# The digital foundation checklist every business needs > Before you run ads or chase AI trends, make sure the fundamentals are solid. Here's what we audit on day one. Source: https://areza.digital/blog/digital-foundation-checklist Published: 2026-02-03 Category: Strategy --- Every quarter a new channel, tool, or trend promises to unlock growth. Businesses chase the new thing while the fundamentals leak. Before you invest in TikTok ads or an AI content strategy, make sure the foundation is solid. Here's the audit we run on every new client on day one. ## Site performance - LCP under 2.5s on mobile (test with WebPageTest, 4G throttle) - No render-blocking scripts in the `` - Images served in WebP, correctly sized, with `loading="lazy"` - TTFB under 200ms (use an edge CDN) ## Tracking and analytics - GA4 or Plausible installed with events firing correctly - Conversion events tracked (form submissions, calls, purchases) - UTM parameters used consistently on all paid and social links - Search Console connected and verified ## SEO fundamentals - Every page has a unique, descriptive `` and `<meta description>` - Heading hierarchy is correct (one `h1` per page, logical `h2`/`h3` structure) - XML sitemap submitted to Google - No `noindex` tags on pages that should rank - Core pages indexed (check Search Console coverage report) ## Lead capture - At least one clear call-to-action above the fold on every key page - Contact form tested end-to-end (submissions arrive, confirmation sent) - Phone number and email are text (not images) so they're crawlable and tappable - Form submissions route to CRM or at minimum to a monitored email ## Trust signals - SSL certificate valid (HTTPS on all pages) - Physical address or location visible (critical for local businesses) - Reviews/testimonials visible without scrolling past the fold - Privacy policy and terms present (required for ad platforms) ## CRM and pipeline - Every lead captured in one place (not across three spreadsheets and two inboxes) - Lead source tracked for every contact - Follow-up SLA defined and monitored (how fast does a new lead hear from you?) ## The rule Fix the foundation before you add traffic. Sending paid traffic to a site with a 6-second load time and a broken contact form is burning money. Get the fundamentals right, then scale. Everything else is leverage on top of a stable base. --- ## Related - [Blog](https://areza.digital/blog) - [Contact](https://areza.digital/contact)