Many Shopify store owners believe that if their website opens and the “Buy” button works, there won’t be any sales issues. This is far from true. Outdated settings and technical issues can be found in any online store. These issues seem minor, but over time they accumulate and hinder business growth.
You can try to identify errors yourself, but this is difficult without specialized knowledge. Therefore, it’s best to periodically commission a professional website audit from a reputable company. An experienced Shopify consultant can help you prevent problems that could harm your sales.
Critical risk points
Operating an online store can encounter many problems, but experts most often identify the following errors:
1. Application conflicts. Each application makes changes to the site’s code. When removing tools from the control panel, unnecessary code fragments can remain in the system: scripts, broken server requests, and other digital debris. These remnants of old integrations accumulate, conflict with new features, slow down the site, and cause errors. They can only be found and removed manually.
2. Theme vulnerabilities. An outdated template can cause updates to not work correctly on the site. This issue is especially relevant for sites with custom themes that haven’t been updated for a long time.
3. Data security. Periodically check who has access rights to the admin panel. You should also monitor the permissions settings for third-party services.
During the audit, we always identify unnecessary applications that slow down page performance. We also check the usability of the platform’s interface, test the tools under load, and address other issues. This year, it’s important to focus on setting up Checkout Extensibility to increase conversion, comply with security standards, and give your online store a modern look.
There are specialized website scanners that can identify unused code and problematic functions. However, these services are no substitute for a real person. Only a real user can evaluate the site’s performance from a customer’s perspective and identify problem areas.
When is an audit really necessary?
An audit should be performed if you notice low conversion rates, high cart abandonment rates, slow loading times, or errors. These symptoms indicate serious problems.
If there are no obvious signs, this is no reason to skimp on an audit. Checking your website is like getting a vehicle inspected. These checks should be performed regularly to prevent problems. It’s also advisable to order an audit in the following cases:
● before major holidays;
● after installing more than five new applications;
● if there have been no updates for more than six months.
An audit can safely be considered an investment in the peace of mind of your business. This check allows you to identify coding errors, resolve application conflicts, improve website security, improve the interface, and implement new useful features. Therefore, don’t wait until sales stop due to interface errors, slow website performance, or other issues. It’s better to conduct a professional audit regularly, which will accelerate business growth and development.
