Free website check

Check your website on 72 points.

The same 72-point check every Archaeo website passes before it goes live. Type any web address: in about a minute you'll see what works and what to fix, across speed, search, mobile, accessibility, security, trust, leads and technical health.

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The checklist

All 72 points.

What we check, why it matters, and how to fix it. Run a check and every point shows what we found.

Speed

How fast the page arrives, and how light it is.

  1. Google PageSpeed score of 90+ on mobile

    Google's own speed test, run as a mid-range phone.

    How to fix it: Compress images, remove unused scripts and styles, and load what sits below the first screen later.

  2. Server answers in under 0.6 seconds

    A slow server delays everything that comes after it.

    How to fix it: Turn on page caching, and use a faster host or a CDN.

  3. Text files are compressed (Gzip or Brotli)

    Compression makes HTML, CSS and JavaScript up to 70% smaller.

    How to fix it: Turn on Gzip or Brotli on the server or CDN.

  4. HTML under 150 KB

    A heavy page takes longer to download and to read.

    How to fix it: Move inline data and styles into files, and remove unused markup.

  5. No scripts hold up the first paint

    A script in the head without defer or async stops the page from drawing until it loads.

    How to fix it: Add defer to scripts in the head, or move them to the end of the page.

  6. Files are cached for at least a week

    Returning visitors load files from their own device instead of your server.

    How to fix it: Set Cache-Control max-age on CSS, JavaScript and images to a week or more.

  7. Images in WebP, AVIF or SVG

    Modern formats are often a third of the size of JPEG or PNG.

    How to fix it: Convert photos to WebP or AVIF, and icons and logos to SVG.

  8. Images further down load only when needed

    Loading every image at once slows down the first screen.

    How to fix it: Add loading="lazy" to images below the first screen.

  9. Fewer than 60 files on the page

    Every file is another trip to a server.

    How to fix it: Combine files, and remove plugins and widgets you no longer use.

Search (SEO)

What Google needs to find, read and list the page.

  1. Page title of 10–65 characters

    The title is the headline of your result on Google.

    How to fix it: Write a unique title that names the page and the business.

  2. Meta description of 50–160 characters

    Google often shows it under the title.

    How to fix it: Write one or two sentences that make someone want to click.

  3. Exactly one main heading (H1)

    The H1 tells readers and search engines what the page is about.

    How to fix it: Give the page one H1, and use H2 and H3 for its sections.

  4. Headings in order, with no skipped levels

    A clear outline helps search engines and screen readers.

    How to fix it: Go from H1 to H2 to H3 without jumping a level.

  5. Canonical address set

    Stops copies of the page competing with each other in search.

    How to fix it: Add <link rel="canonical"> pointing to the main address of the page.

  6. robots.txt found, and not blocking the site

    Search engines read it before anything else.

    How to fix it: Add a robots.txt that allows crawling and lists your sitemap.

  7. XML sitemap found

    A sitemap lists every page you want found.

    How to fix it: Publish a sitemap (WordPress has one at /wp-sitemap.xml) and list it in robots.txt.

  8. Page can appear on Google

    A noindex tag keeps the page out of search results.

    How to fix it: Remove noindex from the page and from the X-Robots-Tag header.

  9. Structured data search engines can read

    Structured data can earn rich results such as ratings and business details.

    How to fix it: Add JSON-LD for your organisation or local business.

Mobile

How the page works on a phone.

  1. Set up for phone screens (viewport)

    Without it, phones show a shrunken desktop page.

    How to fix it: Add <meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1">.

  2. Visitors can pinch to zoom

    Blocking zoom stops people with low vision from reading.

    How to fix it: Remove user-scalable=no and maximum-scale from the viewport tag.

  3. Layout adapts to the screen size

    Media queries change the layout for phones, tablets and desktops.

    How to fix it: Add responsive CSS with media queries.

  4. Images sized for each screen (srcset)

    Phones then download smaller images.

    How to fix it: Give images srcset and sizes, so each screen gets the right size.

  5. Tap-to-call phone link

    On a phone, one tap should start the call.

    How to fix it: Link your phone number with tel:.

  6. Forms open the right phone keyboard

    Email and phone fields should bring up the @ and number keyboards.

    How to fix it: Use type="email" and type="tel" for those fields.

  7. Home-screen icon

    Shown when someone adds the site to their phone.

    How to fix it: Add an apple-touch-icon, or a web app manifest.

  8. Browser colour set for phones

    Colours the phone browser's bar to match your brand.

    How to fix it: Add <meta name="theme-color">.

  9. No Flash, Java or other plugins

    Phones can't run them, and they are a security risk.

    How to fix it: Replace them with HTML5 video, images or canvas.

Accessibility

Whether everyone can use it, with a screen reader or a keyboard too.

  1. Page language set

    Screen readers use it to pronounce the words correctly.

    How to fix it: Add lang to the html tag, for example lang="en".

  2. Every image has alt text

    Alt text describes images to screen readers and search engines.

    How to fix it: Add alt text, or alt="" to images that are only decoration.

  3. Every form field has a label

    Without a label, a screen reader can't say what to type.

    How to fix it: Link each field to a <label>, or give it an aria-label.

  4. Every link has readable text

    A link with only an icon says nothing to a screen reader.

    How to fix it: Add text, an aria-label, or alt text to the image inside the link.

  5. Every button has a name

    An icon-only button needs a name to be usable.

    How to fix it: Add text or an aria-label to each button.

  6. Skip-to-content link

    Keyboard users can jump past the menu.

    How to fix it: Add a "Skip to content" link as the first thing on the page.

  7. Main content marked (main landmark)

    Lets screen-reader users jump straight to the content.

    How to fix it: Wrap the page content in <main>.

  8. Natural keyboard order (no positive tabindex)

    A positive tabindex makes the Tab key jump around unpredictably.

    How to fix it: Use only tabindex="0" or tabindex="-1".

  9. No duplicate IDs

    Duplicate IDs break labels, links and scripts.

    How to fix it: Make every id on the page unique.

Security

How well the site and its visitors are protected.

  1. Served over HTTPS

    Encrypts everything between visitor and site, and browsers warn without it.

    How to fix it: Install an SSL certificate (free from Let's Encrypt) and use https:// everywhere.

  2. HTTP always redirects to HTTPS

    Someone who types the address without https should still be protected.

    How to fix it: Redirect every http:// address to https:// with a 301.

  3. SSL certificate valid for 30+ days

    An expired certificate shows a full-page browser warning.

    How to fix it: Renew the certificate, or turn on automatic renewal.

  4. HSTS turned on

    Tells browsers to always use HTTPS for your site.

    How to fix it: Send Strict-Transport-Security: max-age=31536000.

  5. Protected from clickjacking

    Stops other sites from showing yours inside a hidden frame.

    How to fix it: Send X-Frame-Options: SAMEORIGIN, or a CSP with frame-ancestors.

  6. File types can't be faked (nosniff)

    Stops browsers treating a file as something it isn't.

    How to fix it: Send X-Content-Type-Options: nosniff.

  7. Referrer policy set

    Controls how much of your addresses other sites can see.

    How to fix it: Send Referrer-Policy: strict-origin-when-cross-origin.

  8. No insecure files on a secure page

    Browsers block or flag http:// files on an https:// page.

    How to fix it: Load every image, script and style over https://.

  9. Software versions not shown

    Version numbers tell attackers which known holes to try.

    How to fix it: Hide version numbers in the Server and X-Powered-By headers and the generator tag.

Content & trust

What tells a visitor this is a real, current business.

  1. Phone or email on the page

    People trust a business they can reach.

    How to fix it: Show your phone number and email, ideally in the header or footer.

  2. Privacy policy linked

    Required by law in many places as soon as you collect any details.

    How to fix it: Publish a privacy policy and link it in the footer.

  3. About page linked

    Visitors want to know who they are dealing with.

    How to fix it: Add an About page and link it in the menu.

  4. Copyright year is current

    An old year makes the site look abandoned.

    How to fix it: Update the footer year, or let it update itself.

  5. Favicon set

    Shown on browser tabs, bookmarks and in search results.

    How to fix it: Add a favicon (Site icon in WordPress).

  6. Share preview set (Open Graph)

    Sets the title, text and image when the page is shared.

    How to fix it: Add og:title, og:description and og:image.

  7. Share image loads

    A broken share image leaves an empty box in chats and posts.

    How to fix it: Point og:image to a working 1200 × 630 image.

  8. At least 300 words of content

    Thin pages are hard to rank and don't answer questions.

    How to fix it: Explain what you do, for whom, and why people choose you.

  9. No placeholder text left

    Lorem ipsum or "Just another WordPress site" looks unfinished.

    How to fix it: Replace every placeholder with real content.

Leads

What turns a visitor into an enquiry.

  1. Clear call to action

    Visitors need to know the next step.

    How to fix it: Add a clear button such as Book a call, Get a quote or Order now.

  2. Contact form or contact page

    Not everyone wants to call.

    How to fix it: Add a short contact form, or link a contact page.

  3. WhatsApp or live chat

    Many customers would rather send a message.

    How to fix it: Add a WhatsApp link (wa.me) or a chat widget.

  4. Visits are measured (analytics)

    Without analytics you can't see what works.

    How to fix it: Install Google Analytics, Plausible or similar.

  5. Forms protected from spam

    Spam buries real enquiries.

    How to fix it: Add a hidden honeypot field or a captcha such as Turnstile.

  6. Forms send over HTTPS

    Details typed into a form should never travel unencrypted.

    How to fix it: Serve the page over HTTPS and point every form to an https:// address.

  7. Reviews or testimonials

    People trust other customers more than adverts.

    How to fix it: Show real reviews, client names or a rating.

  8. Social profiles linked

    Lets visitors see you are active and real.

    How to fix it: Link your Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook or YouTube.

  9. Business details (address or business schema)

    Helps local search, and shows you are a real business.

    How to fix it: Add your address, or Organization or LocalBusiness structured data.

Technical health

Whether pages, links and images work as they should.

  1. Page loads (200 OK)

    Any other answer means visitors or Google may not see it.

    How to fix it: Fix the server error, or the redirect that leads nowhere.

  2. At most one redirect

    Each redirect adds a delay before anything loads.

    How to fix it: Link straight to the final address.

  3. Missing pages return a real 404

    A "page not found" that answers 200 confuses search engines.

    How to fix it: Make missing pages send status 404, with a helpful page.

  4. Modern HTML5 with UTF-8

    Prevents odd layouts and broken characters.

    How to fix it: Start with <!doctype html> and <meta charset="utf-8">.

  5. Links on the page work

    Broken links lose visitors and look careless.

    How to fix it: Fix or remove the links that return errors.

  6. Images load

    Broken images leave gaps and errors.

    How to fix it: Upload the missing images again, or fix their addresses.

  7. One address: www and non-www agree

    Two versions of the site split your search ranking.

    How to fix it: Redirect one version to the other.

  8. No outdated HTML tags

    Tags such as <font> and <center> are no longer part of HTML, and they usually mean the code has not been looked after in years.

    How to fix it: Replace them with modern HTML and CSS: style text with CSS instead of <font>, and centre things with CSS instead of <center>.

  9. No outdated jQuery

    jQuery before 3.5 has known security holes.

    How to fix it: Update jQuery to 3.5 or later, or remove it.

The check reads the page the way a visitor's browser does. It never logs in, never sends a form, and only checks public websites. PageSpeed comes from Google; when Google doesn't answer, that point is left out of the score.

FAQ

Good to know.

Is the website check really free?
Yes. Type any public web address and the check runs straight away. There's no sign-up and nothing to install.
How long does it take?
Usually under a minute. The page, links and images take a few seconds; Google's PageSpeed test takes the longest.
Can I check a site that isn’t mine?
Yes, any public website. The check only reads what any visitor's browser can see, and it never logs in or sends forms.
Why don’t some points count?
A point that doesn't apply, such as spam protection on a page with no forms, is left out of the score instead of counting against you.
How is the score worked out?
Each point that passes counts in full, each one that needs work counts half, and each fail counts nothing. The score is the share of the points that apply.
Do you check this on the sites you build?
Every Archaeo website goes through all 72 points before it goes live, on day 19 of 21. See the process.