Is your WordPress site actually working
A plain-English audit for small business owners who want to know their site is healthy – no technical background required.
22 pages 5 areas to audit 30 checklist items Printable checklist included
sound familiar?
You built it, launched it, and then mostly hoped for the best
Your WordPress site is doing a lot of work for your business. It’s your first impression, your lead generator, your 24-hour storefront. And, if you’re like most small business owners, nobody taught you how to maintain it.
WordPress sites don’t usually fail dramatically. They fail quietly. A plugin stops getting updated. A backup stops running. A security gap sits open for months before anyone notices.
By the time something goes visibly wrong, it’s been wrong for awhile.
Does any of this sound familiar?
- You're not sure when your site was last backed up, or if it's backed up at all
- You've been ignoring those little red update notifications because last time something broke
- Your site feels slow, but you don't know what's causing it or where to start
- You've never really looked at security settings because nothing's gone wrong yet
- You have an SEO plugin installed, but you're not sure you set it up correctly
what's inside
Five areas. One clear audit.
Work through each section, check off what’s covered, and flag what isn’t. By the end you’ll know exactly where your site stands.
Backups
The single most important safety net your site has, and the one most people assume someone else is handling or they will never need it. Spoiler: your host’s backup may not be enough.
Updates
Those red notification badges you’ve been closing. They’re not just new features, they’re security patches too. This section walks you through the right order to run them without breaking anything.Speed
Your site has three seconds to make a first impression. After that, people leave. The biggest speed gains usually come from a small number of fixes, covered here.Security
Most WordPress hacks aren’t targeted, they’re automated. Bots look for known vulnerabilities and exploit them. The most common entry points are also the easiest to close.SEO Basics
Not a full SEO guide, just the foundational stuff that Google needs before it can do anything useful with your site. Including one setting that’s quietly blocking more sites than you’d expect.30 total checklist items, across all five sections, plus a printable one-page checklist you can keep at your desk or share with whoever manages your site.
what you'll have after
A clear picture of where your site actually stands
You don’t need to be technical. You don’t need to know how to code. You just need to know where to look.
- A completed audit - every section worked thorugh, gaps flagged, strengths confirmed
- A prioritzed list of what needs attention first, and what can wait
- Plain-English explanations of what each item means and why it matters for your business
- A printable one-page checklist to revisit once a year (or hand to whoever manages your site)
- Confidence that your site is either healthy, or that you know exactly what to fix
the score guide
At the end, you'll know where you stand.
There are 30 checklist items total. The guide scores your results and tells you what to do next based on how many you check off.
24-30
Your site is in good share
You’ve been paying attention and it shows. Keep up with regular maintenance, you’re ahead of most.
15-23
Some things need attention
Gaps worth addressing before they become bigger problems. Prioritize backups and security first.
Under 15
Your site need some care
No judgement, most small business owners land here on their first audit. Now you know what to tackle.
about your new friend
Hi, I'm Stephanie, web designer and website manager.
I’m the person behind Instanticity, and I’ve spent 20+ years helping women-led businesses and photographers build calm, clear websites that actually support their work.
This guide came out of the same conversations I have with almost every client. They built their website, launched it, then mostly just hoped things were still working. When a new client comes to me, these are the first things I check.
Off the clock you’ll find me surrounded by six cats (only three of them technically mine), a good book, or planning my next Disney trip.
it's free
It's time to know if your site is actually working.
Normally $17 in my shop, yours free today as part of this bundle.
