10 Signs Your Business Website Is Costing You Customers

The frustrating thing about a website that loses customers is that you rarely see it happen. Nobody calls to say, "I was going to hire you, but your website put me off." They just leave and contact someone else.

Here are ten signs your website may be costing you business, and what to do about each one.

1. It's hard to read on a phone

Open your website on your own phone. Is the text tiny? Do you have to pinch and zoom? Do elements overlap or run off the screen? Most of your visitors are likely browsing on mobile. If your site isn't comfortable on a phone, many will give up.

Fix: a responsive, mobile-first design where text, buttons and images adapt to small screens.

2. It takes too long to load

On mobile data, every second counts. Large uncompressed images, too many plugins and cheap hosting can make pages painfully slow.

Fix: test with Google PageSpeed Insights. Compress images, remove unnecessary scripts and use reliable hosting.

3. Visitors can't tell what you do within five seconds

If your homepage leads with a vague slogan or a slider of stock images, visitors may not understand what you offer or whether it's for them.

Fix: a clear headline stating what you do and who you help, followed by a short explanation and an obvious next step.

4. There's no clear call to action

Visitors who are interested need to know what to do next: request a quote, book a visit, chat on WhatsApp or call. If they have to hunt for contact details, many won't bother.

Fix: visible buttons in the header and at the end of every key section, plus a WhatsApp button on mobile.

5. The information is outdated

Old prices, former staff, discontinued services, a 2021 copyright notice or a "latest news" post from years ago all suggest a business that isn't paying attention.

Fix: review your site every quarter, and make sure your team can update it easily.

6. It shows a security warning

If browsers display "Not secure", visitors may assume your site is unsafe, especially if you ask them to fill in a form.

Fix: install an SSL certificate (most good hosts provide one free) and make sure every page loads over HTTPS.

7. Forms don't work, or nobody responds

It's surprisingly common: a contact form that sends to an old email address, lands in spam, or simply fails silently.

Fix: test every form regularly. Make sure enquiries reach someone who responds quickly.

8. It looks dated compared with your competitors

Customers compare. If competitors have modern, polished websites and yours looks like it was built a decade ago, you may lose out even if your service is better.

Fix: a redesign focused on clarity, credibility and current design standards. Read about our website redesign approach.

9. You don't appear on Google

If you search for your main service plus your town and don't find your business, potential customers won't either.

Fix: basic on-page SEO, a complete Google Business Profile and helpful content. Our guide on SEO vs Google Ads explains your options.

10. There's no proof

Visitors want evidence: examples of your work, client names (with permission), genuine reviews, certifications and photos of real people and premises. A website with only claims and stock images gives them nothing to trust.

Fix: add a portfolio or case studies, real photography and links to genuine reviews.

What to fix first

If several of these sound familiar, prioritise:

1. Mobile usability and speed. These affect every visitor.
2. Clear message and call to action. These affect whether visitors become enquiries.
3. Working forms and contact options. Make sure the enquiries actually arrive.
4. Up-to-date content and proof. These build trust.
5. Search visibility. This brings more of the right visitors over time.

Fix or redesign?

If your problems are mainly content and a few technical issues, targeted fixes can go a long way. If your site is built on an outdated platform, is hard to update, or has fundamental design problems, a redesign is usually the more cost-effective option.

Not sure which applies to you? Send us your website address and we'll give you honest feedback on what we'd fix first.