Most people who find your business online will look at your website before they pick up the phone. If something puts them off, they rarely tell you. They just tap back and ring the next name on the list.
That is the tricky part. A website that is losing you work does not send you a warning. It just stays quiet. Here are the most common signs, and a quick check you can run through in ten minutes.
It looks dated
People judge a business by its website in the same way they judge a van or a shop front. If your site looks like it was built a long time ago, visitors may wonder whether you are still trading, or whether you take care over the details.
You do not need anything flashy. Clean, simple and current is enough. Good photos of your own work, clear text and plenty of space go a long way.
It is slow or broken on phones
Most local searches happen on a phone, often when someone is in a hurry. If your page takes ages to load, or the text is tiny, or buttons sit on top of each other, people give up.
Open your own site on your phone, away from Wi-Fi, and use it like a customer would. If it feels awkward to you, it feels awkward to them.
Your phone number is hard to find
If someone wants to call you, they should not have to hunt. Your number should be at the top of every page, and on a phone it should be one tap away. That means it is set up as a link that opens the dialler, not just text someone has to copy.
There are no prices
You may not be able to give exact prices, and that is fine. But a total blank leaves people guessing, and many will assume you are expensive. A starting price or a typical range helps people decide whether to get in touch. It also filters out enquiries that were never going to suit you.
There are no reviews
Reviews do the selling for you. A stranger trusts what other customers say far more than what you say about yourself. If you have good reviews on Google or Facebook but none on your website, you are hiding your best asset.
Put a few real reviews near the top of the homepage, and link to where people can read more.
The browser says "Not secure"
If your web address starts with http rather than https, many browsers show a "Not secure" label next to it. That means the site has no SSL certificate, which is the bit that scrambles information sent through your site so nobody else can read it. To a customer, it simply looks risky, especially on a page asking for their name and phone number. Most hosting can add a certificate easily, so this one is usually quick to fix.
Nobody checks the contact form
A contact form is only useful if the messages reach someone. Forms often send to an old email address, or land in spam, and the owner never knows. Send yourself a test message today. If it does not arrive within a few minutes, you may have been missing enquiries.
The information is out of date
Old opening hours, a service you no longer offer, a mobile number you changed ages ago, a "latest news" post that is clearly not latest any more. Each one chips away at trust. Customers start to wonder what else is wrong.
There is no clear next step
Every page should make it obvious what to do next. Call, send a message, ask for a quote, book in. If a visitor reaches the bottom of a page and there is no button or number, you have left them stranded.
A quick self-check
Grab your phone and go through this list. Be honest with yourself.
- Does the site load quickly on mobile data, not just Wi-Fi?
- Can you see the phone number without scrolling, and does tapping it start a call?
- Is there some guide to prices, even a starting point?
- Are there real reviews on the homepage?
- Does the address bar show a padlock, with no "Not secure" warning?
- Did a test message through the contact form arrive?
- Are your opening hours, services and contact details all correct?
- Does every page end with a clear way to get in touch?
- Would you feel happy sending a new customer to this site?
If you answered no to two or three of these, your website is probably costing you some work. The good news is that most of these fixes are small.
Fixing it without a big bill
Some of this you can sort yourself. Updating hours, adding reviews and testing your form need no special skills. Other jobs, like speed and security, depend on how your site was built and where it is hosted.
If you would rather start fresh, We are Graft builds a proper website of up to five pages for £99, made from your own logo, photos and reviews. It is fast on a phone, your number is one tap away, and the contact form actually reaches you. You can see how the process works and what it costs.
Want a second pair of eyes?
If you are not sure where your site stands, get in touch and we will take a look. You will see your new design before you pay anything, and if you do not like it, you pay nothing. Get in touch here.