It is easy to review your website on a large desktop screen and assume everything is fine. But for many local businesses, most visitors arrive on a phone, often in a hurry. This checklist helps you see what they see.

How to test

Use your own phone, switch off Wi-Fi to use mobile data, and open your website in the browser as if you were a new customer. Try to complete a real task, such as finding your phone number or requesting a quote. Ask a friend to do the same without help.

The 12-point checklist

1. It loads quickly. If you are waiting, so are your customers. See website speed for small businesses.
2. Text is readable without zooming. Body text should be comfortably large.
3. No sideways scrolling. Content should fit the screen width.
4. Buttons and links are easy to tap. They should be large enough and spaced apart.
5. Your phone number is tap-to-call. One tap should start the call.
6. Your address opens in maps, if customers visit you.
7. The menu is simple. A clear, short menu that opens and closes smoothly.
8. Forms are short and easy to fill in. Check the keyboard type suits each field.
9. Images fit and load properly. No huge or blurry pictures.
10. Pop-ups do not block content. Avoid anything that covers the page or is hard to close.
11. Key information is near the top. What you do and how to contact you should be obvious at once.
12. Everything works on both iPhone and Android, and in more than one browser if possible.

What to do with the results

• Write down every problem, then rank them by how much they get in the way of contacting you.
• Fix the contact problems first: phone, form and key information.
• Then improve speed, text size and layout.
• Re-test on a different phone to confirm the fixes work.

These improvements also help you get more enquiries. See 10 website features that generate leads.

Frequently asked questions