The 5 Most Common Website Mistakes That Hurt Your Business (And How to Fix Them)

Your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. But if it’s slow, confusing, or hard to find, you could be driving visitors away without even realizing it. Many small businesses make common website mistakes that can hurt their credibility, SEO rankings, and conversion rates.

Let’s go over the five most common website mistakes and, more importantly, how to fix them.

1. Your Website Isn’t Mobile-Friendly

Why It’s a Problem

More than 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t optimized for mobile, visitors will struggle to navigate it, leading to frustration and lost sales. Google also prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in search rankings, meaning a non-responsive site could be hurting your visibility.

How to Fix It

✅ Use a responsive design that adjusts to different screen sizes.

✅ Test your site on multiple devices to ensure a seamless experience.

✅ Keep text readable, buttons large enough to tap, and forms easy to fill out on mobile.

2. Your Website Loads Too Slowly

Why It’s a Problem

Visitors expect websites to load in under three seconds—any longer, and they’re likely to leave. A slow website not only frustrates users but also lowers your Google ranking.

How to Fix It

Optimize images by compressing them without losing quality.

✅ Use a content delivery network (CDN) to speed up loading times.

✅ Enable browser caching so repeat visitors experience faster load times.

✅ Choose a fast, reliable hosting provider—cheap hosting can slow your site down.

3. You’re Not Optimizing for SEO

Why It’s a Problem

If your website isn’t optimized for search engines, it’s like having a billboard in the middle of nowhere. Potential customers won’t find you, and your competitors will rank higher on Google instead.

How to Fix It

✅ Use keywords that your customers are searching for in your page titles, meta descriptions, and content.

✅ Create high-quality, valuable content like blog posts to improve your search ranking.

✅ Ensure your business name, address, and phone number (NAP) are consistent across your site and online directories.

✅ Improve your internal linking structure so search engines can crawl your site effectively.

4. No Clear Calls to Action (CTAs)

Why It’s a Problem

If visitors don’t know what to do next, they’ll leave. A website without clear calls to action (CTAs) won’t convert visitors into leads or customers.

How to Fix It

✅ Add strong, action-oriented CTAs like “Get a Free Quote,” “Book a Consultation,” or “Shop Now.”

✅ Place CTAs above the fold (visible without scrolling) and throughout your pages.

✅ Make CTAs stand out with contrasting colors and easy-to-click buttons.

5. Your Contact Information Is Hard to Find

Why It’s a Problem

If customers can’t easily contact you, they’ll move on to a competitor. A missing or hard-to-find contact page creates frustration and makes your business seem untrustworthy.

How to Fix It

✅ Place your phone number, email, and address in a visible spot (header, footer, and contact page).

✅ Add a simple contact form for easy inquiries.

✅ Include click-to-call and click-to-email features for mobile users.

Final Thoughts

Your website is one of your most powerful business tools—if it’s optimized correctly. Avoiding these five common mistakes will help you attract more visitors, rank higher on Google, and turn clicks into customers.

Not sure if your website is making these mistakes? I can help! Let’s audit your site and get it working for your business. Book a time with me here.

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The Top 5 Operational Mistakes Micro Businesses Make (And How to Fix Them)

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Why Every Small Business Needs a Website (Even If You Think You Don’t)