How to do a UX audit of your website, step by step

A UX audit is a structured review of how easy your website is to understand and use. Done well, it gives you a short, prioritised list of changes that make it easier for the right visitors to become customers. Done badly, it's a 60-page document nobody acts on.

This guide is the method we use at Grid Design, simplified so you can run it on your own site in an afternoon.

1. Decide what the site is for

Before you look at a single page, write down the one action that matters most: request a quote, book a demo, buy a product, call you. Every finding later gets judged against that action. A beautiful page that doesn't move people towards it isn't working.

Then write down who it's for, in one sentence. "Homeowners in Leeds who need a boiler fixed this week" is useful. "Everyone" is not.

2. Pick the pages that matter

You don't need to audit every page. Most of the value sits on the pages people pass through on the way to that one action:

• Your homepage, and any landing pages you send ad or email traffic to
• The page that describes what you sell (service, product or features)
• Pricing, if you have it
• Contact, quote, checkout or sign-up: wherever the action happens

3. Look at the first screen, on a phone

Open each page on your phone as if you'd never seen it. Read only what's visible without scrolling, then answer three questions: what does this business do, who is it for, and what should I do next? If you can't answer all three in a few seconds, that's your first finding, and usually your most important one.

4. Check the basics that can be measured

Some problems aren't opinions. Text contrast, image descriptions, tap target sizes, page speed and whether the page scrolls sideways on a phone can all be measured. Measure them first, so the rest of the audit isn't spent arguing about things a tool can settle.

• Run an accessibility checker against WCAG 2.2 AA
• Check page speed on a mobile connection, not your office wifi
• Make sure buttons and links are large enough to tap
• Check the page title and description that appear in Google

5. Walk through it against a checklist

Now review each page against a consistent checklist, grouped into four areas. Consistency matters: if you review by gut feel, you'll notice different things on different days.

Usability

Can people find what they need and act on it? Look at navigation labels, how many competing buttons there are, how long the forms are, and whether anything pops up and gets in the way.

Content

Does the copy say what you do, for whom, and why it matters to them? Look for vague claims, buzzwords, walls of text and headings that don't say anything.

Design

Does the layout guide the eye to what matters? Check visual hierarchy, whether the main button stands out, readability, image quality and anything that looks broken.

Trust

Would a cautious buyer believe you? Look for real reviews and testimonials, real people, clear contact details, honest pricing and guarantees near the point of decision.

Our full UX audit checklist has every check we use, with what to look for and what good looks like.

6. Write findings that someone can act on

For each problem, write down what you saw (quote the actual copy or name the actual element), why it matters, and the specific fix. "Improve the hero" is not a finding. "The headline 'Solutions for tomorrow' doesn't say we install solar panels; change it to 'Solar panels installed in Cornwall in under two weeks'" is.

7. Prioritise by impact and effort

Sort every finding into four groups: high impact and quick to fix (do these this week), high impact but bigger (plan them), lower impact but quick (batch them), and the rest (later). Most sites get most of their improvement from the first group.

8. Fix, then check again

Make the changes, then run the same audit again a few weeks later. Comparing the two is how you know the work paid off, and it's the easiest way to show a client or a boss what changed.

Short on time? AgoraScan runs this whole method automatically: it loads your pages on desktop and mobile, runs the measured checks, reviews the screenshots against the checklist, and gives you the prioritised list with screenshots. The first scan is free.