Thinking about improving your website or starting a new one? One important step you certainly don’t want to skip is a competitor website audit. It might sound a bit technical, but don’t worry—I’ll guide you through it in simple terms.
Why Conduct a Competitor Website Audit?
Imagine you’re about to open a new coffee shop. You’d visit other coffee shops to see what they offer, right? You’d check their menus, ambiance, prices, and customer service. Conducting a competitor website audit is just like that, but for your online presence. It helps you understand what works and what doesn’t, so you can create a website that truly shines.
Step 1: Identify Competitors
First, find out who you’re in a game with. Look for businesses offering similar products or services and those targeting the same audience with different offerings. Don’t forget about the rising stars either!
Step 2: Peek at Their Website Layout and Usability
Visit their websites. Is it easy to find information? Is the design attractive? Does it work well on mobile devices? Take notes on what you like and what could be improved. You can use our checklist to have a full image about their site.
Step 3: Analyse Their Content
Content is king! Look at the quality and relevance of their blogs, videos, and other materials. Are they using keywords effectively? How often do they update their content? This will give you ideas for your own site.
Step 4: Check Their Technical Performance
Nobody likes a slow website. Use tools like Google PageSpeed Insights to see how fast their pages load. Also, make sure their site is secure (look for HTTPS).
Step 5: Understand Their SEO and Traffic
Use tools like Ahrefs or SimilarWeb to see where their traffic comes from (search engines, social media, etc.). Check their search engine rankings and backlink profiles to understand their SEO strategies. If you have a subscription to these platforms you can get regular reports too.
Step 6: Evaluate User Engagement
Look at their social media presence. Which platforms are they active on? How engaged are their followers? Check for interactive elements on their site like quizzes, reviews, or user forums.
Step 7: Look at Conversion Tactics
Notice how they encourage visitors to take action. Are their call-to-actions (CTAs) clear and compelling? How do they capture leads—through forms, landing pages, or pop-ups? Don’t forget to observe the wording, the tone of voice of their buttons.
Step 8: Identify Their Unique Selling Proposition (USP)
What makes them stand out? What story are they telling? Analyse how they communicate their unique value to customers. This can inspire you to highlight what sets your business apart.
Step 9: Gather Customer Feedback
Check reviews and ratings on sites like Google and Yelp. See what customers are saying about their experiences. Also, evaluate their customer support options to see how they handle inquiries and issues.
Step 10: Summarize Your Findings
Create a list of strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) based on your findings. Compare their strategies to your own and find areas where you can improve. At this point you are ready to choose a path that resonates your values and is really helpful for your audience.
Competitor Website Audit: Final Words
By conducting a competitor website audit, you can gain valuable insights into what works well in your industry and identify opportunities to enhance your own online presence. It’s a crucial step to ensure your website not only meets but exceeds customer expectations. Happy auditing!
Does it sound too much? Contact us for help. If you need a website design audit for your site, we are happy to help with that too.