7 small business website mistakes that drive customers away (and how to fix them in a day)

Every week we look at small business websites before rebuilding them. The mistakes repeat so often that we could list them by heart. The good news: most do not need a new website, just an hour of attention. Here they are, in order of how many customers they cost you.

1. Nobody understands what you do in the first 5 seconds

“Welcome to our website”, “Quality and tradition since 1998”, a photo of a building. The visitor does not know whether they are in the right place. The first sentence has to say what you do, for whom and where: “Roof repairs in Manchester and surroundings. Inspection and quote within 24 hours.” That is it.

2. The phone number is hidden

The number is only on the “Contact” page, written as plain text that cannot be tapped. On a phone the customer has to copy it by hand. The number should be at the top of every page, tappable with one click, with a “Call” button at the end of every section.

3. The site is slow on phones

5 MB photos, ten plugins, a full-screen video. On the office computer it loads fine, on a phone with mobile data it takes 8 seconds, and the customer left at the third. Check your site on your own phone with Wi-Fi off. If you are waiting, so are your customers.

4. It is not clear what the quote includes

It is normal for the price to be quoted individually, especially on larger projects. But the visitor has to understand from the website what they get: what is included, what the stages are, and when and how they will receive a concrete price. “Individual quote” with nothing after it leaves questions, and questions send people to the competitor. More in how much a website costs.

5. Outdated information

“News” from 2021. Opening hours that have been wrong for two years. A Christmas offer in July. One outdated detail makes the customer doubt everything else, including whether you are still in business. If nobody maintains a section, remove it.

6. The form does not work or asks too much

A form with ten required fields, a captcha and “I accept the terms” collects 5 times fewer enquiries than a form with name and phone. And check whether it sends at all: on half of the sites we rebuild, the form has quietly been sending nothing for months.

7. Nothing sets you apart

“Quality, fast, good prices” is what everyone writes. The customer is looking for a reason to choose you: 15 years in the trade, a 5-year guarantee, open on Saturdays, free site visits, English spoken. Say it concretely on the first screen.

A website does not have to impress. It has to answer three questions: what you do, why you and how to reach you. Everything else is decoration.

A quick check for today

1. 1Open your site on a phone with mobile data. How many seconds do you wait?
2. 2Show it to someone who does not know your business for 5 seconds. Can they say what you do?
3. 3Try calling from the site with one tap.
4. 4Send yourself an enquiry through the form. Did it arrive?
5. 5Read the first screen. Is there a concrete reason to choose you?