Top 10 Website Mistakes We See Every Week (And How to Fix Them)

Wondering Why Your Website Isn’t Bringing in Leads?

You’re not alone.

We look at a lot of websites every week, and honestly… Most of them have the same problems. The good news is that most of these issues are quick fixes.

A website doesn’t need to be fancy or expensive to work well. It just needs to be clear, fast, and make it easy for people to take the next step.

Here are the 10 mistakes we see all the time — and how you can fix them.

 

1. Your Homepage Doesn’t Clearly Say What You Do

This is the biggest one.

When someone lands on your site, you’ve got about five seconds to tell them what you do and who you help. If they have to guess, they’ll leave.

Fix it

Put a simple headline at the top of your homepage that explains exactly what you do.

Example:

“We install affordable kitchens across Glasgow. Get your free quote today.”

No clever slogans. Just be clear.

 

2. There’s No Clear Call to Action

A website can look amazing, but if visitors don’t know what to do next, they won’t do anything.

Fix it

Tell people exactly what the next step is. For example:

• Call Now
• Book a Free Quote
• Check Availability
• Download Our Price List

Add these buttons at the top of the page, somewhere in the middle, and again at the bottom.

Don’t make people hunt for them.

 

3. The Website Is Too Slow

If your site takes ages to load, people won’t wait around.

Most visitors will just leave and try the next business.

Fix it

A few simple things can make a big difference:

• Test your site with Google PageSpeed Insights
• Compress large images
• Remove unnecessary animations or scripts

Ideally, your site should load in under three seconds.

 

4. It Doesn’t Work Well on Mobile

More than half of your visitors are probably on their phones.

If your site is hard to use on mobile, you’re losing a lot of potential customers.

Fix it

Check every page on your phone.

Make sure:

• Buttons are easy to tap
• Text is easy to read
• The menu is simple to use

If it’s frustrating on mobile, people won’t stick around.

 

5. Your Contact Details Are Hard to Find

If someone wants to contact you, it should be immediately obvious how.

If they have to search for your phone number, many won’t bother.

Fix it

• Put your phone number and email at the top of every page
• Add a “Contact” button in the main menu
• Keep your contact form short and simple

The easier it is to reach you, the more enquiries you’ll get.

 

6. You’re Using Generic Stock Photos

You’ve seen them before — the handshake photos, the smiling office team that clearly isn’t your team.

They don’t build trust.

Fix it

Use real photos whenever you can:

• Your team
• Your work
• Your shop or workspace
• Before and after pictures

Real photos instantly make your business feel more genuine.

 

7. The Text Is Full of Fluffy Marketing Language

You’ve probably seen sentences like this:

“We provide tailored solutions designed to optimise outcomes.”

But what does that actually mean?

Fix it

Write the way you speak.

For example:

“We’re a Glasgow-based electrician helping local homeowners with fast, affordable repairs.”

Clear always beats clever.

8. The Site Is Missing Basic SEO

A lot of websites don’t include simple things that help Google understand what the page is about.

Fix it

Make sure each page has:

• A clear title (for example: “Plumber in Edinburgh | 24/7 Emergency Service”)
• A good meta description
• Relevant keywords in the headings and text

These small things help your site show up in search results.

 

9. There Are No Reviews

Before choosing a business, most people check what others say about them.

If your website has no reviews, it can make people hesitate.

Fix it

Add a section like “What Our Customers Say” and include:

• Short testimonials
• Screenshots of Google reviews
• Names and, if possible, photos

And most importantly — keep them real.

 

10. The Site Is Built for You, Not the Customer

A lot of websites focus on what the business wants to say instead of what the customer wants to know.

Your visitors are asking things like:

• Can I trust this company?
• Do they solve my problem?
• How do I contact them?

Fix it

When writing your homepage, think about your customer first.

Ask yourself:

• What problem are they trying to solve?
• What would make them trust me?
• What’s the easiest way for them to take the next step?

Build your site around those answers.

 

A Few Other Mistakes We See All the Time

These are surprisingly common:

• “Coming soon” pages left up for months
• Broken links leading to error pages
• Background music (please… don’t do this)
• No privacy policy or cookie notice
• Text that’s too small to read

They’re small issues, but they can quickly make a site feel unprofessional.

One Last Thing

Your website shouldn’t just sit there looking pretty.

It should help turn visitors into enquiries and customers.

Fixing even a few of the issues above can make a huge difference.

We’ve seen businesses double their leads just by making their site clearer and easier to use.

Want a Free Website Review?

At Zostro, we offer quick, honest website audits.

No pushy sales pitch — just straightforward feedback on what’s working, what isn’t, and how to improve it.

If you think your website might be costing you leads, we’re happy to take a look.