Could your Website Design use a Health Check-up?

Stethescope illustration on top of an illustration of a laptop

If your website looks ok design-wise but isn't bringing in leads, clicks, or calls, it may be time for a website design wellness checkup. A quick scan using our 10-point checklist can reveal opportunities for conversion and AI and search engine scanability.

For Madison-area businesses, this matters even more. Local search depends on strong service pages, accurate location signals, helpful FAQs, and content that answers real questions from real people. When those pieces are missing, even a beautiful site can quietly underperform.

Why a Website Checkup Matters

A website is not a "set it and forget it" marketing tool. Search visibility depends on consistent updates, clear structure, and content that tells people and search engines what your business does, who you serve, and where you work.

That is especially true now that search behavior has shifted. People still use Google, but they also ask AI tools questions like Who designs affordable websites in Madison? or Who can help a small business improve its website content? Helpful, well-structured pages are more likely to earn mentions in those answers.

Related Article: The Future of SEO: Getting Found by AI

Tingalls’ Simple 10-Point Website Wellness Checklist

1. Can a Visitor Tell What You Do in 5 Seconds?

Your homepage should immediately explain what your business does, who you help, and where you work. If a visitor lands on your site and sees only a clever tagline, they may still have no idea what services you offer.

Add plain-English headlines such as “Custom Website Design for Madison, WI Businesses” and a short sentence underneath describing that services.

2. Does Every Core Service You Offer Have Its Own Page?

One generic services page is too confusing for search engines.

Create separate service pages with keyword-rich, helpful content. This will help AI and search engines understand your offerings and give you more opportunities to rank for local search phrases.

3. Are Your Page Titles and Meta Descriptions Doing Their Job?

Your title tag and meta description are often the first thing a potential customer sees in search results. Clear, keyword-rich titles improve understanding and can increase click-through rates.

Quick fix: Make sure every page has a unique title and description that includes a local phrase like Madison, WI or Dane County where appropriate.

4. Are Your Headlines Keyword-Friendly?

Headlines and subheads help readers scan your page, and they also help search engines understand the topic. Using phrases people actually search for makes the page more relevant.

Instead of a vague heading like “Services”, use something clearer like “Website Design Services for Madison Small Businesses.”

5. Is Your Content Written for Real People?

Your website should sound human, not robotic. Good SEO content explains things clearly, answers common questions, and avoids stuffing the same keyword into every paragraph.

A simple rule: if the copy sounds awkward when you read it out loud, it probably needs work.

6. Do Your Images Help or Hurt Your SEO?

Images should not be uploaded with file names like “IMG_4029.jpg”. Descriptive file names and alternate text tags help with accessibility and help search engines understand what is on the page.

Quick fix: Rename files before uploading, i.e., “website-design-madison-wi-homepage.jpg” and add alt text that naturally describes the image, i.e., “Squarespace website design for local dental office, Dane Dental.”

7. Are You Answering Real Customer Questions?

FAQs are one of the easiest ways to improve both SEO and AI visibility. They mirror the questions people type into Google and ask tools like ChatGPT and Perplexity. For example:

How much does website design cost in Madison, WI?
How long does it take to build a new website?
Is Squarespace or WordPress better for my business?

Not sure what FAQs to include? This is a great query for ChatGPT.

8. Is Your Website Clearly Stating Your Location and Where You Serve Clients?

If you want to rank locally, your site should naturally mention where you work. i.e., Madison, Fitchburg, Sun Prairie, Middleton, Verona, and Dane County should appear in headlines, body copy, image alt text, and testimonials when relevant.

A business that serves local clients should sound local online. That helps both readers and search engines connect the dots.

9. Is Your Site Easy to Use on a Phone?

A website can look great on desktop and still frustrate mobile visitors. Buttons should be easy to tap, text should be readable, and forms should be short and simple.

If your phone number is buried or your contact form is difficult to complete, you are probably losing leads.

10. Do You Have Proof That Builds Trust?

Testimonials, reviews, and examples of past work make a big difference. They reassure visitors they are working with a business that is responsive, creative, and easy to work with.

"I had some rough ideas about what I wanted in a website and the Tingalls team worked their magic to bring them to life in ways that exceeded my expectations."

"They helped make our whole website redesign a breeze… we were able to get just the website we were looking for."

Pro Tip: Ask clients to include the service or product they purchased and questions like “What surprised you most about working with my company?” or “What was your favorite part?”

Or, better yet, ask them to comment on one or more of your company’s core differentiators. This way, you get a variety of different testimonials vs. just “We loved working with you” which isn’t really helpful.

What to Fix First

If your website audit turns up several boxes “unchecked”, don't panic. Start with the updates that can improve both user experience and local SEO first and then tackle the rest.

You’d be surprised how some of this low-hanging fruit can really make a difference in visitor conversion and search engine ranking!

Want us to take a Peek?

Tingalls offers a free 15-minute Zoom consultation, and together, we can get a few of these boxes checked!