A Pretty Website Isn't Enough Anymore: Is Your Website Working for You?

Flaw #2: Your Contact Points Are Buried or Broken

This one stings because it's so easily fixable, yet astonishingly common. People arrive at your website ready to buy, and then… they can't figure out how.

Your contact form is hidden three clicks deep. Your phone number lives in the footer, using a font size that requires squinting. Your "Get Started" button doesn't actually explain what happens when someone clicks it. Or worse—your contact form doesn't even work, and you've been missing enquiries for weeks without realising it.

Here's what happens in the mind of your visitor: they've done their research, compared options, and decided you might be the right fit. But now they're faced with a scavenger hunt just to reach you. What do they do? They hit the back button and choose your competitor instead. Because buying should never be harder than browsing.

You've likely heard of the "three-click rule"—the myth that users will abandon your site if they can't find what they need within three clicks. That's not quite right. The real rule is simpler: if the path to action isn't obvious, you've already lost.

Think about your own behaviour online. When you're ready to book a restaurant, request a quote, or schedule a consultation, how patient are you with websites that make it difficult? Exactly.

The Fix:

Test your website like a stranger would. Better yet, ask someone who's never seen it before to find your contact information and submit an enquiry. Time them. If it takes longer than 30 seconds or requires any thinking, you have friction points.

Make your phone number clickable and visible on every page—especially mobile. Add clear, specific calls-to-action above the fold: "Book Your Free Consultation," "Get a Quote in 60 Seconds," "Call Now 0450 616 000"

And for the love of revenue, test your contact forms monthly. Send yourself a test message. Check your spam folder. Ensure autoresponders are working. You'd be shocked how many businesses are silently bleeding enquiries because of a technical glitch they don't know exists.

Your Website Treats All Visitors the Same

Here's a scenario: Someone visits your website for the first time, knowing nothing about you. At the exact same moment, a returning customer who's bought from you three times before also visits. They see the exact same homepage. The exact same generic message. The exact same undifferentiated experience.

Does that make sense? Of course not.

Yet this is how 95% of small business websites operate.

Your website tries to be everything to everyone, and in doing so, it speaks to no one effectively. Your homepage attempts to simultaneously introduce your company, showcase services, appeal to different customer types, tell your story, and push for a sale—all in one overwhelming scroll.

Think about walking into a shop. An attentive shopkeeper would treat a first-time browser differently than a regular customer. They'd ask questions. Understand needs. Tailor the conversation. Your website should do the same, even in simple ways.

Different visitors have different needs. Someone researching options needs education and trust-building. Someone comparing prices needs clear differentiation. Someone ready to buy needs a frictionless path to purchase. One static homepage cannot effectively serve all three.

The Fix:

You don't need expensive personalisation software to fix this. Start with targeted landing pages for different audiences or traffic sources.

If you run Google Ads or social media campaigns, don't send people to your generic homepage—create dedicated landing pages that speak directly to what they clicked on. If your ad promises "Fast Plumbing Repairs in Manchester," the landing page should say exactly that, not force them to navigate through your full service menu.

Create separate pages for first-time visitors versus returning customers. Use your email campaigns to drive people to content that matches where they are in the buyer journey—educational blog posts for early-stage researchers, case studies for those comparing options, and streamlined contact pages for those ready to commit.

Even simple changes make a difference. Add a welcome message for new visitors. Offer returning visitors quick access to their account or previous orders. Segment your services by customer type (homeowners vs. landlords, startups vs. enterprises).

When visitors feel like your website "gets them," they stay longer, engage deeper, and convert more often.

A Website Should Work As Hard As You Do

A pretty website might impress colleagues or win design awards, but it won't pay your bills. Your website's job isn't to look good—it's to convert visitors into customers, reliably and measurably.

The three flaws above are hidden in plain sight. They don't show up in analytics as obvious errors. They don't trigger warning messages. They just quietly cost you money, day after day, as potential customers slip through the cracks.

The good news? These aren't expensive fixes. They don't require a complete redesign or a massive budget. They require a shift in perspective—from thinking about your website as a digital brochure to treating it as your hardest-working salesperson.