Introduction
Your website is your business’s digital storefront. But if it’s slow, confusing, or hard to use, potential customers will leave before they even see what you have to offer. Many small businesses unknowingly make mistakes that hurt their website’s effectiveness, leading to fewer leads, lower sales, and poor search rankings.
The good news? These issues can be fixed! In this post, we’ll go over the five most common website mistakes and how to resolve them to boost performance, user experience, and conversions.
1. Slow Loading Speeds
Why It’s a Problem
A slow website drives visitors away. In fact, 40% of users will leave a site if it takes more than three seconds to load. Not only does this lead to lost business, but Google also ranks slow websites lower in search results.
How to Fix It
✅ Optimise images – Use tools like TinyPNG or WebP format to compress images without sacrificing quality.
✅ Enable caching – Browser and server caching help load pages faster for repeat visitors.
✅ Use a fast hosting provider – Cheap hosting often means slow speeds. Invest in quality hosting with good uptime.
✅ Minimise plugins and scripts – Too many plugins can slow your site down. Remove unnecessary ones and only use well-coded options.
✅ Enable a Content Delivery Network (CDN) – A CDN stores your site’s files on multiple servers worldwide, reducing load times for visitors.
2. Poor Mobile Experience
Why It’s a Problem
More than 60% of internet traffic comes from mobile devices. If your website isn’t mobile-friendly, users will struggle to navigate, leading to frustration and higher bounce rates. Google also prioritises mobile-friendly sites in rankings.
How to Fix It
✅ Use a responsive design – Ensure your website automatically adjusts to different screen sizes.
✅ Make buttons and text readable – Tiny text and small buttons are hard to tap on a phone. Keep everything user-friendly.
✅ Test on multiple devices – Use Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to check how your site performs on mobile.
✅ Optimise for touch interactions – Ensure forms, menus, and CTAs are easy to interact with on touchscreen devices.
3. Confusing Navigation
Why It’s a Problem
If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they’ll leave. A complicated or unclear menu structure can cost you potential leads and sales.
How to Fix It
✅ Keep menus simple – Limit the number of top-level menu items to 5-7.
✅ Use clear labels – “Services” is better than “What We Do” because it’s more intuitive.
✅ Ensure easy access to key pages – Contact, pricing, and services should be easy to find.
✅ Include a search bar – If your site has a lot of content, a search function can help visitors find what they need.
4. Weak Call-to-Action (CTA)
Why It’s a Problem
A website without a clear CTA confuses visitors. If users don’t know what action to take next, they’ll leave without engaging.
How to Fix It
✅ Use strong action words – Instead of “Learn More,” try “Get Your Free Quote Now!”
✅ Make CTAs visible – Place them above the fold and repeat them throughout the page.
✅ Use contrasting colours – Your CTA buttons should stand out from the rest of your design.
✅ Be specific – Instead of “Sign Up,” try “Sign Up for a Free Trial Today!”
5. Lack of SEO Optimisation
Why It’s a Problem
If your website isn’t optimised for search engines, it won’t rank well in Google, making it harder for potential customers to find you.
How to Fix It
✅ Use relevant keywords – Include key search terms naturally in your page titles, headers, and content.
✅ Optimise meta descriptions – A well-crafted meta description helps improve click-through rates.
✅ Add alt text to images – Helps with SEO and makes your site more accessible.
✅ Ensure fast loading speeds – Google rewards fast websites with better rankings.
✅ Regularly publish content – Blog posts, guides, and FAQs help keep your site active and improve search rankings.
Conclusion
Your website should work for you, not against you. By fixing these five common mistakes, you’ll create a site that loads fast, looks great on mobile, is easy to navigate, encourages action, and ranks higher in search engines.
At SimpliWeb, we take care of everything—so you don’t have to worry about slow speeds, poor design, or complicated SEO. Want a website that’s optimised from the start?