I am looking for URLs to companies that provide web site audits. I am
not looking for companies that provide free service, but rather a
professional service companies that specialize in that area.
To get a good idea of what services and the kind of answer I am
looking for, check out this page
http://www.gigaweb.com/mktg/wssc/
This is a professional company (little too expensive) that has
credibility and experience.
I am looking for about 5 URLs to companies located mostly in US and
Canada that provide a wide range of services (one stop shop) ex.
internet business-to-business audits, eCommerce audits, site
usability, marketing, etc.
If this will be difficult to find, perhaps 10 to 15 URLs to companies
that specialize in certain areas of site audits, ex. company 1
specializes in marketing and site visibility, company 2 specializes in
eCommerce and privacy.

It would be great if you could also provide additional info on these
companies (ex. price ranges, clients, etc) but that's not necessary.

Regards.

Hello -

Important note: This answer is not finished until you're satisfied
with it.  If you choose to rate thie answer, I ask that you do so
after asking for any necessary clarification/information.  Thanks for
your understanding.

Here is a list of companies that do web auditing:

4D Creative [Has an office in Canada]
http://4d-creative.com/ebusiness/web%20Audit.html
"Founded in 1993, 4d-creative is leading consulting and creative
production services providing strategic communication and e-business
consulting services supported by world class visual communication
solutions through print, interactive and audio-visual means for online
and offline delivery laying the ground for a successful business
operation."


The Web Audit Group
http://www.webauditgroup.com/services/index.shtml
"Web Audit Group principals Jonathan Lehrer and Sara Marberry are
seasoned marketing communications professionals, with a variety of
experience in the architecture/design, automotive, furnishings,
healthcare, publishing and telecommunications industries.  With the
knowledge of insiders, we apply an outsider's perspective to your
website. More than what you get from technical people, we use a
strategic approach to link your website to your organizational
mission."


Jaffe Associates
http://www.jaffeassociates.com/ProductsServices/webaudit.html
"Jaffe Associates is the business development consultancy for
professionals and their firms.  We help our clients tackle their most
challenging and complex business development -- from the setting of
clear goals through completed implementation.  In everything we do, we
seek to deliver a dramatic return on their business development
investment.  As you investigate our site, we trust you will get a
sense of what we do and why we do it."


Interact Communications
http://www.interactcom.com/mpwaaudit.html
"Not all audiences are the same, and on the web, one-site-fits-all
does not work. High school audiences tend to like complexity and bold
colors and lots of interactivity. Working adults like entirely
different mixes of message and medium. And seniors are one of the
fastest growing segments of web users, but they have web tastes all
their own. And, these groups vary in their tastes by geography and
generation."


Communication Resources
http://www.commresources.net/webaudit.htm
"The Web Audit is an intensive review and analysis of your web site.
The audit provides you with the market intelligence to determine the
weaknesses and strengths of your web site, against your competitors.
It helps you determine how web technology can assist your company
increase business, provide customer service and communicate with
prospective customers."


Riger
http://www.riger.com/know_base/research/audit.html
"In business since 1950, Fred Riger Advertising Agency is the oldest
and largest business of its kind in South-Central New York State. With
a staff of fifteen, we are a multi-service marketing communications
agency, encompassing marketing, public relations, research, media
services, graphics, sales promotion, special events, video and print
production, direct mail, multimedia presentations, and many other
specializations. We serve a variety of industrial,
business-to-business, financial, health care and consumer-oriented
accounts."


Hyperweb
http://www.hyperweb.ca/webaudit.asp
"As our portfolio has grown, so too has the level of expertise within
our company. As a result, our clients increasingly rely on our ability
to analyse web sites. Whether you're interested in understanding what
your competition is doing right or wrong on their web sites, or simply
want a better understanding of what works and what doesn't on your own
site, our Web Audit Solution will give you all the information you
need."


Search Strategy:
web audit
"web auditing"
"web audit"

Additional Link:
The Web Site Audit Check List
http://www.ivanhoffman.com/audit.html

Thank you,

jbf777-ga
GA Researcher

---

Request for Answer Clarification by eo12345-ga on 07 May 2003 20:07 PDT

Hi,
Thank you for your answer. Altough you have provided links to
companies that provide these kind of services, it does not seem to me
like they specialize in that kind of service (except for
http://www.interactcom.com but they seem to be targeting two-year
colleges).
Most of them do this as part of a wide variety of services they offer
(their core service is not site audits). The same thing applies to
GIGA (example I provided) but GIGA is a company that you know will
deliver exceptional service (at a price tag of course). At this point,
I would even accept the most expensive services or those companies
that specialize and have proven track record (case studies) in a range
of site audits services (not just link checking or visual design, but
eCommerce transactions, technology implementation, infrastructure
set-up, etc)

Thank you again.

---

Clarification of Answer by jbf777-ga on 07 May 2003 21:15 PDT

Hello -

Please give me some time, and I will see what I can find.

Thanks,

jbf777-ga
GA Researcher

---

Request for Answer Clarification by eo12345-ga on 08 May 2003 05:23 PDT

Thank you very much. I look forward to your findings. Will you be able
to get me more info sometimes today?

Regards.

---

Clarification of Answer by jbf777-ga on 08 May 2003 07:39 PDT

Hi -

I'll be working today on it, so I'll let you know either way today [if
I can't find what you're looking for, I will withdraw my answer].

Thanks,

jbf777-ga
GA Researcher

---

Clarification of Answer by jbf777-ga on 08 May 2003 09:55 PDT

http://www.designmission.com/consulting.html
http://www.indiawebdevelopers.com/services/research.asp
http://www.hgd.com/web/critique.html
http://www.cdsassociates.com/services.html
http://www.infogrinder.com/web_consulting.htm
http://www.nexustechgroup.com/webservices/consultinganalysis.asp
http://gahran.com/critiques.html
http://www.adaera.com/about/services.asp
http://www.houckassociates.com/wc-anal.asp
http://www.mollerus.net/consulting/
http://www.ceed.us/services/whatwedo.htm
http://www.gmasterinc.com/information-systems-audit.htm

After extensive searching, I can't seem to find any firms that do
auditing exclusively.  It dawned on me why...  it may be very
difficult for a business to survive doing only this task, because it
may be extremely difficult to find business.  Hence, you'll find a lot
of companies doing design AND auditing/consulting.

I worked for a company or which I  did some web design optimization. 
Auditing would seem to be a  natural extension of web site design.  If
you're a good web site designer, you can critique other web sites,
because you understand what makes good design.  These types of
services are normally part and parcel of the same service category. 
You don't really find a restaurant that sells "just fries" or "just
pickles."

Below is a list of sites that are the closest I could find to what
you're looking for.  If these won't suffice, please just let me know
and perhaps we can re-examine the  scope of what you're looking for.