Tutorials Maintenance January 27, 2025 Marcin Hylewski

How to Perform All-in-One WordPress Site Audit in 2025? Ultimate Guide

A WordPress audit is a systematic evaluation of your website’s performance, security, SEO, and overall functionality. It is performed to uncover hidden issues, optimize user experience, and ensure that your site operates at peak efficiency. In this post, I provide a detailed roadmap on how to conduct it, including key elements like security, performance, WP configuration, SEO, and design. Also, I share some tool recommendations, pro-tips and answers to questions you may ask.
WordPress Audit - cover image

WordPress audit is like a medical examination that is useful if you’re sick and if you feel fit as a fiddle as well…Once your WordPress site experiences issues, it serves as an ultimate diagnosis tool, providing you with a detailed report on what is broken, outdated, or causing harm to its performance. In the latter case, it is performed as a part of a business routine to ensure your site remains optimized and operates at its best.

To picture the importance of regular site audits just think of three facts:

What ties these points together? They are related to security, site speed or tech configuration, and simple UX optimization. All of these things, next to infrastructure, design, SEO, and content quality, are accounted for in professional multifaceted website audits. And yes, all of this usually – more or less – weighs on your business success.

In this post, I’ll guide you through the intricacies of the auditing process. We’ll start with the definition and benefits, then move on to the key stages and best practices, and wrap up by answering key questions.

So! Coffee cups in hand and let’s get going!

1000+ conducted audits by 20+ WP Kraken’s experts for 400+ clients from over the globe. Just like CSI in Las Vegas – we investigate WordPress crimes for a living. Since 2008.

What is WordPress Website Audit?

A WordPress website audit is a comprehensive evaluation of a WordPress-powered website to identify areas that need improvement in terms of WordPress setup, security, technical performance, SEO, user experience. The audit involves assessing various factors such as:

  • plugin and theme usage,
  • site speed,
  • code quality,
  • mobile responsiveness,
  • site architecture,
  • design.

These are a few crucial ones, but, as you’ll soon see, this list is by far more extensive.

Why to Audit WordPress Site? 4 Key Benefits

The ultimate goal of a WordPress website audit is to provide a data-backed foundation for site optimization efforts. The latter are primarily directed at better technical performance, security, and user engagement, ultimately improving search engine rankings and overall functionality. Implementing recommendations from professionally executed auditing can provide you with a range of benefits, such as:

  • improved security (limited vulnerabilities, as well as plugins, passwords and set-up issues),
  • enhanced performance (concerns especially speed, flow and technical operation),
  • better user experience (includes usability, accessibility and navigation facets),
  • optimized SEO (indexing, links, metadata, site architecture aspects covered).

Melapress survey reveals that 72% of WordPress sites experienced security breaches at least once, while almost 40% saw multiple breaches (J. Barbara, 2024).

How to Perform WordPress Audit? Step-By-Step Guide

To conduct a WordPress audit, you must follow five stages, from installation and configuration through security, technical performance, SEO, and UX. Let’s dive deeper and break it into specific actions to take.

1. WordPress Install and Configuration

WP installation and configuration lay the groundwork for everything else. Thus, first, make sure your WordPress is properly configured with the latest version installed. This includes core WP files, an active theme, and all plugins.

Log in to the WordPress admin area, head to the “Settings” tab, and review the essentials like:

  • site title,
  • tagline,
  • timezone,
  • and permalinks.

If misaligned, they can lead to issues like poor SEO or even functionality glitches.

Beyond the basics above, dig into your theme and plugin configurations with the following questions in mind:

  • Is your theme lightweight and optimized for performance?
  • Are plugins installed sparingly and for actual use?

Too many plugins or outdated ones can slow down your site and increase security risks.

2. WordPress Security Audit

Nothing outweighs security. Protecting your WordPress site from threats is necessary to maintain both audience trust and functionality.

User Accounts and Passwords

Start by checking the general settings for user roles and privacy options to make sure everything is in line with your site’s goals.

Review user registration settings to control who can create accounts and what level of access they receive – this prevents unauthorized users from slipping through the cracks.

assigning permissions on the user accounts setting page in WordPress

Also, you must enforce strong passwords for all users, especially admins. Weak passwords are an open invitation to hackers, so implement a system that encourages regular password reset cycles to keep everything secure.

What do you mean by a strong password? Security.org experts recommend for online passwords to be complex and random blends of characters, including numbers, letters, and symbols, with a length of 16 to 20 characters.

Tool Tip: A shortcut to improving password security is using a password manager. Tools of that kind are designed to securely store, manage, and autofill your passwords for various online accounts. They encrypt your credentials, often requiring just one strong master password to access them.

Next, verify if the site has two-factor authentication (2FA) implemented. It’s a security measure that requires users to verify their identity using two different methods – typically a password and a time-sensitive code (e.g., received via a phone).

User Activity

Also, keep an eye on user activity to identify any unusual behavior like failed login attempts or changes made without authorization.

Check for accounts that haven’t been used for a long time, as they may pose a security risk.

Analyze IP addresses to detect suspicious activity, such as logins from strange locations.

Lastly, make sure that alerts for critical events are enabled.

Pro-Tip: To monitor user activity, use plugins like WP Activity Log or Simple History. They log actions such as logins, content edits, plugin installations, or even failed login attempts.

Security Vulnerabilities

Subsequently, evaluate your site’s defenses against security vulnerabilities. To automatize this part, you can use the selected WordPress security plugin (especially if you don’t have enough technical skills). There is a true abundance to choose from. Here are the most popular ones along with short intros:

  • Wordfence Security is a comprehensive security plugin with a malware scanner, firewall, and real-time threat defense feed for identifying vulnerabilities;
  • Sucuri Security offers file integrity monitoring, malware scanning, and post-hack security actions to uncover and mitigate potential threats;
  • iThemes Security focuses on identifying common vulnerabilities, such as outdated plugins/themes, and provides brute force protection;
  • All In One WP Security & Firewall strengthens WordPress security by scanning for suspicious activity, file changes, and outdated components;
  • WPScan is a WordPress vulnerability scanner that leverages a database of known security issues to alert users about risks;
  • Shield Security provides automated vulnerability scanning, two-factor authentication, and login monitoring for enhanced protection;
  • Defender Pro offers malware scanning, security recommendations, and vulnerability alerts for plugins and themes;
  • MalCare Security specializes in detecting malware and security flaws using an automated scanning engine, with real-time alerts for immediate action;
  • Vulnerability Alerts by Patchstack monitors plugins and themes for known vulnerabilities and notifies users when updates are necessary;
  • Quttera Web Malware Scanner focuses on identifying malware, blacklisting status, and suspicious files or scripts in your WordPress site.

As you see, you’re spoiled for choice here!

Updates

Moving forward, think about whether all your themes and plugins have been updated to the latest versions? Outdated software can leave gaping holes for attackers.

Besides, frequent updates keep your software compatible and functional.

Hosting

Finally, check your web hosting provider for built-in security features like firewalls and malware scans. Additional facets worth to take into account are as follows:

  • daily backups (ensure website data can be quickly restored in case of attacks or any unexpected technical issues),
  • firewall status (double-check settings of web application firewalls (WAF), which protect your site from malicious traffic and prevent attacks like SQL injections or cross-site scripting (XSS)),
  • automated malware scanning and removal (pay attention to built-in or integrated malware scanning tools that detect and clean malicious files on your site),
  • DDoS protection (double-check Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) – it helps to safeguard your site from traffic overloads and disruptions caused by malicious attacks),
  • isolated account hosting (verify if your hosting account is isolated from others on the same server to prevent cross-site contamination),
  • secure FTP access (SFTP provides secure file transfers to prevent credentials or files from being intercepted during uploads – make sure the feature is on the board and is in operation),
  • server-side security measures (if available, inspect features like intrusion detection systems, server hardening, and proactive monitoring for potential vulnerabilities),
  • brute force attack protection (this feature should be enabled by default, but anyway it’s worth checking, as it limits failed login attempts and uses IP blocking or CAPTCHA to prevent automated hacking attempts),
  • staging environment (don’t forget about taking a look at staging, a secure environment for testing plugins, theme updates, or various new solutions without affecting the live site),
  • compliance with security standards (last but not least, take a closer look at compliance issues – adhering to standards such as PCI DSS and GDPR strengthens your defenses and protects you against breaches).

3. WordPress Site Performance and Speed Audit

And so, we’ve reached the third stage! It’s time to ensure that your site is light and fast to satisfy both users and search engines.

Speed and Performance

Begin by testing your site with tools like Google PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, or Pingdom to measure load times and identify specific areas that need improvement. These tools provide detailed reports on factors slowing down your site. In GTmetrix you will get a quick overview in a span of a minute, even without sign-up. With a free account, you’ll be able to access a bunch of details grouped into 7 categories:

auditing performance of WordPress site in GTmetrix used in Chrome browser

As you see from the screenshot above, GTmetrix provides a detailed analysis of your website’s performance using several key metrics:

  • Performance Score is a summary score based on how well your site performs against web performance best practices;
  • Structure Score measures the quality of your site’s underlying code and structure;
  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) pertains to the time taken to load the largest visible element on a page, reflecting perceived load speed;
  • Total Blocking Time (TBT) measures delays caused by scripts blocking user interaction;
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) tracks visual stability by measuring unexpected content shifts during page load.

I recommend you also check out the Waterfall Chart (for this, you have to sign up), which is a kind of timeline of how various elements (images, scripts, etc.) load, helping identify bottlenecks.

Mobile Performance

With most users browsing today on mobile devices, optimizing for mobile is crucial. Use Google PageSpeed Insights to quickly gather key data on how users interact with your site on mobile devices, tablets, and beyond. It concerns mostly the parameters described above. Your site is assessed on a 100-point scale in four categories:

  • performance,
  • accessibility,
  • best practices,
  • and SEO.
mobile optimization dashboard in Google PageSpeed Insights

If the scores obtained are framed with green, all is good. Orange or red frames suggest that improvements are needed.

What is great about PageSpeed is that its “Diagnostics” section provides you with a list of elements requiring your actions:

list of technical parameters from google's tool to achieve great performance

Furthermore, you can expand on specific points to understand:

  • what exactly is wrong,
  • why it’s happening,
  • and how to fix it.
detailed instructions in PageSpeed on how to fix issues to have a site running smoothly

Code and Asset Optimization

The quality and weight of your WordPress site’s code is also a factor determining its performance. These are a few crucial elements in this category that you should review carefully:

  • minification and combination of CSS files,
  • minification and combination of JavaScript files,
  • presence of unused CSS and JavaScript,
  • use of defer or async attributes for JavaScript loading,
  • delivery of static assets through a Content Delivery Network (CDN),
  • optimization of critical CSS,

Image Optimization

Common issues detected in audits are related to images and videos. Here are a few core aspects to examine:

  • compression levels of images without quality loss,
  • use of modern image formats like WebP,
  • suitability image dimensions for different screen sizes,
  • implementation of lazy loading for images,
  • usage of responsive image attributes like srcset.

Additional Things To Consider

And to top it off, have a look at the points listed below that are difficult to classify but surely relevant:

  • analyze the operation of caching plugins like WP Rocket or W3 Total Cache (they store static versions of your site for faster delivery),
  • check whether server-side caching, such as object or full-page caching, is enabled,
  • review database in terms of old revisions, spam comments and unnecessary data that can be removed,
  • take a good look at Content Delivery Network (CDN), which – if optimized – can significantly decrease latency,
  • format, compression and preloading of essential font files.

4. WordPress SEO Audit

Fourth, investigate whether your site structure and configuration are aligned with Google’s (and other search engines) best practices in terms of, let’s say, technical SEO background. What does this actually include? Have a walk around the sections below.

Info: A completely different aspect is the examination of SEO strategies, which includes keywords, topical relevance, content quality, backlink profile and similar components. This is typically handled by marketing or SEO specialists.

Crawlability and Indexability

First and foremost, check if search engines are able to access and crawl your WordPress website. For this you can use Google Search Console, which is free. Go to the URL Inspection Tab, input the URL you’re going to check, and click Enter:

checking URL indexation in GSC within SEO audit

If all is well, you’ll see the URL is on Google status. If, however, your site is not indexed, take a glimpse at the details provided below the alert, which should indicate the reasons for that:

search console dashboard for no index details

You can also have a more holistic view of the indexing affairs. To check how many pages have been indexed globally and how many have not (along with reasons for no indexation), head to the Pages Tab in the Indexing Section:

website indexing metrics in GSC (explored via browser)

The most common reasons for indexing and crawling issues are:

  • blocked resources via robots.txt or meta tags (e.g., Disallow rules),
  • 404 errors or inaccessible URLs that return non-existent pages,
  • disallowed directories or pages containing important content,
  • duplicate content with no canonical addresses set (it might confuse search engines about which page to index).

Pro-Tip: Check also whether the XML Sitemap is uploaded, as it accelrates discoverability and indexability. It’s also a way to highlight the most important pages and, thus, transfer to them some power. The best WordPress plugin for creating a sitemap is Yoast SEO.

Site Architecture

The next step is to investigate how your site is organized, structured, and interlinked. A clean, logical URL structure and organized content hierarchy help both users and search engines navigate the site easily.

At the outset, ensure URLs are:

  • short,
  • descriptive,
  • and contain target keywords.

Then, audit internal linking on your site. Check if related pages are connected to each other as well as to the key pages. Review anchor texts, which should be semantically related to the linked content (“Click Here” as a link is a very bad idea!). Several tools are suitable for this:

  • Screaming Frog,
  • SEO Spider,
  • Sitebulb.

Backlinks and Domain Authority

Backlinks are links from other websites to your one. Search engines like Google view backlinks as “votes of confidence”. More backlinks from reputable sources generally indicate higher quality and relevance, boosting your search engine rankings. The most important points to take into account in this category are as follows:

  • quantity and quality of backlinks (measured e.g. with the authority of the link provider’s domain),
  • referring unique domains (the number, reputation, topical coherence, etc.),
  • anchor text relevance, link types (follow, no-follow, UGC, sponsored),
  • spam score (links from spammy sites may weaken your domain).

To perform a backlink analysis, you will need professional tools. Some essential metrics and information are available in free software like Moz and GSC, but for a complex examination, you will need an AIO SEO tool like SEMrush or Ahrefs.

auditing wordpress site's backlinks in ahrefs

Other Items

You can also review the structure of individual subpages, especially key ones. Ensure they have properly distributed HTML heading tags (H1, H2, H3, H4). Tags should be logically and hierarchically structured with no gaps. Specifically, H4 should not be placed directly under H2, and H5 should not come after H3. There must be only one H1, positioned at the beginning.

Tool Tip: To inspect the structure of the website, including heading tags, you can use the small but mighty Chrome extension SEO Meta in 1 Click. It’s totally free!

new features in browser plugin - checking site headings

If the audited site operates in a very competitive niche with most rivals adhering to the “basic” SEO best practices, you may consider checking whether it applies more advanced strategies like structured data (usually implemented through schema markup).

Finally, if, in terms of technical SEO, everything is spot on, but the site doesn’t rank high, you should delve deeper into user behavior patterns and/or engagement metrics. You can start with Google Analytics and check, among others:

  • bounce rates,
  • session durations,
  • exit pages, conversion paths,
  • and mobile friendliness (apply filters for mobile devices/traffic).
google analytics dashboard

5. WordPress Design and UX Audit

And the last stop ahead! Evaluating a website’s design, usability, and functionality helps identify what frustrates users the most and hinders their use of the site.

Visual Hierarchy

First, examine the arrangement of elements on the website to ensure users can navigate easily and quickly locate core information. Key questions to ask here sound:

  • Are headings appropriately sized and styled to indicate importance?
  • Is there a balance between text, images, and white space?
  • Are call-to-action buttons distinct and attention-grabbing?

Navigation and Flow

Second, take under review how users move through your site using menus, links, and breadcrumbs. Intuitive navigation helps them find what they’re looking for, reducing bounce rates and improving conversions. The shortlist for this part encompasses questions like:

  • Is the primary navigation menu simple and straightforward?
  • Are dropdown menus free from clutter?
  • Are users guided logically from one step to the next?
  • Are forms simple and free from unnecessary fields?
  • Is the checkout process optimized for quick completion?
  • Are internal links relevant and helpful?

Checking Responsiveness

Responsiveness is not only about speed but also about automated adjustments across different devices. This holds special importance in the era when 60% of worldwide web page views come from phones and tablets (Statista, 2024). With regard to responsiveness, you should reflect on such questions:

  • Does the layout adapt well to different screen sizes?
  • Are fonts and buttons appropriately sized for touch devices?
  • Are any elements misplaced, scattered or overlapping each other?
  • Is mobile navigation intuitive and easy to use?

Readability

Readability assesses whether the text on your site is easy to read and understand. Both things translate usually to user engagement. The following questions should be raised here:

  • Is the font size and style consistent across the site?
  • Are paragraphs and sentences concise?
  • Is there adequate contrast between text and background colors?

Accessibility

This point is relevant too, yet often overlooked. Websites should try to be nice places also for people with disabilities. It’s a way to both demonstrate social responsibility and spread the audience. So, the final questions must include these ones:

  • Are there alt texts for all images?
  • Does the site support keyboard navigation?
  • Are color contrasts suitable for users with visual impairments?

Summary

I hope this article helped you grasp:

  • what a WordPress site audit is,
  • what it consists of,
  • which auditing tools can be useful,
  • and how to execute it step by step.

With these insights, you can try to conduct it yourself to grab some expertise, especially if you have a one-pager or your site is not very complicated. If you, however, do not feel confident yet, or if you prefer a professional approach, you may hand it over to WordPress experts.

Either way, remember that regular audits help maintain your site’s health and detect errors early. Both things are crucial for its business and marketing effectiveness, which is the ultimate goal, isn’t it?

FAQ

Still have questions? Hopefully, I’ll get you covered below!

How Much Does WordPress Audit Cost?

General in-depth WordPress audit cost starts at $499 and reaches thousands of dollars, depending on the complexity (aspects covered) and the reputation of the auditor.

Is It Worth to Pay For Website Audit? What About Free Tools?

Performing a site audit yourself using free tools requires a solid tech background, is much more time-consuming, and for sure will not cover all the aspects examined with paid software. For example, complex server or database configurations are usually available in paid subscriptions to various tools. Also, be aware that some aspects are beyond automated diagnostics. Issues like custom code vulnerabilities or compliance with legal standards should be analyzed by human specialists.

How Long Does It Take to Audit WordPress Website?

5-10 business days are sufficient for most of the audits, but it depends on the size, complexity, and unique configuration of your website. Auditors usually share with clients a time estimation on the initial stage.

How Often Should You Audit WordPress Website?

WordPress-based websites should undergo comprehensive audits at least once a year, but sites with many pages and frequent changes should be audited quarterly. Also, the old but gold rule instructs to conduct updates every time big changes take place, such as migrations, WordPress core updates, plugin installations, or significant content revisions.

What Is Best WordPress Audit Agency?

WP Kraken, WP Buffs, and SiteCare are the most recognized and recommended due to theirexperience working with renowned brands, handling diverse and large-scale projects, and their long-standing presence in the industry. WP Kraken, however, outbeats the latter companies when it comes to scope (more aspects covered) and pricing.