The DIY Mobile-Friendly Website Audit for Small Business Owners (7 Critical Checks)

For the small business owner, your website is your 24/7 storefront. Since Google uses mobile-first indexing and over half your traffic comes from phones, if your site isn't perfectly mobile-friendly, you are losing customers and visibility.

You don't need a developer to spot the major flaws. Here is a simple, DIY website audit checklist focusing on the 7 critical mobile-friendliness checks.

Tool Needed: Your Smartphone (and Google's Free Tools)

Perform this audit directly on your own phone.

Audit Check	Problem (Why it Matters)	DIY Test & Fix
1. The Thumb Test (Tap Targets)	If clickable elements (buttons, menu items, links) are too close, users will tap the wrong thing and get frustrated.	Test: Try navigating your whole site using only your thumb. Fix: Ensure buttons are at least 48px×48px and have ample space around them.
2. Page Speed (Loading Time)	The most critical factor. Slow load times (over 3 seconds) lead to massive visitor abandonment and poor SEO.	Test: Use Google's free PageSpeed Insights tool. Fix: Compress all images (under 200KB is a good goal). Delete unused plugins or themes.
3. Text Readability (Font Size)	Tiny fonts force zooming, which is a major point of friction for mobile users.	Test: Can you comfortably read all body text without zooming in? Fix: Use a default font size of at least 16px for body copy. Use short paragraphs.
4. Viewport Settings (Content Fit)	If the user has to scroll left and right to see all the content, the viewport is not set correctly.	Test: Scroll down your main pages. Does the content flow neatly down, or does it require horizontal scrolling? Fix: Ensure your website theme is truly responsive (it auto-adjusts to the screen size).
5. Pop-Up Interruption (Interstitials)	A full-screen pop-up that appears immediately on a mobile device is highly penalized by Google and infuriates users.	Test: Visit your site. Does a pop-up instantly block the content? Fix: Use small banners or slide-ins, not full-screen pop-ups. Ensure they are easy to close with one tap.
6. The CTA Visibility	The primary goal button (Call-to-Action) should be visible on every screen, even when scrolling.	Test: Scroll down a service page. Does the "Contact Now" or "Book a Quote" button disappear? Fix: Use a sticky CTA bar at the top or bottom of the mobile screen.
7. Phone Number Clickability	A huge oversight for local service businesses. Mobile users should be able to tap a phone number to call immediately.	Test: Tap your listed phone number. Does it instantly prompt a call? Fix: Ensure the number is a click-to-call link (the link code is tel:1234567890).

A mobile-friendly website isn't just a recommendation; it's the cost of entry for successful digital marketing. Fixing these 7 issues will immediately boost your conversion rate and SEO visibility.