A Year End Website Audit You Can Do in One Afternoon

black and white photo of a woman, holding her neck

There’s something about the final stretch of the year that naturally invites reflection. Your projects slow down, your inbox softens, and you can finally take a breath deep enough to notice what needs attention and what’s ready to grow with you.

Your website is one of those quiet companions that benefits from this kind of pause. It doesn’t need a full rebuild to feel fresh. Sometimes small, intentional updates give you the clarity and momentum you need for the year ahead.

Here’s a gentle, practical year end audit you can do in a single afternoon, even if you’re tired or short on capacity. Each step is simple, doable, and designed to help your website feel aligned with where you’re heading next.

1. Start With Your Homepage

Is it telling the right story?

Your homepage sets the tone for everything else on your site. Ask yourself:

• Does the first sentence still reflect what you do and who you work with today
• Are your services and offers clearly visible
• Does the design feel clean and easy to read
• Do your images feel current and aligned with your brand

A quick update to your hero text, a fresh photo, or tightening your top section can immediately elevate the entire site.

2. Check Your Services Page

Is anything outdated or unclear?

This is one of the most visited pages on any small business website, especially for service based businesses. Look for:

• Old pricing or packages you no longer offer
• Services you’ve evolved, expanded, or simplified
• Missing details that clients often ask you about
• Opportunities to add clarity, examples, or visuals

A polished services page increases conversions more than most people realize.

Ready to build your website?

Click below to fill out a short inquiry form. We’ll review your project and email you the next step within 2 business days.

START YOUR PROJECT

THE GOOD CANVAS

3. Refresh Your Portfolio or Testimonials

Are you showcasing your best work?

A year is a long time in business. You’ve likely completed projects, collaborations, or client work that deserve a place on your website.

Choose one or two strong pieces to add. Even a single update signals to both visitors and search engines that your business is active and growing.

4. Look at Your Mobile Experience

Is the site comfortable and intuitive on a phone?

Most visitors view your website on mobile. Check:

• Is the text readable
• Are buttons easy to tap
• Do images scale properly
• Are sections too long or cluttered

A few simple spacing adjustments can instantly improve user experience.

6. Update Your Blog and SEO Basics

Is your content supporting your visibility?

You don’t need to write a new post today. Instead, here are a few things you can do to bring your old ones up to par:

• Update the titles and meta descriptions of your top performers
• Add internal links between older posts
• Refresh outdated information
• Add alt text to any images missing it

These micro updates compound over time and strengthen your visibility in both search and AI driven recommendations.

7. End With a Simple Next Step

What will support you going into the new year?

Maybe it’s adding one new portfolio piece.
Maybe it’s rewriting a headline.
Maybe it’s planning a full refresh in January or February.

Whatever it is, choose one clear next step and let the rest be enough for today.

Your website doesn’t need to be perfect to work beautifully. It just needs to reflect who you are now, not who you were twelve months ago.

Let this small year end audit be a grounding moment, a way to tidy your digital home so you can step into the new year with clarity, ease, and a site that quietly supports everything you’re building.

If you’re looking for a website or brand that feels calm, beautiful, and intentionally crafted; not rushed or templated, we’d love to work with you.

We help creative entrepreneurs bring their vision to life through organic, on-brand content, thoughtful design, and websites that feel like a place someone wants to stay.

Learn more about working together.

BOOK A DISCOVERY CALL HERE

Looking to hire a web designer for your business?

Book a free discovery call where we can have a chat, learn about your business and answer any questions you may have.

GUIDES AND RESOURCES

ABOUT THIS POST

This post is written by Donata Delano – A Web Designer, Professional Artist and Architect based in Burlington, Canada. She specializing in visual communication and web design, creating branding solutions and websites that are thoughtful, unique and aesthetically pleasing.

BACK TO BLOG