A Fall Website Audit Checklist for Small Businesses: What to Update on Your Squarespace Website Before the Holiday Rush

Fall is the perfect season to hit refresh on your website. Summer is behind us, the holidays are on the horizon, and your audience is starting to plan ahead. Taking just an hour or two to check in on your website now can save you headaches later—and help you capture the extra traffic and attention that often comes this time of year.

This quick audit isn’t about reinventing your entire site. It’s about reviewing the essentials, polishing what needs attention, and making sure everything is working the way it should.

Step 1: Confirm the Essentials

Start with the basics that every website needs to get right:

  • Contact Information: Verify your phone number, email address, and business hours. Update in Settings → Business Information if you’re on Squarespace.

  • Links: Manually click through your site and test every link. You can also use a free tool like Broken Link Checker to scan your site. Also make sure that your links are set to “Open in New Window” to avoid your website visitors fully leaving your page by clicking a link.

  • Services or Products: Review your offerings and pricing. Outdated information can confuse potential clients or cause missed sales.

Step 2: Check Your Technical Foundations

Your site doesn’t just need to look good—it needs to work well.

  • Google Search Console: Make sure your site is connected. If you’re not seeing pages indexed, submit your sitemap (yoursite.com/sitemap.xml) in Google Search Console. This helps ensure your content shows up in search results.

  • Loading Speed: Test your site on PageSpeed Insights. If it’s slow:

    • Resize large images before uploading (aim for under 500KB).

    • Limit video auto-play or background animations.

    • Use Squarespace’s built-in image optimizer by uploading .jpgs for photos instead of .pngs.

  • Mobile Friendliness: Open your site on your phone. If something looks off, try a different template spacing or adjust font sizes in the Style Editor. Squarespace templates are mobile-responsive, but custom tweaks sometimes need review.

Step 3: Update Your Messaging and Visuals

Your website should reflect your current season of business.

  • Photos: Swap out one or two images on your homepage for a seasonal refresh. If you don’t have new brand photos, rotate in product or client features.

  • Copy: Check your About page and service/product descriptions. Make sure your voice and offers are still accurate. Even a small wording update can make your site feel fresh.

  • Calls-to-Action: Test your buttons. Do they lead to your top priority right now (bookings, sales, or email sign-ups)? Update button text to be action-oriented (“Book Your Fall Session” vs. “Learn More”).

Step 4: Audit Your Traffic Drivers

Your site is only effective if people can find it. Use fall as a chance to tidy up your traffic channels:

  • Pinterest: Design a few new pins linking back to recent blog posts or services. Canva makes batching easy.

  • Google Business Profile: Update your hours, add a fall promo post, and upload a current photo of your storefront, product, or team.

  • Social Media Links: Check your “link in bio.” Make sure it points to your website or a simple landing page instead of only using third-party tools or link trees.

  • Email Signature: Add a direct link to your website, newest service, or freebie offer website page. This small update is an easy way to drive traffic every day.

Step 5: Review Your Content Library

Your blog and long-form content should be doing the heavy lifting for you this season.

  • Update an Older Post: Refresh with new tips, swap in seasonal language, or update images. Google loves updated content.

  • Plan a Heavy-Hitter Blog: Create one or two strong SEO-friendly posts this fall. (See 30+ Blog Post Ideas That Actually Drive Traffic).

  • Cross-Link Your Content: Add links between related posts, services, and offers. This keeps readers on your site longer and improves SEO.

Final Encouragement

This fall, your website can be one of your strongest marketing tools—but only if it’s accurate, clear, and connected. A quick seasonal audit ensures your site is ready to meet the busy season head-on, without scrambling at the last minute.

And if you’d like weekly encouragement and practical tips for keeping your marketing simple and sustainable, join me for The Friday Mix.

Your website is your digital home—give it the seasonal refresh it deserves.

Marketing, Small Business, TipsAlysha Sanfordtips, Small Business