Website Conversion Audit Checklist + Teardown Templates for Home Service Businesses

Find the Website Problems That May Be Costing You Leads, Calls, and Customers

A website might be visually appealing but still lose potential shoppers.

When someone arrives at your homepage, they may not immediately understand what you are saying. Someone may click onto a service page and then leave because they see insufficient proof. On a phone, a visitor may want to call, but they cannot find the button quickly.

Also, search engines and AI search tools must be able to clearly interpret your website. They need to know what you do, where you work, what you excel at, and why you are trustworthy. They may then display your site when users ask relevant questions.

This is why the Branding Marketing Agency created the Website Conversion Teardown Template.

It’s a clear strategy for small enterprises and residential service providers. Browse the entire list of industries we serve to discover how this relates to your unique industry. Here you will examine six elements that might influence how effectively your website performs:

• The homepage
• Service Pages
• About and Team pages
• Contact and Booking Experience
• Mobile Experience
• AI Search Visibility

Instead of asking simply, “Does our website look good?” You can ask a better question.

Does each important aspect of our website enable a visitor to go one step closer to contacting us?

Why Website Conversion Audits Need to Change?

Website audits frequently categorize subjects into clean categories.

An SEO audit focuses on rankings and technical concerns.

Conversion audits focus on buttons, forms, and landing pages.

Performance audits concentrate on load time.

Local SEO audits concentrate on geographic indications.

These areas are useful, but customers do not experience your website separately.

A guest experiences the entire voyage in one go.

For example, a homeowner who needs an emergency plumber. They may locate the business via Google results, Maps, an ad, a suggested link, or a rapid answer provided by AI technology.

They arrive at the website and expect quick responses like: –

• Can you help me with anything I need?
• Do you work in my area?
• Will you do a good job?
• Are you open now?
• How can I contact you?

The page must cover all of this rapidly.

That is why a website conversion teardown template should evaluate discovery, clarity, trust, usability, and next steps as a single process.

The Six-Part Website Conversion Teardown Framework

Treat your website as a journey that a visitor walks, rather than as a collection of individual pages.

Each section has its own duty.

The webpage should instantly communicate why you are important.

Service pages should explain what you provide and how it helps.

The About page should earn confidence by providing accurate information.

The contact page should make it easy to reach you.

On mobile, ensure that consumers can tap and take action quickly.

Also, make it easy for search engines to understand your company and discover the relevant information.

Next, go over each part one by one.

1. Homepage Teardown

A. Can a New Visitor Understand Your Business Within Seconds?

Your homepage is typically the first true point of contact between your firm and a visitor. A good website design should help a new visitor figure out what the company does.

A teardown should not begin with “I like it” or “I don’t like it.”

Begin with a preliminary inspection of the site.

Load the website like you have not heard of the firm.

Then seek clear answers to the following questions:

• What exactly does this firm do?
• Who is this designed for?
• Where does it serve its customers?
• What evidence is there that it is credible?
• What step should a person take right now?

If you can’t detect these elements quickly, the homepage is probably losing conversions.

B. Audit the Above-the-Fold Area

More attention should be paid to the area above the fold, which users see before scrolling.

A few essentials are frequently seen in an excellent hero area:

• A distinct headline
• A concise line of support
• One primary call to action
• A person may quickly identify trust cues.
• A picture that complements the offer
• When relevant, service or location information

Avoid using attention-grabbing headlines that don’t convey anything.

The service and its intended audience should be stated in a better headline. Put the company name and logo. If the company is local, the position and the primary area it serves should be included in the headline.

Will a new visitor understand what the business does? If not, then the major title has to be changed.

C. Check Your Homepage CTA Hierarchy

When a page contains too many tasks to do at once, it might become confusing.

Customers should spot the important next step instantly on a homepage. This is an important aspect of homepage optimization since it helps visitors understand what action to take next.

The best step is determined by the business’s offerings. For example: Get a free estimate, schedule service, request a consultation, and call now.

When reviewing the site for conversions, pay attention to the button and link content. Make sure it remains consistent across the whole site.

A visitor may not understand the message if one section reads “Book Now,” another says “Learn More,” still another says “Contact Us,” and still another says “Get Started.”

Establish a clear sequence of steps. First, make the main one stand out.

D. Audit Homepage Trust Signals

The majority of individuals connect based on a headline.

When their doubts have been eliminated, they can contact you.

This makes homepage trust signals important for service companies.

Use proof such as the following:

• Reviews from customers
• How many individuals have you assisted?
• Years of business experience
• Certifications
• Licenses
• Memberships in commerce or industry
• Rewards
• Assurances
• Well-known customer names
• Results both before and after
• Project images
• Case studies
• Promises of service

Don’t simply write a tidy badge line on the page.

When it’s helpful, go over important trust signals.

The proof usually feels more authentic when there is more detail.

E. Check Whether the Homepage Answers Buying Questions

A homepage shouldn’t attempt to list every service.

Rather, it should briefly discuss the topics that influence a visitor’s next course of action.

These fundamentals are a good place to start:

• What are you able to provide?
• For whom is it intended?
• In what location do you work?
• What makes you unique?
• Which services are covered?
• How does the task progress from beginning to end?
• Why should I choose you above others?
• What takes place when someone makes contact?

This is homepage conversion optimization at a structural level.

Adding additional content is not the aim. To eliminate uncertainty is the aim.

F. Run a Website Speed Audit

A conversion assessment should include performance considerations. People experience load speed before reading anything you write.

Look at actual pages, not just lab findings. Pay careful attention to phones.

Google has now tied this effort to Core Web Vitals:

• LCP represents the Largest Contentful Paint.
• INP represents the interaction to the next paint.
• CLS: Cumulative Layout Shift.

Aim for these figures.

• LCP < 2.5 seconds.
• INP < 200 ms.
• CLS < 0.1.

Do not depend just on the PageSpeed Insights score.

Focus on what affects the consumer experience.

G. Homepage Audit Checklist

Your template should allow the user to score:

• The value is obvious from the beginning.
• The primary service is evident.
• The service area is specified when it is relevant.
• The primary call to action is featured prominently on the page.
• The button text is specific, not ambiguous.
• The phone number is easy to find.
• Proof and believability appear early.
• There are reviews or other customer feedback.
• Key services are introduced immediately.
• Common problems are addressed on the site.
• The page loads quickly.
• The layout does not change while it loads.
• On mobile, everything works as anticipated.
• The navigation is easy to follow.
• The site’s key pages are linked together.

2. Service Page Teardown

A. Does Each Service Page Help Someone Make a Decision?

When businesses replicate an SEO template, service pages frequently perform poorly.

They add a generic paragraph, highlight a few advantages, repeat a service term many times, and conclude with a contact form.

That method ignores the page’s true purpose.

An effective service page audit determines if the page genuinely benefits a user. It needs to assist them in navigating the service and determine whether the company is a good fit for them.

Clear fundamentals are covered in a good service page, such as:

• What the service is, to put it simply
• For whom is this service intended?
• The primary concerns it tackles
• What’s included
• How the task is completed, step-by-step
• Why this business is a good fit
• What occurs when you make contact?
• Where the service is available
• How to get started immediately

B. Improve Service Page Content Structure

What the visitor is attempting to accomplish is the foundation of an excellent service page.

This is an example of a basic layout.

H1: The name of the service plus the market or region it serves

Clearly describe the service and connect it to the appropriate audience.

A brief introduction

Make sure the individual is on the right page as soon as possible.

Need or issue

Describe the typical circumstance that prompts people to seek out this service.

What’s covered

To ensure that expectations are clear, list the essential components.

How it operates
Describe what occurs once a booking is made. Keep things simple.

Why this business

Tell clients about the true distinctions that are important.

Proof

Include client endorsements, case studies, images, results, qualifications, and quotations.

Area of service

Describe the location of the work.

FAQs

Respond to the inquiries individuals make before contacting you.

CTA

Provide a single, obvious next action.

Without jamming keywords into every sentence, this strategy improves service page SEO and increases conversions.

C. Make Local Service Pages Actually Local

A decent local landing page cannot be created with just a city name swap.

The page should assist people directly in that region if you want good local SEO for local services.

When appropriate, include details such as these:

• The areas that are served
• Adjacent communities
• Examples from nearby jobs
• Notes on the region’s service conditions
• Actual quotes from local customers
• The availability of appointments
• Images from jobs in the neighborhood
• Experience unique to the area
• Local laws or other considerations, if relevant

Avoid overcrowding your website with nearly identical pages that differ only by the city name.

Continue posing one primary query:

What additional benefits does a consumer in this area receive from this page?

Local landing page work is more reliable if you start with that concept.

D. Add Conversion Proof Near Important Claims

To add weight to your service page, use a local review, rating, actual project example, certification, or client count.

This is particularly important when you mention years of knowledge, high-quality service, quick reaction times, and expertise in customer satisfaction.

Provide proof at various stages of the purchasing process. Don’t confine it to a single review section.

E. Review Service FAQs Carefully

FAQs on service pages are still useful. Their primary responsibility is to assist clients.

People frequently ask the following questions:

• What is the cost of the service?
• How much time will it take?
• Is there anything I should prepare beforehand?
• Are you able to provide same-day service?
• Is it safe for children or animals to use this service?
• Which locations do you cover?
• After I request an estimate, what will happen?

Additionally, this type of style facilitates the page’s readability by search engines and other tools. The topic is simpler to follow when there are key questions and clear answers.

However, there is a crucial distinction.

Don’t add FAQs only to get an FAQ-style outcome.

Access to FAQ-rich results has been restricted by Google. Only websites that it considers reliable sources—typically government and health-related pages—tend to display them.

FAQs continue to be useful to people.

The outdated strategy of adding FAQ schema everywhere in order to improve Google results is no longer appropriate.

F. Service Page Audit Checklist

• The service is clearly labeled so customers know what they are receiving.
• The customer’s problem is expressed simply.
• The deliverables are simple to identify and comprehend.
• The procedure is explained in detail.
• The advantages are clear and align with the customer’s priorities.
• When important assertions are made, proof is provided.
• The reviews feel pertinent and genuinely suit the service.
• The service location is prominently displayed.
• Local details don’t feel copied in; they feel helpful.

3. About & Team Teardown

A. Turn the About Page Into a Trust Page

The About page is one of the largest lost conversion chances for a lot of small companies.

Owners frequently write content like this:

• “Quality is important to us.”
• “We prioritize our customers.”
• “We are dedicated to excellence.”

However, those lines are difficult to verify, and other businesses may quickly replicate them.

Aim for proof rather than promises during About Us page optimization.

B. Tell a Credible Business Owner Story

Add these statements to your website:

• Why the business started
• Who initiated it?
• What problem did the business aim to resolve?
• The duration of its operation
• The team’s experience
• How the company has evolved throughout time
• What guidelines or criteria apply to the work?

Include genuine names and faces on the website for local businesses. As a result, people may be more inclined to believe that you genuinely belong to the group. Additionally, customers search for evidence that the website is run by a real business.

C. Audit the Team Page

During team page optimization, see if users can quickly identify potential collaborators.

Depending on the type of business, you may include items like :-

• Complete names
• Clear images
• Job titles
• Experience that is relevant
• Certificates or licenses
• Areas of expertise
• Brief biographical notes

If you offer a service that allows you to enter a customer’s house or if the task is expensive, this is much more important.

Visitors want to feel at ease with the candidate they are considering employing.

D. Connect Trust Across the Web

Examining how the company appears in various locations is a crucial component of a contemporary dissection.

First, make sure the information is consistent throughout the company’s website and major external listings.

Examine these things.

• Name of business
• The logo
• Telephone number
• Address
• URL of the website
• Social media profiles
• Text for a business description
• Details about the founder or leadership
• Labels for services or categories

According to Google, you should use tools like Search Console, a Business Profile page, and appropriate structured data to bring up reliable business facts.

Customers may verify they have reached the legitimate business after everything is in order.

E. Use Local Business Social Proof Properly

Don’t limit yourself to five stars.

People may better grasp what to expect by reading actual local company online reviews.

For example, rather than this:

★★★★★

“Excellent company!”

Make a note outlining the actions taken. Talk about the region, the problem, the service, and the customer’s feelings throughout the procedure. This type of review provides more helpful information.

Provide evidence that is appropriate for carpet cleaning. Make sure the review type corresponds with the decision the visitor is attempting to make.

4. Contact & Booking Teardown

A. How Much Work Are You Making Customers Do?

When someone visits your “Contact Us” page, they are almost ready to make a choice.

Make things simpler rather than more difficult.

To begin a contact page optimization, simply ask: How quickly can customers complete the task they came here to do?

B. Simplify Your Lead Capture Form

There are more options when there are more fields. Your form doesn’t have to remain small because of this. It implies that every field ought to be important.

For an initial lead capture form, you could simply require:

• Name and phone number
• Email Support
• A brief message

You shouldn’t request a whole questionnaire from the customer prior to the initial contact. Ask for more information only if you really need it.

During contact form optimization, make sure to test any changes you make to a contact form.

• Go through it using your phone.
• Keep track of how long it takes.
• Examine the confirmation or thank-you screen.
• Ensure that the appropriate individuals get notifications.
• To test if the error prompts are effective, try typical errors.
• Check the autofill findings.

Even if a form seems excellent, it might still have negative effects if it doesn’t transmit. You lose that conversion if it doesn’t submit.

C. Audit the Booking Experience

Check the booking page optimization review separately if you use scheduling software.

Examine these sections:

• Extra steps that cause people to move more slowly
• Calendar displays that are confusing to clients
• Any fees that show up unexpectedly or late
• Account creation needs
• Mobile websites that are difficult to navigate
• Slowly loading external booking tools
• Confirmation pages that don’t make it obvious what will happen next

The next step should seem easier, not more complicated, after completing your service business booking form.

D. Service Page for Emergency and After-Hours Visitors

Different conversion pathways are sometimes required for an emergency service website.

For example, people with busted pipes need to move quickly at one in the morning. Typically, they don’t want to fill out a lengthy form with several fields.

Thus, if you provide emergency service, make that clear on your website.

Consider the following:

• Call buttons that are noticeable
• An emergency service confirmation line
• What to do after hours
• What occurs when the request is submitted
• Short emergency forms

Declare that emergency assistance is not immediately available. Next, describe the process for handling requests made after hours.

E. Contact & Booking Audit Checklist

• The phone number is clear.
• Phone users may press the number to call.
• The form asks only what is required.
• The form loads and submits with ease.
• Any errors are highlighted using understandable phrasing.
• Booking via phone works as expected.
• Business hours are easily found.
• If there is an emergency, the actions are demonstrated.
• What to expect after hours is discussed.
• The service area is listed.
• Privacy or consent information is displayed when it is necessary.

5. Mobile Conversion Pass

A. Stop Treating Mobile as a Smaller Desktop Website

The responsiveness of the layout should not be the only thing tested in a mobile website audit.

Different people utilize phones in different ways. Their screen is smaller. They are always moving. They may be considering many businesses. They might want to get in touch with you immediately.

A lot of users only use one hand. This changes how the page should work.

B. Audit Mobile CTA Visibility

Test the amount of scrolling a user must do before an action appears when working on mobile conversion optimization.

A service site can benefit from a sticky call to action, but only if it is carefully put up.

Typical buttons look like this:

• Give us a call immediately.
• Obtain a quote
• Book service

Additionally, ensure that important parts are not hidden by the sticky element.

It should be positioned to support the site rather than appear as a pop-up that blocks the view.

C. Test Click-to-Call Optimization

On phones, phone numbers ought to function as tap-to-call links.

Click-to-call optimization requires more than just making the number a link.

Verify that these components are configured correctly:

• The size of the button
• The location of the button
• Contrast of colors
• The button’s text
• The degree to which goods may be trusted or reviewed
• Clearly stated availability

A call might be the fastest route from the website to a genuine inquiry for those who are prepared to schedule home services.

Encourage them to move quickly.

D. Test Mobile Forms With a Real Device

Desktop testing can conceal important problems.

Use a genuine phone to complete the form.

Take a look at these things:

• The way the keyboard functions
• Field dimensions
• Autofill outcomes
• Dropdown menu options
• Date pickers
• The text of the form error
• The CAPTCHA screen
• Whether the “Submit” button appears
• The last message of confirmation

The mobile lead generation can be altered by those few inspections.

E. Review Mobile Website Performance Separately

Don’t use desktop results to predict mobile website performance.

Phones frequently have slower components and constraints, such as:

• The chip uses less power.
• Slower or weaker networks.
• Less area on screen
• Various ways individuals tap and swipe.

Concentrate on portions that use a lot of JavaScript.

INP is useful since it examines how the page behaves in response to a user action.

Even if the page appears to have finished loading, it may still feel slow when the user accesses a menu, modifies a form field, touches a filter, or uses a booking widget.

6. AI Visibility Pass

A. Can AI Systems Understand Enough About Your Business to Reference It?

The Website Conversion Teardown Template goes above and beyond the scope of a typical CRO analysis.

Many individuals now utilize chat-style and generative search to research cleaning companies. They evaluate options, learn about the services offered, and ask specific questions.

As a result, you cannot simply “rank higher” in traditional search results to increase site visibility. AI search optimization may also assist firms in enhancing the way their data is understood and presented.

An AI visibility check should look at whether your company’s facts are easy to locate, consistent across locations, simple to obtain, helpful to the reader, and supported by evidence.

B. Audit Whether Your Content Answers Real Questions

Chat-type inquiries frequently get more comprehensive.

For instance, a person may type:

Carpet cleaning in Charlotte

Using an AI assistant, the same user may ask:

Which carpet cleaning procedure is best for a pet-friendly house, and how long does it take to get the carpet clean enough to walk on?

That second inquiry requires additional information.

As a result, having good, end-to-end knowledge on a service site is quite beneficial.

Check whether your pages cover items like:

• Comparisons
• Prices
• The steps in the job
• What matches a certain home
• Aftercare and maintenance
• Safe Use and Safety Notes
• How long it takes
• Get local information for where you serve.
• What to Do Before the Visit
• What to do when the job is completed.

Making hundreds of thin FAQ pages is not necessary to do this. Create informative content based on real consumer choices.

C. Build Strong Entity Signals

A well-designed website for AI search should make your company simple to comprehend.

Make sure these things are obvious on your website first:

• The official name of the company
• The services that you provide
• Where are you located?
• The regions you cater to
• Who is in charge of the business?
• How to get in touch with you
• Your primary areas of expertise
• Important qualifications
• The history of your business
• Links to your external profiles

When appropriate, include organization or local business structured data if you are a local business owner.

Additionally, Google advises selecting the LocalBusiness type that best suits your business.

You should offer useful information that consumers may utilize both online and offline.

Schema cramming is not the goal here.

Reducing confusion for users and search engines is the aim.

D. Validate Structured Data Instead of Assuming It Works

During the breakdown, conduct a structured data check.

Examine the following items:

• Organizational or local business information
• Breadcrumbs
• Relevant service information
• Relationships between pages
• FAQs that appear on the page
• Conflicting or duplicate schemas
• Stale or outdated fields
• The attributes are invalid.

Business information that is inconsistent throughout the site

To represent what the page truly displays, use structured data.

Don’t assume that increasing markup will inevitably increase reach.

Google has started eliminating several structured data-based search result elements since 2025.

Therefore, concentrate on being accurate rather than adding a lot.

E. Measure AI Search Visibility Differently

Typically, rank tracking begins with one step.

For a certain keyword, where do we rank?

More is asked by an AI search visibility check.

It examines who appears and what the system retrieves.

For example:

• Do we show up when a similar issue comes up?
• Which pages are included in the response?
• Are our competitors named instead?
• What information do rivals provide that we don’t?
• Does the AI accurately and fairly characterize our business?
• Which consumer inquiries result in rivals’ repeated citations?

Thus, this goes beyond a simple rank report. It resembles an analysis of other AI search engines.

F. Audit Information Gain

The similarity of service firm websites is a frequent problem.

Ten plumbing websites will frequently repeat the same message, such as:

“We use skilled technicians and top-notch equipment to deliver dependable plumbing services.”

Customers find it difficult to choose a website when all of them say essentially the same thing.

Additionally, you wind up having pages that don’t add anything.

In a breakdown, pay attention to aspects that competitors can’t just imitate.

This can include items such as:

• Original project photographs.
• Proprietary processes.
• Actual service data.
• Local case studies.
• Before-and-after examples.
• Technician observations.
• Original pricing explanations.
• Customer survey data.
• Local problem patterns.
• First-party testing.
• Expert commentary.

This is where hands-on expertise can really matter.

AI can copy broad, generic explanations without much trouble.

But it cannot match your real experience unless you wrote it down and saved it.

G. Create Citation-Worthy Passages

Keep the main idea of AI search citations concise and simple to verify. Cut away excess filler.

Avoid writing a lead that is so unclear: “The frequency with which you may require professional carpet cleaning can be influenced by a variety of factors.”

Instead, use a direct line:

Every 12 to 18 months, most homes require expert carpet cleaning. You could need it sooner if you have children, pets, allergies, or a lot of foot traffic.

When possible, provide evidence to support the allegation.

Customers benefit immediately from clear terminology. It also facilitates quoting the content.

What to Fix First After Your Website Teardown

Once the audit is complete, divide the results into four categories.

1) Crucial

These problems prevent pages from being found or prevent conversions.

For instance:

Broken shapes

Incorrect phone numbers

Service pages that are not indexed

Unusable mobile navigation

Slowly loading pages

2) High Priority

These issues may influence people’s decisions.

For instance:

The message on the site is unclear.

The copy on the service page is thin.

There are no trust items.

Poor placement of call-to-action buttons

The booking process is unclear.

3) Enhancement

Methods for increasing performance.

For instance:

• Improved FAQ pages
• Additional case studies
• Stronger connections between pages
• Revised local content
• More precise information about the team

4) Examine

Check items before committing to them.

For instance:

• New phrasing for the CTA
• Shorter registration forms
• Various layouts of hero areas
• A mobile call to action that remains visible
• A new location for social proof

This difference is important.

A clear action plan should result from a breakdown. It should be more than just a list of problems.

The Website Conversion Teardown Scorecard

Give each component a score between 1 and 5.

A. Homepage—/5

Do customers understand what the business does and take immediate action?

B. Service Pages—/5

Is there sufficient information and proof to make a decision?

C. About & Team — /5

Can individuals verify who they are interacting with?

D. Contact & Booking — /5

Is it easy to make reservations or contact you?

E. Mobile Experience—/5

Can consumers easily complete important actions on a phone?

F. AI Visibility—/5

Can AI tools and search engines locate and comprehend important business details?

Overall rating: /30

You don’t necessarily need to change the website if it receives a bad score.

A few little improvements may often reduce a great deal of friction. It might not be necessary to start anew.

Need a Second Set of Eyes on Your Website?

Evaluating your own website is frequently difficult.

Weak or unclear text may seem obvious to you since you work for the company.

You may overlook things since you are familiar with the services.

You might not first realize how little new visitors trust you since you are familiar with the staff who work there.

Branding Marketing Agency helps small companies examine and enhance the whole customer journey, including website strategy, SEO, local search, paid traffic, conversion tracking, and new AI-search experiences.

Traffic may not be the problem alone if your website receives visitors, but you still do not see enough calls, reservations, or actual leads.

The pages you already have may contain the solution.

Request a Website Conversion Review

FAQs

Why is mobile optimization critical for home service sites?

Plenty of people reach for their phones when they need a plumber or an electrician. They are often in a hurry to get help. If your website works well on a phone, it should load fast. Your phone number needs to be right out in front where visitors can see it. People want to tap and call without searching around. Mobile friendliness also plays a part in search rankings. So it deserves a spot on your local SEO list.

Should I put pricing on my home service website?

You do not always need exact prices. Some jobs change a lot from one situation to another. Still, giving people some kind of price range can help them out. If you use “Starting at” with a number or add a short note about how your pricing works, it can cut down on worry. On top of that, it can help keep away people who are not the right fit for what you offer.

How many fields should my lead capture form have?

For your first contact with someone, keep the form simple. Stick to around 3 or 4 fields. Save the more detailed questions for a later step. You can collect that extra information during a phone call or after they send in their initial submission.

What are the key items to include in a website audit checklist?

Website audit checklist: what to add

• Technical health
• Page speed
• Works well on mobile
• No broken links
• HTTPS is set up right

What are 5 important things on a website?

• Fast load speed
• Mobile-friendly design
• Clear phone number and call-to-action
• Service and location pages
• Trust signals like reviews, licenses, and photos of real work

How to prepare an audit checklist?

Begin by listing your goals (e.g., increased leads, higher rankings). Then, organize the checklist by types of issues (e.g., technical, on-page, local, conversions) and include a column for pass/fail or priority, along with who is responsible for each task and a deadline for completion.

How to properly audit a website?

Audit your web assets in order using free tools such as Google Search Console, Pagespeed Insights, and an on-site mobile review as well. List all of the issues you find, and rank them in order of importance relative to their impact on calls and searches. Review these items every few months to track progress.