Websites need maintaining. Software updates, evolving strategies, many edits by many different users—a website can get messy and out-of-date quickly. Routine audits help keep things current and clean, staving off the need for a complete rebuild.

How thorough or frequent you website audit is up to you, but we recommend using this simple framework on at least an annual basis:

1. Front-End Responsiveness & User Experience

Your website should look clean, legible, and trustworthy on every screen size—from a 27-inch monitor to an iPhone 8 that’s been through a decade of wear and tear.

Start with your browser’s Inspect tool and preview your site at common breakpoints (desktop, tablet, mobile). Look for:

  • Text or headlines that jump out of place

  • Buttons that disappear or overlap

  • Images cutting off important content

  • Navigation menus breaking or wrapping strangely

While you’re at it, take a pass through a few browsers (Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Edge). If something feels clunky or confusing, it probably is.

Good UX is invisible—and that’s the goal.

2. Speed & Performance Optimization

A slow site is a silent traffic killer. Supporters won’t wait 8 seconds for a page to load when they’re trying to donate, sign up, or learn more about your work.

Run your site through speed-testing tools like Google PageSpeed Insights or GTmetrix.

A few things to watch for:

  • Large images that need compression

  • CSS or JavaScript files that could be minified

  • Missing caching or lazy loading

  • Weak server/hosting performance

If your site feels slow to you, it feels even slower to your audience.

3. Accessibility Compliance

Accessibility isn’t optional. It’s an expression of your mission.

Use tools like WAVE or Chrome Lighthouse to check for:

  • Missing alt text

  • Poor color contrast

  • Incorrect heading structure (e.g., multiple H1s)

  • Buttons or menus that can’t be used with a keyboard

  • Missing ARIA labels

Accessibility issues disproportionately impact the very communities most nonprofits serve. Fixing them is both a values decision and a smart strategic one.

4. SEO: Help the Right People Find You

Search engine optimization (SEO) can feel overwhelming, but the essentials are straightforward—and they matter:

  • Confirm indexability: clean robots.txt, accurate XML sitemap, and correct Yoast or Rank Math settings

  • Review on-page basics: clear meta titles/descriptions, meaningful alt tags, a single H1 per page, and strong internal linking

  • Fix structural issues: broken links, unnecessary redirects, and inconsistent URLs

Good SEO is slow and steady—and routine audits keep everything on track.

5. Back-End Content & CMS Housekeeping

A disorganized back end leads to a disorganized front end. Websites tend to accumulate clutter—old drafts, unused media, forgotten page templates, and categories nobody can explain.

Do a quick clean-through:

  • Remove unused images in the media library

  • Delete old pages or drafts that no longer serve a purpose

  • Review and consolidate categories for posts, portfolios, FAQs, and other content types

  • Standardize naming conventions for templates, containers, and reusable blocks

Your website—and your brain—will feel lighter.

6. Security & Core Maintenance

Security isn’t glamorous, but it’s essential. Run a check for:

  • Up-to-date software, themes, and plugins

  • Plugins that are outdated, abandoned, or duplicative

  • Strong login protections (2FA, reCAPTCHA, limited login attempts)

  • A consistent site backup schedule

If your backups aren’t automated and stored offsite, fix that today. It’s the cheapest insurance policy you will ever buy.

7. Forms & Functionality Testing

Every nonprofit website depends on forms: donor forms, volunteer sign-ups, contact forms, interest forms, appointment requests. When they break, opportunities disappear.

Test every form:

  • Does it submit properly?

  • Does it trigger the right email notifications?

  • Does it sync with Salesforce, Mailchimp, Bloomerang, or the CRM you rely on?

If one form breaks, it usually isn’t alone.

8. Data & Analytics Tracking

Analytics are only useful if they’re accurate. Take 5 minutes to verify that:

  • Google Analytics is installed across every page and template

  • Events (form submissions, outbound clicks, video plays) are firing correctly

  • Conversions are still aligned to your goals

  • Your cookie banner is functioning the way it should

Without clean data, you’re flying blind.

9. Hosting, Backups & Infrastructure

This one’s easy to overlook, but it matters. Review your:

  • Hosting plan (Is it fast enough? Secure enough? Scalable enough?)

  • PHP version (is it current?)

  • Backup frequency and restore process

  • Staging site (are you safely testing updates before pushing live?)

If you’ve had the same hosting setup for years, it might be time for an audit there, too.

Final Thoughts

A website audit doesn’t have to be intimidating. In fact, it should make everything easier: content updates, donor engagement, SEO, security, you name it.

The key is building a routine: set a reminder, walk through this checklist, and your website will stay healthier for the long term. And if you want a partner who can run deeper audits, fix the issues we uncover, or manage your site proactively so you never have to think about updates again, Hoan Marketing is here to help.

Ready to get your audit rolling? Book a free consultation today.