Why I Asked Someone Else To Audit Our Website (And You Should Too)

Getting someone else to audit your website is uncomfortable. Actually, if we’re being honest here – it’s really kinda terrifying.

I’ve audited many sites for all sorts of businesses and organizations – construction companies, home services businesses, bars/restaurants, health and wellness providers, nonprofit organizations, and the list goes on. I’ve gotten pretty damn good at spotting conversion killers and navigation nightmares. But here’s the thing… When it came to OUR business, I was just way too close to see it clearly.

Every time I looked at our site, I kept second-guessing myself and wondering, “Am I actually talking to our clients the way they need to hear it? Or am I just saying what I think sounds good?”

Sound familiar?

Ever miss an obvious typo in your own writing because your brain knew what you meant to say? I once proofread a branded file folder no less than five times, sent them to print, and only when I took the first one out of the box did I realize it said commmunications instead of communications. Did you notice the extra m? Yeah, my eyeballs completely missed it…

Our site spoke clearly to an audience, but was it speaking to the right one? Or were those words just floating around in an echo chamber and not hitting with our ideal client?

So I did something that felt a little uncomfortable but totally necessary. I handed our site over to someone else I trusted for a fresh pair of eyes. No influence, no “but I really love this part,” just honest feedback about whether the site was actually meeting our audience where they were.

And ugh, was it humbling. Turns out, even strategists need strategists sometimes.

The feedback wasn’t brutal, but it was eye-opening. Things I thought were crystal clear? Not so much. Sections I was proud of? They were actually creating confusion instead of connection. Our messaging was solid, but our words weren’t talking to the audience we had identified as our target.

Your expertise can become a blind spot. I got so caught up in crafting clear, guided copy that I totally overlooked whether those carefully chosen words were actually meant for the people we were trying to reach.

Assuming people just get what makes you different is a missed opportunity on repeat. Every visitor who landed on our site and couldn’t figure out why we weren’t like other web designer agencies they spoke to? That was on us. Spoiler alert… they didn’t get it.

Fresh eyes catch what familiar ones miss. After staring at the same pages for months, I’d stopped seeing them as prospective clients would. I needed someone who didn’t already know our story to tell me where we were losing people.

Here’s what happens when you try to audit your own site:

• You know what each section is supposed to do, so you can’t see when it’s failing
• You understand your industry jargon, so you don’t catch when you’re speaking over people’s heads
• You’re emotionally attached to certain elements (that pretty hero image, that clever headline) even when they’re not working
• You fill in gaps with knowledge your visitors don’t have

Look, I’m not saying you should go stand in the corner or put yourself in a timeout. You’re human, plain and simple, and we could all use a little outside guidance now and again.

I totally get it. Asking for feedback on something you’ve poured your heart into feels vulnerable as hell. But here’s how you can make it easier:

Start with specific questions. Instead of “What do you think of my website?” try “If you knew nothing about my business (or organization), how easy is it to figure out what we do?”

Ask someone who’s not afraid to be honest (even if it’s a little brutal). Sometimes that’s a friend who tells it like it is, sometimes it’s bringing in an outside perspective like ours. Either way, you want someone who cares more about helping you than sparing your feelings.

Focus on clarity, not perfection. The goal isn’t to create the world’s most beautiful website (that’s just an added benefit). It’s to create one that actually works for your business and looks good while doing it. Your website is never truly done. It’s a constantly evolving representation of your business that welcomes visitors to experience you and your business every day.

I could have overthought each piece of feedback and debated every suggestion, but instead I ripped off the bandaid and got to work.

I updated the layout and gave it more space to breathe, updated our messaging to actually speak to our target, and highlighted how working with us is different than working with others.

The result? A website that felt more like us than it ever has. Bonus – it’s actually a much better experience for our clients and prospects too. Full transparency time… I’m still working through updating all the pages, but the changes I’ve made so far have been worth every bit of that uncomfortable feedback.

Have you ever had to step back and let someone else critique something you created? It’s humbling, but totally worth it.

If your website isn’t bringing in the leads you need, the problem might not be your business. It might be that you’re too close to see what’s really happening. Your website should be working for you 24/7 like your most reliable team member – but if it’s not actually connecting with the right people, it’s just sitting there looking pretty instead of doing its job.

You’re investing in your website anyway (or already have). Shouldn’t you make sure it’s actually the right investment? Sometimes the best money you can spend is getting an outside perspective on whether your site is working for the people you’re trying to reach.

Because at the end of the day, your website isn’t about you. It’s about them.

Second-guessing how well your website is actually connecting with your customers? Let’s chat.