Website Audit: Understanding the Effort to Fix Score

What Is the Effort to Fix Score?

The Effort to Fix score estimates the level of work required to improve or correct a specific messaging component on your franchise website.

Effort to Fix answers the question:

How much time, coordination, and complexity is required to meaningfully improve this component?

This score helps teams balance what should be improved with what can realistically be executed, enabling smarter prioritization.

How Effort to Fix Is Evaluated

Each component is assessed based on the expected effort needed across several dimensions:

• Content complexity – Simple copy edits vs. net-new messaging

• Stakeholder involvement – Number of internal approvals or contributors required

• Compliance considerations – FTC or legal review requirements

• Technical updates – CMS edits, layout changes, or development support

• Asset creation – Need for testimonials, data, visuals, or franchisee input

Effort reflects execution workload, not importance or value.

Effort to Fix Levels Explained

Low Effort

• Minor copy edits or clarifications

• Rewriting existing language for clarity

• Adding simple calls to action

• Rearranging or highlighting existing content

These are often quick wins, especially when paired with high-impact components.

Moderate Effort

• Expanding or restructuring sections of content

• Aligning messaging across multiple pages

• Adding new explanations or frameworks

• Coordinating limited internal review or approvals

These updates typically require planning but are achievable without major dependencies.

High Effort

• Creating net-new franchise messaging

• Gathering franchisee testimonials or validation data

• Developing compliant financial or performance narratives

• Coordinating legal, leadership, and marketing teams

• Implementing structural or design changes

High-effort items may deliver strong results but usually require longer timelines.

What Effort to Fix Is Not

The Effort to Fix score does not measure:

• How important the component is (that’s Impact)

• How well it’s currently written (that’s Quality)

• How urgent it is (that’s Priority)

• Whether the change is worth doing

Effort only reflects execution difficulty.

How Effort to Fix Works With Other Audit Metrics

Effort to Fix is most valuable when paired with Impact and Quality:

• High Impact + Low Effort
  → Top-priority quick wins

• High Impact + High Effort
  → Strategic initiatives requiring planning

• Low Impact + High Effort
  → Often safe to deprioritize

• Low Quality + Low Effort
  → Easy improvements that raise baseline effectiveness

This balance ensures teams focus on maximum return for time invested.

Why Effort to Fix Matters

Franchise teams operate with limited time and resources. Understanding Effort to Fix:

• Prevents teams from overcommitting to low-return work

• Helps plan realistic timelines

• Aligns stakeholders around execution scope

• Supports phased improvements rather than one-time overhauls

It turns the audit into an actionable roadmap, not just a diagnostic report.

Using Effort to Fix Effectively

• Start with low-effort, high-impact updates

• Group moderate- and high-effort items into planned phases

• Align higher-effort changes with legal and compliance cycles

• Use Effort scores to set expectations with internal teams and vendors

Key Takeaway

The Effort to Fix score clarifies how difficult it will be to improve each website component, helping teams prioritize smartly and execute efficiently. When paired with Impact and Quality, it ensures your franchise website improvements deliver meaningful results without unnecessary complexity.