A strong digital presence isn’t just about aesthetics or flashy interactions – it’s about delivering a seamless, intuitive experience that serves users and supports business goals. That’s where UX audits are handy. Whether you’re noticing a dip in engagement or preparing for a site overhaul, a UX audit can surface critical usability issues and unlock powerful opportunities for growth.
In this article, we’ll explore what a UX audit is, why it matters, the business case behind it, red flags to watch for, common usability issues (with quick wins), and how frequently you should be reviewing your site’s user experience.
What is a UX audit - and why do they matter?
A UX (user experience) audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a website’s usability, functionality, accessibility, and user flow. The goal is to identify friction points that may prevent users from achieving their goals efficiently – whether that’s making a purchase, signing up for a newsletter, or simply finding the right information.
UX audits combine quantitative data (like analytics and heatmaps) with qualitative insights (like user feedback or heuristic evaluations) to provide a well-rounded understanding of where your website’s strengths lie, and where it falls short.
Why it matters:
- Users have an expectation for seamless experiences, so any glitch or confusion can lead them to abandon your site – and go with a competitor’s!
- Search engines reward usability. Good UX supports SEO by improving metrics like dwell time, page load speed, and mobile friendliness
- Fixing UX issues = better ROI – it’s often cheaper to optimise an existing site than to drive more traffic through ads
The business case for UX audits
While UX might sound like a design concern, the implications reach far deeper – poor user experience is actually linked to lost revenue, lower conversion rates, and poor customer retention.
- A UX audit can boost conversions by uncovering barriers in your funnel, like confusing CTAs, poor layout, and lack of trust signals that prevent users from completing transactions. Address these, and you can significantly increase conversion rates without spending extra on marketing
- Bounce rates typically drop after a UX audit because, quite simply, visitors who can’t find what they’re looking for in those key 10-15 seconds will head toward the exit. UX audits focus on optimising navigation and content hierarchy to keep users engaged for longer
- If your site confuses users, they’re more likely to contact support or abandon your services altogether. UX audits help to spot those improvements so the burden on support teams is reduced, making processes clearer and much more intuitive
Think it’s time for a UX audit?
If you’re not sure if it’s time for a UX audit, here are some signs you might need one:
- High bounce rate: if users are landing on your site and leaving almost immediately, it’s likely they aren’t finding what they need, or the experience isn’t engaging enough
- Poor navigation or high exit rates on key pages: users should be able to find their way around without second-guessing
- Drop-off in the conversion funnel: significant user loss between steps in your sign-up or checkout process signals friction!
- Mobile performance issues: with the majority of traffic now coming in from mobile devices, a site that doesn’t adapt responsively or takes too long to load on mobile will hemorrhage users
- Negative user feedback or reviews: customer complaints, poor app ratings, or frustrated comments are a goldmine of UX issues that need addressing
Common UX weak spots, and how to fix them
UX audits frequently uncover similar issues across websites, especially if they haven’t been updated in a while. We’ve compiled a few of the most common – and their actionable fixes.
#1 Slow page load times
Why it matters: Users expect pages to load in under 3 seconds
Quick win: Compress images, leverage browser caching, and consider a content delivery network
#2 Unclear CTAs
Why it matters: Users don’t want to guess what to do next
Quick win: Use action-oriented text like “Get Started” or “Download Free Guide”, and place CTAs where eyes naturally fall
#3 Overwhelming or confusing layouts
Why it matters: Cognitive overload leads to frustration
Quick win: Introduce white space, simplify choices, and follow visual hierarchy principles
#4 Inaccessible design
Why it matters: A large portion of users rely on accessible interfaces (e.g., screen readers, keyboard navigation)
Quick win: Ensure colour contrast meets WCAG standards and add descriptive alt text to images
#5 Inconsistent design elements
Why it matters: Inconsistencies in fonts, buttons, or interaction styles break trust and cause confusion
Quick win: Create and follow a UI style guide or design system
UX audits at Make it Clear
Here at Make it Clear, we conduct UX audits according to best practices to deliver tailored design solutions that will take your product to the next level. For a more detailed breakdown of our UX audit process, check out this article, but here’s a more concise summary of our step-by-step process:
#1 Review of business goals
The audit kicks off by aligning with your business goals to ensure a deep understanding of organisational aspirations
#2 UX maturity survey
Next, we conduct a survey to assess your organisation’s UX maturity using the Nielsen Norman Group’s 6-stage model – from ‘absent’ all the way to ‘user driven’. This helps to identify your current UX standing, and how to advance.
#3 90-minute stakeholder workshop
This collaborative workshop helps identify target users and their journeys, user pain points, accessibility and device standards, competitors, KPIs, and success metrics. Insights gathered at this stage inform proto-personas.
#4 User observations
Six remote user observations are conducted to identify key usability issues, core user needs, and journey friction points. This stage also allows us to gather extensive qualitative responses, and also ask tailored questions in real-time.
#5 Heuristic evaluation
At this stage, the product is assessed against 10 usability heuristics, and each issue is rated on a scale of 1-5 and analysed.
#6 Proto-persona creation
Using both workshop and user observations data, we create three visualised proto-personas to represent key audience segments – these help guide UX decisions going forward so that truly understanding your user base doesn’t stop after the audit.
#7 Final report and recommendations
Findings and insights are compiled into a report with practical recommendations, UX maturity assessment, and strategic next steps to improve user experience.
For more information how to ensure you’re fully prepared for a UX audit, check out this article.
How often should you audit your UX?
There isn’t really a hard rule, but here are a few best practices:
- Major redesigns or feature launches: Audit before and after big updates to ensure changes help, not hinder, the user experience
- Every 6-12 months: For most businesses, a bi-annual or annual UX audit is a good baseline to catch emerging issues and adapt to user expectations
- After noticing a drop in key metrics: If conversions dip or complaints rise, an audit can help pinpoint the root cause quickly
- Ongoing micro-audits: Some companies integrate micro-audits into their design sprints or quarterly reviews to avoid major overhauls later
Final thoughts
A UX audit is not a one-time fix. It’s a continuous effort to align your digital presence with user expectations and business goals. If you regularly identify and address usability issues, you can stay ahead of your competitors, delight your users, and drive better outcomes across the board. The earlier you realise the cracks, the faster you can turn them into opportunities!
Book a call
We’d love to talk to you about how Make it Clear can conduct a UX audit for your digital product. Book a call here.
