Summary
Definition: What is a web audit?
Unlike a simple superficial check, a professional web audit examines in depth all technical and functional aspects of a site: from loading speed to security, including natural referencing (SEO), accessibility and user experience.
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The 5 dimensions of a professional web audit
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1. Performance & Speed
Loading time, server response time, resource optimization (images, CSS, JavaScript), Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS), GZIP/Brotli compression, browser cache.
2. Technical SEO
Meta tags (title, description), semantic HTML structure, Schema.org structured data, XML sitemap, robots.txt, canonicalization, 404 error management, 301 redirects.
3. Accessibility (WCAG)
Color contrast, keyboard navigation, text alternatives (alt), hierarchical structure (headings), form labels, screen reader compatibility, clickable area size.
4. Security
SSL/TLS certificate (HTTPS), security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options), protection against SQL and XSS injections, dependency updates, GDPR cookie policy.
5. UX & Mobile
Responsive design, mobile compatibility (Mobile-First), readable font size, touch spacing, portrait/landscape orientation, browser compatibility, navigation ergonomics.
Bonus: Content & Conversion
Editorial quality, calls to action (CTA), user journey, conversion funnel, optimized forms, landing pages, internal linking.
Why perform a web audit?
Improve your natural referencing (SEO)
An audit identifies technical barriers preventing Google from crawling and indexing your site correctly. By fixing these issues (missing tags, slow speed, duplicate content), you improve your ranking in search results and generate more qualified organic traffic.
Increase your conversion rate
A slow or poorly designed site drives visitors away. The audit reveals friction points in the user journey (complex forms, inconspicuous CTAs, confusing navigation) and allows you to optimize the experience to convert more visitors into clients.
Reduce your acquisition costs
An optimized site costs less to promote. With better SEO, you depend less on paid advertising. With a better conversion rate, every euro invested in marketing yields more. The audit maximizes your digital ROI.
Ensure regulatory compliance
GDPR, WCAG accessibility, data security: an audit verifies that your site respects legal obligations and avoids risks of sanctions or lawsuits. It is particularly crucial for e-commerce sites and B2B services.
Anticipate problems before they impact your revenue
A regular audit detects technical problems (broken links, expired SSL certificate, security flaws) before they affect user experience and your sales. It is preventive maintenance for your digital business.
Make informed decisions on your web investments
Before redesigning your site or investing in a new feature, the audit tells you precisely what works and what doesn't. You prioritize improvements that will have the most impact and avoid unnecessary expenses.
Methodology: How to perform a web audit?
A professional web audit follows a rigorous multi-step methodology to ensure comprehensive analysis and actionable recommendations:
Definition of scope and objectives
Before starting the technical analysis, it is essential to clearly define the audit objectives: improve SEO, optimize conversions, comply with GDPR, prepare a redesign? This step determines the priority evaluation criteria and the level of detail required.
Technical site crawl
Automated tools (Screaming Frog, Sitebulb, etc.) crawl all site pages to identify technical issues: 404 errors, multiple redirects, broken links, missing tags, duplicate content, etc. This step generates thousands of data points.
Performance analysis
Precise measurement of loading times on mobile and desktop with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, Lighthouse or WebPageTest. Identification of resources slowing down the site (unoptimized images, blocking scripts, lack of cache).
In-depth SEO evaluation
Verification of SEO quality: title/meta tag structure, on-page optimization, structured data, indexability, sitemap, robots.txt, information architecture, internal linking. Comparison with Google 2026 best practices.
WCAG accessibility tests
Automatic and manual verification of compliance with WCAG 2.1 AA standards: color contrast, keyboard navigation, text alternatives, semantic structure, compatibility with assistive technologies.
Security audit
Scan for known vulnerabilities, verification of security headers (CSP, HSTS, X-Frame-Options), SSL certificate validation, injection protection test, cookie policy analysis and GDPR compliance.
User experience (UX) analysis
Qualitative evaluation of design, ergonomics and user journey: intuitive navigation, CTA clarity, responsive design, content readability, conversion journey fluidity. Tests on different devices and browsers.
Synthesis and prioritization of recommendations
Compilation of all results into a structured report with a global score, prioritized recommendations (high/medium/low impact), concrete correction examples, and a step-by-step action plan.
Web audit tools and automation
Performing a manual web audit of 100+ criteria would take dozens of hours. Fortunately, professional tools automate the majority of technical checks. Here are the main categories of tools:
Free consumer tools
- Google PageSpeed Insights: performance and Core Web Vitals analysis
- Google Search Console: indexing, crawl errors, SEO performance
- GTmetrix: detailed loading speed analysis
- WAVE: visual and interactive accessibility audit
Paid professional tools
- Screaming Frog SEO Spider: comprehensive technical crawl (desktop version)
- Sitebulb: visual audit and professional client reports
- Ahrefs Site Audit: technical SEO + site health monitoring
- SEMrush Site Audit: complete SEO, performance and security analysis
Automated SaaS solutions (like Oplia)
- Audit generation via simple dashboard
- Customizable branded PDF reports with your logo
- Audit tracking and history dashboard
- Automation for B2B sales prospecting
Web audit as a sales prospecting tool
Immediate expertise demonstration
Sending a free audit BEFORE asking for a meeting instantly proves your added value. The prospect concretely sees their site's problems and positions you as an expert.
3x higher response rate
According to our data, an email containing a personalized audit generates 15-18% response rate vs 3-5% for a classic cold email. The audit creates psychological reciprocity.
Automatic prospect qualification
If a prospect does not respond to a free audit revealing critical problems on their site, it is likely they are not ready to invest. You save commercial time.
Data-based argumentation
The audit provides factual arguments to justify your rates and recommendations. You are no longer selling abstract services but solutions to identified problems.
How to use web audit in prospecting?
- 1Targeting: Identify prospects with visibly obsolete or slow sites (bad PageSpeed score, dated design, non-mobile).
- 2Generation: Use Oplia to create a branded PDF audit in 2 minutes with your logo and contact details.
- 3Cold email sending: "Hello [Name], I noticed that [company].com had a few improvement opportunities. Here is a free audit I made for you."
- 4Follow-up: If no response within 5 days, follow up: "Did you have time to check the audit? I identified 3 quick wins that could improve your conversions by 20%."
- 5Meeting: The audit serves as a discussion base for the sales call. You start with a head start: the prospect already knows their problems and recognizes you as an expert.
