Having a website is a start. But having a bad website can actually be worse than having none at all. A bad website makes your business look unprofessional and turns potential customers away. Here are the seven most common mistakes we see on small business websites across the North East, and what to do instead.
1. No clear way to get in touch
You would be amazed how many websites bury the phone number at the bottom of a page or hide the contact form behind three clicks. If someone lands on your site and cannot figure out how to reach you within five seconds, they will leave. Your phone number should be visible on every page. A click-to-call button on mobile is essential. A contact form should be one click away from anywhere on the site.
2. Not working properly on phones
More than 60% of website visits are on mobile now. If your text is tiny, your buttons are impossible to tap, or the layout looks broken on a phone, you have lost the majority of your visitors before they read a single word. Every page needs to look great and work perfectly on a phone screen. This is not optional.
3. Slow loading speed
If your site takes more than three seconds to load, nearly half your visitors will leave. Huge images that have not been compressed, cheap hosting, and bloated page builders are the usual culprits. A fast site keeps visitors on the page and ranks higher on Google. Double win.
4. No mention of where you work
This is one of the biggest missed opportunities for local businesses. If you are a plumber in Darlington, your website should say so clearly. Not just on the contact page, but throughout the site. Google needs to know where you work to show you in local searches. "We cover Durham, Darlington, Bishop Auckland, and Newton Aycliffe" is the kind of sentence that helps Google connect you with people searching in those areas.
5. No reviews or social proof
People trust other people more than they trust your website copy. If you have Google reviews, show them on your site. If you have testimonials from happy customers, put them front and centre. If you have before and after photos, display them proudly. Social proof is what turns a visitor into a customer.
6. Outdated information
A website with a copyright date from 2021, old phone numbers, services you no longer offer, or a blog that has not been updated in two years tells visitors your business might not even be running anymore. Keep your information current. If something changes, update the site. It only takes a few minutes.
7. No reason to choose you
A lot of small business websites just list services and a phone number. That is fine as far as it goes, but it does not tell anyone why they should choose you over the five other businesses offering the same thing. What makes you different? Your experience? Your reviews? Your approach? Your local knowledge? Say it. Give people a reason to pick up the phone and call you instead of the next result on Google.
The fix is easier than you think
Most of these mistakes are simple to fix. And fixing them can make a dramatic difference in how many enquiries your website generates. If you look at your own site and recognise a few of these issues, that is actually good news. It means there is a clear path to getting more from the website you already have.
If your website is not bringing in leads and you are not sure why, run our free website checker and we will show you exactly what needs fixing.