Common Website Mistakes

A website can look great and still fail to do its job.

Some websites are difficult to navigate. Others don't clearly explain what the business does, make it hard to get in touch, or look good on a computer but work poorly on a phone.

The good news is that most common website mistakes are avoidable.

Whether you're building your first website or reviewing an existing one, knowing what to look for can help you create a website that is easier to use, easier to find and more effective for your business.

1. Not Being Clear About What Your Business Does

One of the biggest website mistakes is making visitors work out what the business actually does.

Your homepage should quickly communicate:

• What your business does
• Who you help
• What you offer
• Where you operate, if location is important
• What visitors should do next

Don't rely on clever slogans or vague statements to explain your business.

Be clear first. You can add personality around that message.

2. Trying to Put Everything on the Homepage

Your homepage doesn't need to contain everything about your business.

Trying to include every service, every piece of information and your entire company history can make the page difficult to understand.

Instead, use the homepage to introduce your business, highlight your most important offerings, establish trust and direct visitors to the pages they need.

Your other pages can provide the detail.

3. Building the Website Around Your Business Instead of Your Customers

It's natural to want to talk about your business, but your customers are usually more interested in what you can do for them.

Instead of simply describing your business, explain:

• What problem you solve
• What customers can expect
• Why your service is useful
• What makes your business different
• Why customers should trust you

Put yourself in the customer's position and ask, "What's in it for me?"

4. Making Navigation Too Complicated

Visitors shouldn't have to hunt for important information.

A website with too many menu items, confusing labels or poorly organised pages can make it harder for people to find what they need.

Keep your main navigation simple and organise related information logically.

Before launching your website, try navigating it as if you were a new customer. Can you find your services, pricing, contact details and other important information without having to think about where they might be?

5. Not Designing for Mobile

A website can look perfectly fine on a desktop computer and still provide a poor experience on a phone.

Check your website on an actual mobile device. Look at:

• Text size
• Menu navigation
• Buttons
• Forms
• Images
• Page layout
• Contact details
• Page loading speed

Mobile usability needs to be considered from the beginning rather than treated as a final check.

6. Hiding Your Contact Details

If someone wants to contact your business, make it easy for them.

Don't make visitors search through your website to find a phone number, email address or contact form.

Depending on your business, you may want your contact details or a clear contact button in the main navigation, as well as on your contact page and other important pages.

On mobile, make phone numbers easy to tap.

7. Not Having a Clear Call to Action

A visitor might be interested in your business but still leave if they don't know what to do next.

Every important page should have a logical next step.

This might be:

• Request a quote
• Book an appointment
• Call us
• Contact us
• Shop now
• Make an enquiry
• Download a guide

You don't need to make every button identical, but your primary actions should be obvious.

8. Using Too Many Features

It's easy to add features to a website simply because they are available.

Pop-ups, animations, sliders, videos, chat tools, integrations and other functionality can all have a place, but they shouldn't be added without a reason.

Every feature should answer a simple question:

Does this make the website more useful for the customer or the business?

If it doesn't, you probably don't need it.

A simpler website can be easier to use, faster to load and easier to maintain.

9. Using Poor-Quality or Irrelevant Images

Images can make a website more engaging, but the wrong images can have the opposite effect.

Avoid using images simply to fill empty spaces.

Where possible, use photographs that actually relate to your business, products, people, projects or location.

If you use stock photography, choose images that feel relevant and authentic rather than generic.

Make sure images are also appropriately sized and optimised so they don't unnecessarily slow your website down.

10. Forgetting About Website Speed

People don't want to wait for a website to load.

Large images, unnecessary scripts, video and excessive functionality can all contribute to a slower website.

You don't need to obsess over technical performance, but you should test your website on both desktop and mobile and pay attention to pages that take noticeably longer to load.

A fast, straightforward website creates a better experience for visitors.

11. Treating SEO as an Afterthought

SEO shouldn't begin after your website has been built.

Your website structure, page topics, headings, content and URLs can all influence how search engines understand your site.

When planning your website, consider:

• What your customers are searching for
• Which pages should target important topics
• How your pages are connected
• The locations you serve
• What information customers are looking for

You don't need to fill every page with keywords. Focus on creating useful, relevant content that answers the questions your customers are asking.

12. Creating Pages That Overlap

Adding more pages doesn't automatically improve a website.

If several pages cover almost exactly the same topic, they can compete with each other and make your website harder to navigate.

Before creating a new page, ask:

Does this page have a clear purpose and something useful to add?

If it doesn't, the information may belong on an existing page instead.

13. Forgetting to Build Trust

Customers need a reason to choose your business.

Your website should give visitors confidence that you're legitimate, experienced and able to deliver what you promise.

Depending on your business, useful trust signals might include:

• Customer reviews
• Testimonials
• Case studies
• Project examples
• Qualifications
• Certifications
• Guarantees
• Client logos
• Real photographs
• Information about your team

Don't hide these away. Put relevant trust information where customers are making decisions.

14. Writing Too Much

More content isn't always better content.

Large blocks of text can be difficult to read, particularly on mobile devices.

Break content into:

• Short paragraphs
• Clear headings
• Bullet points
• Useful sections
• Relevant images

Most importantly, remove information that doesn't help the visitor understand your business or decide what to do next.

15. Forgetting to Update the Website

A website isn't finished forever once it goes live.

Business details change. Services are added. Products change. Staff come and go. Opening hours can change. Old information can quickly become misleading.

Make website maintenance part of your normal business routine.

At a minimum, regularly check your:

• Contact details
• Services and products
• Prices
• Opening hours
• Images
• Links
• Forms
• Testimonials
• Blog and resource content

16. Not Testing the Website Before Launch

Never assume everything works because the website looks finished.

Before launching, test the important parts of your website.

Check that:

• All links work
• Forms submit correctly
• Phone numbers and email addresses are correct
• Navigation works
• Pages display correctly on mobile
• Images load properly
• Important buttons work
• Page titles and descriptions are set
• Your domain works correctly
• Analytics and other important tools are connected

A proper launch check can catch simple problems before your customers do.

17. Choosing a Website Builder Without Checking What You Need

Not every website builder is the same.

Before choosing one, think about what your business actually needs now and what you might need in the future.

Consider:

• Design options
• Ease of editing
• SEO features
• Ecommerce
• Forms
• Mobile responsiveness
• Domain support
• Hosting
• Security
• Integrations
• Customer support
• Ongoing costs

The cheapest option isn't necessarily the best choice, but neither does your business necessarily need the most complicated website builder available.

Choose something that matches your requirements.

18. Forgetting Who Will Manage the Website

A website needs to be manageable after it goes live.

If updating a phone number, changing a service or adding a new image requires technical assistance every time, keeping your website current can become difficult.

Before choosing how to build your website, consider who will be responsible for maintaining it.

The easier your website is to manage, the more likely it is to stay up to date.

How to Avoid Common Website Mistakes

Most website mistakes come down to a few basic issues: lack of planning, poor communication, unnecessary complexity and not thinking about the customer experience.

You can avoid many of them by:

1. Starting with clear goals
2. Understanding your customers
3. Planning your website structure
4. Creating useful content
5. Designing for mobile
6. Making important actions obvious
7. Considering SEO from the beginning
8. Keeping your website simple
9. Testing everything before launch
10. Reviewing and updating your website regularly

Build a Website That Works for Your Business

You don't need the biggest website, the most features or the most complicated design.

You need a website that clearly explains what you do, gives customers the information they need, builds trust and makes it easy to take the next step.

Avoiding common website mistakes starts before you build anything.

If you're planning a new website, start with our website planning guide or learn how to create a website.