Case study · Publishing.com Audit · Audit · UX + CRO · Education
Sample audit: what a five-part UX and conversion audit looks like
A worked example of how I audit a site, find where it loses visitors, and decide what to test first.
The problem
What was getting in the way
A site can look fine and still lose most of its visitors. This audit of Publishing.com shows how I look for where that happens and turn it into a short list of changes worth testing. It was an audit only, so it has no before-and-after results, and I use it as an example of the work I can do for clients.
The approach
How I tackled it
I audited the site in five parts: the website itself, the user experience, performance, conversion pathways, and the use of CTAs, popups and banners. Each finding came with a specific recommendation to test.
Key decisions
The calls that shaped the result
A clearer first screen
The only desktop CTA, "Watch Free Training", was tucked in the top right, and mobile had no visible CTA until the menu opened. I recommended a bold CTA in the hero, a sticky mobile CTA, and testing benefit-led headlines.
Shorter path to sign-up
I recommended renaming the main CTA (for example "Get Started"), putting the name and email form on the homepage, and sending the About page CTA straight to a form instead of back to the top of another page.
Fixing the speed problem
Mobile speed scored 23 and desktop 86, largely from animations and heavy imagery. I recommended compressing images, switching to interactive animations, removing unused code and plugins, and minifying files.
The result
What changed
The audit delivered a prioritised set of tests and fixes across all five areas, each with a clear recommendation. Want the same for your site? Get in touch and I'll tell you what an audit would cover.