Surveys check the top 125 pages of each website, Sitemorse measures performance, tests functions and checks compliance (HTML/eGMS/Accessibility) thoroughly on each of the tested page, and then ranks the site based on the weighting detailed further below:

• Function

  Testing how well will the website function for a user, examples of the tests include checking if there any broken links or missing downloads, illegal characters used, DNS issues or emails that will not work.

• Code Quality

  Thoroughly checking the build (HTML) code of the site and checking against the recognised web standards (poor website code can hamper performance and cause serious display issues)

• Accessibility

  Based on the available tests that can be carried out automatically on a site, e.g. is there an ‘ALT’ text tab on the images to allow screen readers to advise a visually impaired user to be told about the image, we are testing the site for both A & AA compliance reporting on page failures.

• Performance

  Checking the ability of the servers to react to page requests and look at your ability to manage pages deliver – not just on one page but we report the average performance across the site – providing a valuable indication of the experience a site visitor would receive.

In this report we do not comment on any measure of site sensitivity, popularity, ease-of-use, effectiveness or the commercial objectives, considerations and constraints, which may have been applied to site direction, development, design and performance criteria.

Full description of Sitemorse™ Benchmark Ratings