console. Once identified, fix these issues by updating the links, redirecting them to relevant pages, or removing them entirely if they’re no longer necessary.
Maintaining healthy, functional links across your site ensures smooth navigation for your visitors and signals professionalism and attention to detail to both users and search engines. Make this part of your regular website maintenance routine to keep your site in top shape!
Perform a Security Check
Website security is non-negotiable. A secure site not only protects your data but also builds trust with your visitors. Start by ensuring you have an SSL certificate installed—this encrypts data and displays the secure padlock icon in browsers. Without it, your site may be flagged as unsafe, deterring users and harming your SEO.
Use strong, unique passwords for all website accounts, and regularly update them to reduce the risk of unauthorised access. Enhance your defenses with firewalls and security plugins such as Wordfence or Sucuri to block potential threats and monitor for suspicious activity.
Regularly back up your website to ensure you can quickly restore it in case of a security breach or other issues. Security is critical, so make it a priority to keep your website and its users safe!
Assess Your Call-to-Actions (CTAs)
Your call-to-actions (CTAs) are the driving force behind conversions on your website. Are they clear, compelling, and easy to spot? A great CTA should guide your visitors toward taking the next step, whether it’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or contacting you for more information.
Start by reviewing the placement and visibility of your CTAs. Are they positioned where users are most likely to see them? Use action-oriented language that resonates with your audience and creates a sense of urgency or excitement.
Optimising your CTAs isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about functionality and persuasion. Regularly analyse their performance and refine them to maximise conversions and achieve your goals.
Update Plugins, Themes, and Software
Keeping your website’s plugins, themes, and software up-to-date is critical for both security and functionality. Outdated components can create security vulnerabilities, making your site an easy target for hackers and malware.
Regularly check for updates to your CMS (such as WordPress), themes, and plugins, and apply them promptly. Updates often include patches for security issues, bug fixes, and performance improvements, ensuring your website runs smoothly and securely.
Staying on top of updates not only protects your site but also ensures it remains compatible with the latest technologies, providing a better experience for your users. Make it a routine part of your website maintenance to stay secure and up-to-date!
Should you need this burden managed on your behalf we provide affordable, stress free support plans that take away the pain points of maintaining and updating your website, plugins and software.Conclusion
We understand that maintaining a website can be time-consuming and overwhelming, especially when juggling other aspects of your business. That’s why we offer affordable, stress-free support plans designed to take the hassle out of website maintenance. From updating plugins and themes to fixing broken links and performing regular security checks, we’ll handle the technical side so you can focus on growing your business.
Let us be your partner in ensuring your website is always in top shape. Contact us today to learn more about our support plans and how we can help your business thrive in 2025 and beyond!
Essential website health checks FAQS
What is a website health check and why does it matter?
A website health check is a full review of your site’s performance, security, content, and user experience. It highlights issues before they become problems and ensures your website is working hard for your business — not against it.
How often should I run a website health check?
Most businesses benefit from a full health check at least once a year, with smaller checks every quarter. Regular reviews keep your site secure, fast, and aligned with modern standards — especially as technology evolves.Branding improves user experience by creating consistency across colours, typography, messaging, and layout. When users instantly understand who you are and what you offer, they navigate more confidently and stay on your site longer.
What are the most important website health checks for 2025?
Key checks include speed testing, security audits, mobile optimisation, accessibility compliance, content updates, broken link fixes, plugin reviews, and SEO performance analysis. These areas directly impact user experience and search visibility.
How do website health checks improve security?
Health checks identify vulnerabilities, outdated software, weak passwords, and suspicious activity. Fixing these issues reduces the risk of hacks, data breaches, and downtime — protecting both your business and your customers.
Can website health checks improve my SEO?
Absolutely. Speed, mobile performance, broken links, outdated content, and poor structure all affect your rankings. A thorough health check helps you fix these issues, making your site easier for search engines to crawl and index.
What happens if I ignore website health checks?
Ignoring health checks leads to slow performance, broken features, security risks, outdated content, and lower search visibility. Over time, these issues frustrate customers and cost your business valuable leads.
