If Someone Wants to “Grade” Your Site

Have you been approached by someone putting your website to a “test” using HubSpot’s Website Grader?

Unfortunately, self-serving people may be using HubSpot’s tool as a way to make website owners feel like they don’t have a good website.

Here are some things you should be aware of -

First - HubSpot’s tool is serves HubSpot (just like any tool produced by a company would serve that company).  It’s a great tool and there are many recommendations that their report provides that can help you optimize your website.

Second – What kind of site do you have?  If you’re starting out with an affordable entry-level site, it’s probably not going to rank high on the tricked out HubSpot scale, though it may have other great features and serve you quite well.  In any case, make sure you are comparing apples to apples.  HubSpot’s rates are between $3,000 – $15,000 a year (and that doesn’t include the website).  If you didn’t pay that for website optimization, it’s not an equal comparison.

Third – Google changes its’ algorithms all the time. It’s news to many developers that Google doesn’t even acknowledge the meta description tag anymore. There was a gentleman in my office complex who was very upset when I told him this a few weeks ago. I heard it directly from Matt Cutt’s mouth.   All I’m saying is that no one can tell you exactly what will make you number one on Google. They can only do the best they know with the information they have – and that information can change.  In fact, Google’s algorithm will be changing again – http://www.wired.com/magazine/2010/02/ff_google_algorithm/

- Ricci