I’ve audited over 50 startup websites last year. And the same five problems come up almost every time.

Most startups fail at number three. And it’s costing them users every single day.

So here’s exactly how I walk through a website during a UX audit, and what you can check on your own site right now.

1. The 5-Second Check

Land on the hero section. Set a timer. Can you tell what the company does in five seconds?

Most startups nail the description but miss the value. There’s a difference between “AI-powered study tools for students” and actually telling me what’s in it for me. If I’m a student and I don’t feel like my problem is addressed in those first five seconds, I’m gone.

Also: show me the product. A screenshot, a demo, something. And make sure your call to action button actually says something valuable, not just “Get Started.”

2. Trust Signals

Do I trust this startup to deliver on their promises?

Logos and testimonials are a good start. But most websites stop there. You can go way further: case studies, real usage examples, recordings of people using your tool, or even just a photo of your actual team.

Yes, I do believe that even a "How it Works" section builds trust. Especially with new software that claims they can "Do X in 10s", you need to show how you do that. How you can do something in 10s, while others can't.

On a final note: Don't use stock images. A real face builds more trust than a polished stock image. Every time.

3. Action Clarity

This is where most startups mess up.

Your call to action needs to be crystal clear. What value am I getting if I click this button? If the answer isn’t obvious, people won’t click.

A good structure: do [something] in [amount of time].

Like “Upload your first PDF in 2 minutes.” But be honest with the time. If your onboarding takes 10 minutes, don’t promise 2.

You’ll lose trust fast. And one more thing: stick to one main call to action per page. Five buttons with different labels = confusion = lost conversions.

4. Product Preview

When someone lands on your website, they want to see how the product actually works. Screenshots are okay, but they’re the bare minimum.

A simple animation or a short screen recording does so much more. And a “How it works” section is great, especially for new tools that introduce new user behaviors.

Show me the product in action. That builds trust and gets me excited to try it.

5. Onboarding

You got the signup. Now what?

This is where a lot of startups lose users. Someone signs up, lands in the app, and has no idea what to do. No guidance, no first action, nothing.

The goal is not just signups. It’s activations. An activation is when someone completes the core action in your tool. Like chatting with AI twice, or uploading their first file.

Without a proper onboarding, you’ll get signups but your activation rate will be painfully low.

The payoff

These five checks are what I do in every UX audit.

1. Can I tell what the company does in 5 seconds?
2. Do I trust this company to deliver on their promises?
3. What value do I get when clicking a button?
4. How does the product work?
5. Is it easy to get started?

And you can run through them yourself, right now, on your own website.

Fix even two of these and you’ll see a real difference in signups and retention.

If you want me to do it for you, I offer a full UX audit for just €49. You’ll get an in-depth analysis of your website and product, plus three key actions you can take to improve on your own. Book your UX audit here → https://www.grauberg.co/the-audit​