How to Check Your Website Trust Score: A Step-by-Step Audit

You think your website looks trustworthy. Your visitors might disagree.

The problem is that you've seen your site thousands of times. You know the product is real. You know the testimonials are genuine. But first-time visitors don't have that context.

This guide walks you through a complete trust audit—the same process conversion experts use to identify credibility gaps.

Before You Start

The Fresh Eyes Rule

You cannot objectively audit your own website. Your brain fills in gaps and ignores flaws.

Options for objective feedback:

1. Ask someone unfamiliar with your business to review it
2. Use a screen recording tool to watch real visitors navigate
3. Wait 48 hours since your last site visit, then audit with fresh eyes
4. Use our Trust Score Checker for automated analysis

What You'll Need

• Access to your website (desktop and mobile)
• Google PageSpeed Insights (free)
• A notepad or spreadsheet for scoring
• 30-45 minutes of uninterrupted time

The Trust Audit Framework

We'll audit 5 areas, scoring each 1-10. Your total weighted score indicates overall trust level.

Step 1: First Impression Audit (30%)

Open your homepage in an incognito window. Set a timer for 5 seconds.

The 5-Second Test

After 5 seconds, close the tab. Answer:

• Do I understand what this company does?
• Does it look professional?
• Would I trust this with my credit card?

Scoring:

• Immediately clear and professional → 9-10
• Clear but some rough edges → 7-8
• Confusing or dated design → 5-6
• Unprofessional or broken → 1-4

Visual Checklist

Check each element:

Red flags:

• Pixelated images
• Clashing colors
• Walls of text
• Broken elements on mobile
• Generic stock photos

Your First Impression Score: ___/10

Step 2: Social Proof Audit (25%)

Navigate through your site looking for evidence that others trust you.

Testimonial Inventory

Testimonial Quality Check

For each testimonial, verify:

• Full name (not just "John D.")
• Company or role
• Photo (for text testimonials)
• Specific result or claim
• Recent (within last 2 years)

Quality scoring:

• Video with name, company, and result → 10
• Photo + name + company + result → 8-9
• Name + company + generic praise → 5-7
• Anonymous or "John D." style → 1-4

Other Social Proof Signals

Your Social Proof Score: ___/10

Step 3: Technical Health Audit (20%)

Technical issues signal neglect. If the website is broken, is the product?

Speed Test

1. Go to PageSpeed Insights
2. Enter your homepage URL
3. Run both Mobile and Desktop tests

Security Check

Functionality Test

Click through every page and check:

Mobile Test

Open your site on a real phone (not just browser dev tools):

Technical scoring:

• Fast, secure, fully functional → 9-10
• Minor issues (slow images, small mobile bugs) → 7-8
• Notable problems (slow loading, some broken links) → 5-6
• Major issues (no HTTPS, many broken elements) → 1-4

Your Technical Score: ___/10

Step 4: Content Credibility Audit (15%)

Read your content as if you've never heard of your company.

Claims Audit

List every claim on your homepage:

Rule: Every claim should have visible evidence.

Specificity Check

Count how many vague vs. specific claims you have:

• Vague claims: ___
• Specific claims: ___

Freshness Check

Content scoring:

• Specific, evidence-backed, fresh → 9-10
• Mostly specific, some gaps → 7-8
• Mix of vague and specific → 5-6
• Mostly vague, outdated → 1-4

Your Content Score: ___/10

Step 5: Identity Signals Audit (10%)

Anonymous businesses trigger suspicion.

Identity Checklist

About Page Check

Visit your About page:

• Contains real photos (not stock)
• Tells the company story
• Introduces key people
• Includes contact information
• Feels authentic (not corporate-speak)

Social Presence Check

Identity scoring:

• Full transparency, real people visible → 9-10
• Good transparency, some gaps → 7-8
• Minimal identity signals → 5-6
• Anonymous or hidden → 1-4

Your Identity Score: ___/10

Calculate Your Total Trust Score

Interpretation

Prioritizing Fixes

Fix First (Highest Impact)

1. Security issues (no HTTPS, broken SSL)
2. Missing social proof on homepage
3. Broken functionality (dead links, broken forms)
4. No identity signals (anonymous business)

Fix Next (Medium Impact)

1. Speed optimization
2. More testimonials (especially video)
3. Specific claims with evidence
4. Mobile experience

Fix Later (Polish)

1. Design refinements
2. Additional case studies
3. Press mentions
4. Secondary pages

After the Audit

Create Your Action Plan

List your 5 lowest-scoring elements:

1. _________________ (Score: ___/10)
2. _________________ (Score: ___/10)
3. _________________ (Score: ___/10)
4. _________________ (Score: ___/10)
5. _________________ (Score: ___/10)

Set a Re-Audit Date

Schedule a follow-up audit in 30 days to measure improvement.

Related Resources

• Website Trust Score Guide — Understanding trust fundamentals
• Website Trust Signals Checklist — 50+ signals to optimize
• Testimonial Examples Guide — What great testimonials look like
• How to Ask for Testimonials — Collect the proof you need

Use our free Trust Score Checker for an instant automated analysis.

Build your social proof with our Wall of Love Guide and learn How to Ask for Testimonials to fill your site with credibility.

Start collecting Testimonials with Say About Us for just $5 a month. (no hidden fees)