Small Business Website Mistakes to Watch Out For
Having a website is essential for any small business — but simply having one isn’t enough.
A poorly designed or mismanaged website can actually hurt your brand, turn away potential customers, and cost you sales.
Whether you're building your first site or improving your current one, here are five common website mistakes small businesses make, plus simple tips to fix them.
Not Clearly Explaining What You Do
The Mistake:
Many small business websites bury the most important information or assume visitors already know what they offer.
Why It Matters:
You have just a few seconds to grab a visitor’s attention. If it's not instantly clear what your business does and who it’s for, users will leave.
How to Fix It:
- Put your main value proposition in your hero section
- Include a clear headline, short description, and a strong call to action (CTA)
- Add your location or service area if relevant
Poor Mobile Experience
The Mistake:
Your site looks fine on desktop, but it’s hard to use on mobile — text is too small, images don’t scale, and buttons are hard to tap.
Why It Matters:
Over 60% of website traffic comes from mobile devices. Google also uses mobile-first indexing, meaning your mobile site affects your rankings.
How to Fix It:
- Use a responsive design that adjusts to all screen sizes
- Test your site on multiple devices
- Ensure text is readable and buttons are easy to tap
Slow Load Times
The Mistake:
Your site takes too long to load because of unoptimised images, bloated code, or poor hosting.
Why It Matters:
Slow sites frustrate visitors and lead to higher bounce rates. Plus, site speed is a Google ranking factor.
How to Fix It:
- Compress images and use WebP or AVIF format
- Choose fast, reliable hosting
- Remove unnecessary plugins or scripts
- Use lazy loading for off-screen content
Weak or Missing SEO
The Mistake:
Your website isn’t optimised for search engines — missing page titles, vague content, or no keyword strategy.
Why It Matters:
Even the most beautiful site won’t bring in traffic if no one can find it. Good SEO helps you get discovered by people searching for your services.
How to Fix It:
- Use clear page titles and meta descriptions
- Include relevant keywords naturally in your content
- Create pages for each service you offer
- Add alt text to images for SEO and accessibility
No Clear Call to Action (CTA)
The Mistake:
You’ve got traffic, but no one’s taking the next step because there’s no clear direction.
Why It Matters:
Every page should guide your visitor toward an action — whether that’s booking a service, filling out a form, or calling your business.
How to Fix It:
- Add buttons with clear actions like "Get a Quote", "Book a Free Call", or "Contact Us"
- Place CTAs above the fold and throughout longer pages
- Make sure your contact details are easy to find
A Better Website Doesn’t Need to Be Complicated
Most of these mistakes are easy to fix — and small improvements can make a big difference in how your website performs and how people see your brand.
If you’re unsure where to start, I offer affordable website solutions for small businesses — whether you need a full redesign or just help getting the basics right.