How to Check Website Health: Speed, Security and Basic SEO
A slow or insecure website drives visitors away. Here is how to check your website speed, security and basic SEO in one minute.
A website that looks good on your screen is not necessarily healthy for visitors and search engines. Pages that open slowly, certificate problems or empty page titles can quietly reduce visits and potential customers. Regular checks help you find these problems early.
Three areas to check
1. Speed
Speed affects visitor comfort and also Google's assessment. Check speed on both mobile and desktop, because most visitors use phones. Common causes of slow websites include oversized images, excessive scripts and inadequate hosting.
2. Basic security
Make sure the website uses HTTPS with a valid SSL certificate and that all pages redirect to the https version. Also check for outdated JavaScript libraries, because old versions may have publicly known vulnerabilities.
3. Basic SEO
Check that every page has a clear title and description, and that Google is allowed to index it. Small mistakes here, such as a page that is accidentally blocked, can keep important pages out of search results.
The quick way: use a free tool
Our Website Health Check tool checks all three areas at once. Enter your website address, wait about 30 to 60 seconds, and you get a summary of its condition along with improvement notes. The tool only reads pages that are open to the public, just like an ordinary visitor, and no account is needed.
How to read the results
- Good: keep it up, and work on any small notes.
- Needs improvement: the website is still accessible, but some things should be fixed soon so you do not lose visitors.
- Serious problem: prioritise the fix, especially anything related to security and accessibility.
How often should you check?
Ideally every few months, and always after a major change such as a redesign, a hosting move or a CMS update. For an active business website, regular checks are far cheaper than fixing problems after visitors have already left.
Common mistakes
- Testing only on your own laptop and not on a phone.
- Assuming the website is secure because it uses HTTPS, while other components are outdated.
- Never checking page titles and descriptions after the website is finished.
Next steps
Run the Website Health Check on your website today. To find out what technology is behind it, also try What Is This Website Built With?. If the results show a lot that needs fixing, contact us to discuss the improvements.
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