Put the Website to Work: A 30-Minute Website Audit

A great quilt shop website doesn’t have to be complicated. It just needs to make it easy for customers to discover the shop, find something they love, and know what to do next.

The good news? There’s no need to spend an entire day reviewing every page. Set aside 30 minutes, pull up the website, and take a fresh look at it through the eyes of a first-time customer. A quick audit can uncover small changes that make a big difference.

Ready? Set the timer!

0–5 Minutes: Make a Great First Impression

Start at the homepage and pretend it’s the first time ever visiting the shop. Within a few seconds, it should be clear what kind of shop it is, where it’s located, and what makes it worth exploring. 

Take a look at:
* Is the shop name and location easy to find?
* Does the homepage immediately communicate what the shop offers
* Are current collections, promotions, or events featured?
* Is there a clear next step for customers to take?
* Does the homepage look current and active?

A homepage doesn’t need to say everything. It needs to make customers want to keep looking.

Quick win: If the homepage is promoting something from three seasons ago, swap it out for something happening now.

5–10 Minutes: Put the Best Stuff Front and Center

A website can have wonderful products and still make them surprisingly difficult to find. Think about what the shop most wants customers to see right now. New fabric collections? Kits? Classes? BOMs? Seasonal projects? Preorders? Make sure those things are easy to find without requiring customers to click through five menus. 

Look for:
* New arrivals
* Featured collections
* Kits and bundles
* Classes and events
* Block-of-the-month programs
* Seasonal projects
* Promotions
* Preorders

The goal isn’t to feature everything. It’s to curate what deserves attention right now.

Quick win: Choose three things the shop most wants to sell or promote this month and make sure each one is easy to find from the homepage.

10–15 Minutes: Check the Customer Basics

Now it’s time for the less glamorous—but incredibly important—part of the audit. Imagine a customer is trying to answer a simple question: When are they open? Where are they located? How do I sign up for that class? Can I contact them? Can those answers be found quickly? 

Check:
* Store hours
* Physical address
* Phone number
* Email or contact information
* Class registration information
* Shipping information
* Return policies
* Store policies
* Links to social media
* Links to online shopping

Click a few links while you’re there. Make sure they actually go where they’re supposed to.

Quick win: Update anything that has changed recently—and double-check dates, class information, and contact details.

15–20 Minutes: Take the Website for a Spin on Mobile

Now grab a phone. Customers may discover a shop through social media, Google, an email, or a friend’s recommendation—and chances are good that at least some of them will visit the website from their phone. Browse the site as if you were a customer and ask:

* Is the text easy to read?
* Is the navigation simple?
* Are buttons easy to tap?
* Can products be viewed easily?
* Can customers register for a class without a struggle?
* Is important information buried?
* Do images load properly?
* Is anything awkward or difficult to use?

A website can look fantastic on a desktop and still be frustrating on a phone.

Quick win: Find the most important action on the site—shopping, class registration, contacting the shop, or finding the store—and make sure it’s easy to complete from a phone.

20–25 Minutes: Let the Shop’s Personality Shine

Here’s where a quilt shop website can really stand out. Customers aren’t just shopping for fabric. They’re looking for inspiration, community, creativity, and a place where they feel welcome. Does the website show what makes the shop special?

Consider featuring:
* Shop photos
* Staff members
* Classroom photos
* Finished quilts
* Customer projects
* Upcoming events
* Favorite staff picks
* Local happenings
* Shop stories
* Project inspiration

A website should feel like an extension of the shop—not a digital catalog with a checkout button.

Quick win: Add one fresh photo, project, or story that gives customers a glimpse of what it’s like to be part of the shop.

25–30 Minutes: Clear Out the Cobwebs

Last stop: the corners of the website that haven’t gotten attention lately. Look for anything that could make the shop appear less active—or simply confuse customers.

Check for:
* Expired promotions
* Old classes
* Outdated event dates
* Sold-out products being prominently featured
* Old seasonal graphics
* Broken links
* Outdated announcements
* Old homepage banners
* Information about programs that have ended
* Blog posts or news that are no longer relevant

These small details can make a big difference in how current and trustworthy a website feels.

Quick win: Delete, update, or replace five outdated items before the timer runs out.

The 30-Minute Website Audit Checklist

Before calling the audit complete, check these five things:☐ The homepage clearly communicates what the shop offers.

☐ Current products, classes, events, and promotions are easy to find.
☐ Store information and customer policies are accurate.
☐ The website is easy to navigate on a phone.
☐ The website looks and feels like the shop today—not the shop three years ago.

Industry Insight:

Gary Rurup: VP of Sales and former quilt shop owner

A quilt shop’s website is often the first place a customer interacts with the business. It doesn’t have to be perfect, but it does need to be current, easy to navigate, and reflective of what’s happening in the store. When customers can quickly find the products, classes, and information they’re looking for, the website becomes another valuable member of the sales team.