Free Website Check: 10 Things a Human Looks At, Not a Bot

Most "free website audit" offers are an automated PDF: a scanner runs, a score comes out, and a salesperson calls you about the score. This one is different. I look at your homepage and one or two service pages myself, run 10 specific checks, and send you a plain-English report within two business days.

It costs $0. It covers the things that quietly cost small businesses leads: exposed files, crawlers being blocked, redirects bouncing around, tracking that isn't firing, and a phone number nobody can tap.

If that sounds useful, request your free check in a short questionnaire. It takes about two minutes. No pressure either way.

What the free website audit checks

Here are the 10 checks, what each one means in plain English, and why I bother with it.

1. Can Google index the site?

I read your robots.txt (a small file that tells search engines where they may go) and your XML sitemap (a list of pages you want found). A leftover "block everything" line from a staging site can hide a whole business from Google. Also worth knowing: robots.txt is not a way to keep a page out of Google, so I check that it's doing the job you think it does.

2. HTTPS and redirect chains

I check that every version of your address (with and without www, http and https) lands on one secure page in a single redirect (an automatic forward from one address to another). Three hops instead of one slows every visitor down and makes Google work harder.

3. Exposed files and directory listings

I look for folders that list their contents to anyone, and for files that should never be public, such as old backups or config copies. On Apache servers, a folder with no index page can show a full listing of its files. This is the free website security check part. I only make normal requests to public pages, the same as any visitor. I don't scan, probe or try to log in.

4. AI crawler access

Can ChatGPT's search crawler reach you? OpenAI says sites that block OAI-SearchBot won't be shown in ChatGPT search answers. I check your robots.txt and look for signs that Cloudflare or a security plugin is turning AI search bots away.

5. Mobile

Google indexes and ranks the mobile version of your site. I load your pages on a phone-sized screen and check that the content matches desktop, the text is readable, and buttons are easy to tap.

6. Speed and Core Web Vitals

Core Web Vitals are Google's measures of loading speed, responsiveness and visual stability. I run your pages through PageSpeed Insights and read the real-visitor data, then tell you which one or two problems matter most.

7. Titles, meta descriptions and headings

These are what people see in search results and the first thing they read on the page. I check that each page has its own clear title, a description that says what you do, and one main heading that matches what the page is about.

8. Broken-link spot check

I click through the menu, footer and main links on the pages in scope. A broken link on a service page is a dead end for a customer who was ready to call.

9. Tracking present

I check whether Google Analytics 4 and Google Tag Manager are actually loading on the pages, using Google's Tag Assistant and the page code. I don't need access to your accounts for this. If tracking is missing or doubled, every marketing decision you make is a guess.

10. Conversion basics

Can a visitor see what you do and how to contact you without scrolling? Is the phone number tap-to-call on mobile? Does the form work, and does it ask for more than it needs? Small fixes here often matter more than rankings.

What it doesn't include

Being clear about scope keeps this honest. The free check does not include:

• Keyword research
• A full crawl of every page on the site
• Backlink analysis
• Implementation (I tell you what's wrong, I don't fix it as part of the check)

If you need the full picture, that's what my paid technical SEO audit is for. If you'd rather work through it yourself, my technical SEO checklist for small sites covers the same ground and more.

How it works

1. You fill in the questionnaire. Your website address, which one or two service pages matter most, your name and email, and anything that's worrying you. That's it. The questionnaire collects only what I need for the check. No passwords, no account logins, ever.
2. I run the 10 checks by hand. A person reads every result, so you don't get a list of 80 "warnings" that don't matter.
3. You get the report within two business days. Each check is marked OK, Watch or Fix, with one or two sentences on why and what to do. The top three fixes sit at the top.
4. You decide what's next. Do it yourself, hand it to your web person, or ask me for a quote. If you want to talk it through, we can set up a short video call.

Who it's for (and who it isn't)

It's a good fit if you run a small or mid-size business in the US or Canada (contractors, clinics, law firms, local retailers, SaaS startups) and you want an honest outside look before spending money.

It isn't the right tool if your site is already hacked or showing a Google warning. That needs action today, not a report in two days, so go straight to hacked website repair. It also isn't a substitute for a full audit on a large store or a site with thousands of pages.

Why it's free, honestly

It's how people get to see how I work before paying for anything. Some will ask me for a quote afterward, and many will fix things themselves or with their own developer. Both are fine outcomes. There's no obligation, no automatic sales sequence, and no "your score is 43, call now" follow-up.

I've spent 20+ years in search marketing, much of it inside servers, .htaccess files and tracking setups. That's why the check includes things like exposed files and crawler access, which automated SEO scanners tend to skip. If you're curious what the paid services cost, everything is on the pricing page.

Free website check FAQ

Is the free website audit really free?

Yes. It costs $0, and you don't need a credit card or a call to get it. You fill in a short questionnaire, I check your homepage and one or two service pages, and you get a written report within two business days. If you want help with the fixes afterward, I can quote you, but there's no obligation to hire me.

Is this an automated scan?

No. I use some tools along the way, like PageSpeed Insights and Google's Tag Assistant, but a person runs each of the 10 checks and writes the report. That means you get the three things that matter most for your site, not a long list of automated warnings. It also means it takes up to two business days instead of two minutes.

Do you need my passwords or account access?

No. The check only uses what any visitor can see on your public pages. I never ask for passwords or logins in the questionnaire. If you later hire me for paid work, access gets set up separately, with your own accounts staying in your name.

Does the free SEO check include keyword research?

No. Keyword research, a full crawl, backlink analysis and implementation are outside the free check. It focuses on 10 technical, security and conversion checks on a few key pages. If you need keyword research or a whole-site review, those are paid services with prices published on the pricing page.

What happens after I get the report?

That's up to you. Many owners pass the report to their web person or fix the items themselves. If you'd like me to handle the fixes, reply to the report and I'll come back with a fixed quote. If you don't reply, I won't chase you.

Get your free check

Ready for an honest look at your site? Start the free website check questionnaire, and you'll have your 10-point report within two business days.