Website Benchmarking

Accessibility score

Summarises the accessibility of this website as a score from 1 - 10.

This test includes the results from all of the other tests relating to accessibility, weighted for their relative importance. For example, Alternative text, Readability, Flash usage and more.

Alternative text

Check that alternative text ('ALT') is specified for users with visual disabilities, and used correctly.

This test checks whether text equivalents for images are specified throughout the website. This is one of the most basic steps towards meeting accessibility requirements.

Amount of content

Check the amount of content used on each page of the website.

This test checks whether content is specified on each page, and whether too much content is specified.

Analytics software

Checks for use of any website analytics software.

Checks whether the site is using any form of analytics software, e.g. WebTrends.

Broken links

Check for broken links (i.e. links to pages or content which does not exist).

Broken links discourage visitors and search engines from browsing your website. This test identifies all page links which point to missing content.

Cookies

Detect any cookies set by this website.

This test detects any cookies being set by this website.

CSS Usage

Check for appropriate use of CSS (Cascading Stylesheets).

For optimal accessibility and maintainability, it is recommended that CSS is used to specify how web pages should be laid out.

Domain name

Performs a number of checks on this choice of domain name.

Looks at the domain name registration (whois) details, will suggest common typos and check them for domain squatters.

File usage

Check the types, distribution and sizes of all downloadable files on the website.

Ensuring that files available for download are of an appropriate type and size is vital to ensure that none of your prospective audience is prevented from viewing your content.

Flash usage

Check for appropriate use of Flash.

This test checks whether Flash is used in this website, and whether such use is appropriate. In particular, pages comprising entirely of Flash are frowned upon, with links to accessible content of particular importance.

Fonts

Check for appropriate use of fonts.

Performs a range of checks on fonts, including whether they are appropriately sized or resizable, whether they are browser compatible, and the formatting of link text.

Freshness

Check how much of the website has been updated over time.

Will report on the amount of pages changed, and those which have not been updated for a very long period.

Headings

Check that headings are used and specified correctly.

This test checks whether headings are explicitly specified throughout the website. This has a positive effect on search engine promotion and website accessibility.

Images

Check for appropriate use of images.

Check whether images have explicit sizes, their formats, and how they're reused.

Incoming links

Count the number of links to this website.

This test checks how many links, and how many 'quality' links are pointing to this website.

Meta tags

Check that meta tags are used and specified correctly.

This test checks whether meta tags are used and used correctly. Although not as important as they used to be, some basic meta tags should be specified for all websites.

Number of pages

Count the number of pages.

This test counts the number of webpages and can score based upon recommended page limits for the website.

Outgoing links

Report on any outgoing links from this website.

This test detects any outgoing links in this website.

Page Titles

Check that page titles are used and specified correctly.

This test checks whether meaningful page titles are specified throughout the website. This has a positive effect on search engine promotion and website accessibility.

Phrase match

Count matches of a specific text phrase.

This test returns the number of matches of a specific phrase, and can also score based upon specific inclusion targets.

Plagiarism

Check whether text in this website is duplicated exactly on other websites.

Will perform a number of searches in Google on  random blocks of statistically unique text within this site, to determine what other websites may be plagiarising or referring this one (or vice versa).

Popularity Rank

Checks how popular the site is.

Shows the traffic rank of a website (source: Alexa) and scores the website accordingly.

Popups

Check for any popup windows, and how appropriate their use is.

This test checks whether popups are used in the website, in particular popups which open when a page loads, and links which open into a new window.

Printability

Check whether pages appear optimised for printing.

Printable webpages should ideally define explicit CSS for media type 'print'.

Quality score

Summarises the quality of this website as a score from 1 - 10.

This test includes the results from all of the other tests relating to quality, weighted for their relative importance. For example, W3C compliance, Spelling, File usage and more.

Readability

Checks the text on a page and reports on approximate readability.

Checks the readability of a page by calculating a number of readability metrics: a Flesch-Kincaid Reading Ease score and a Gunning Fog Index. This allows you to identify whether your website uses a level of language appropriate to your target audience.

Redirections

Check for client-side redirections.

This test looks for client-side redirections, such as Meta Refresh tags and Javascript. Both are frowned upon as they tend to break the functionality of the back button.

Screen size

Search engine placement

Check the placement of the website against competitors for a specified search engine phrase.

This test checks the placement of the website against the top 10 for a specified search engine phrase.

Search score

Summarises how well optimised this website is for search engines as a score from 1 - 10.

This test includes the results from all of the other tests relating to search engine optimisation, weighted for their relative importance. For example, Keywords, Meta tags, Headings and more.

Site Structure

Analyse the depth and breadth of this website structure.

Calculates the depth and breadth of this website, whereby depth is the smallest number of links required to reach a page from the homepage. Breadth is the number of pages at each depth.

Website Score

A summary score for an entire website, ranging from  1 - 10.

This test includes the results from all of the other tests, weighted for their relative importance. For example, Spelling, W3C compliance, Search engine placement, Fonts, File usage and more.

Spelling

Check spelling of text in this website.

This test checks the spelling of text throughout the website.

Spiderability

Check whether a website can be spidered.

This test checks whether or not search engines (and users) would be able to spider this site effectively, for example if Javascript is required to spider the site.

URL chopping

Check that URLs handle chopping, i.e. reduction to a higher path.

This test checks whether URLs handle reduction to a higher path without reporting an error.

URL format

Check that URLs used on the site are clean and user-friendly.

This test checks whether clean, usable URLs are used throughout the website. This has a positive effect on search engine promotion and website accessibility.

Use of keywords

Analyse how well optimised the website is for specified keywords.

This test checks the text used in the website and attempts to determine what words and phrases the website focuses upon.

Use of links

Report on how links are used in this website.

Detect inappropriate link text, and what pages are best linked to.

W3C compliance

Check that the website complies with W3C standards.

This test checks whether the code of this website is W3C compliant. Compliant websites are generally more compatible with current and future web browsers, appeal more to search engine promotion and more likely to comply with country-specific accessibility legislation.