Your website is often the first impression someone has of your business or nonprofit. Before they call you, visit your location, or sit down in your office, they’ve probably already clicked through your site. That means your website has one job — to make people feel confident, welcomed, and ready to take the next step.
The problem? Too many websites accidentally push their visitors away. And because visitors form judgments in seconds, there’s very little room for error.
Let’s explore the five most common website mistakes I see — and how you can fix them.
We’ve all been there — you click on a website, and it takes forever to load. Most people won’t wait more than a few seconds before clicking away. Don’t make your visitor impatient, it’ll just leave them with a bad taste in their mouth!
The fix:
Use a reliable hosting provider.
Compress your images so they load faster.
Install a caching plugin if you’re on WordPress.
A faster site keeps visitors engaged and even helps your Google ranking. Check out Google PageSpeed Insights to see how your website does.
Over half of web traffic today comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t easy to use on a phone, you’re losing potential customers before they even get to know you. Think about it — do you know many professionals today who don’t carry a cell phone or other mobile device?
The fix:
Make sure your site design is responsive (adapts to different screen sizes).
Test your site on your own phone — if the text is hard to read or buttons are too small, it’s time for an update.
A mobile-friendly website improves usability and helps your SEO performance.
If visitors can’t find what they’re looking for in a few clicks, they’ll give up. Your menu should guide people, not overwhelm them. You want the system to be as simple and seamless as possible — visitors shouldn’t even need to think when they navigate your website.
The fix:
Keep your navigation simple — 5 to 7 main items max.
Use clear labels like “About,” “Services,” or “Contact.”
Avoid jargon — visitors shouldn’t need a map to find your information.
Clear navigation encourages exploration and keeps visitors engaged longer.
Your website doesn’t need to follow every design trend, but if it looks like it hasn’t been updated in five years, it can send the wrong message about your business. Five years might not seem like a long time, but think of how much a child changes in five years. Chances are, your organization has too — you just may not have noticed it as much as an outsider.
The fix:
Update fonts, colors, and images to reflect a modern, professional look.
Keep plenty of white space so your content feels fresh and easy to read.
Refresh your homepage every couple of years to show that your business is active and growing.
Even small updates can make a big difference in how visitors perceive your organization.
Visitors need direction. If your site doesn’t clearly tell them what to do next, they’ll likely do nothing. It is imperative that you give them a clear step on where to go next.
The fix:
Add clear, simple calls to action like “Book a Free Consultation,” “Donate Online,” or “Get Started.”
Place buttons in key spots (like at the top of the page, in the middle, and at the end).
Keep it simple — one primary action is better than five competing ones.
A strong call to action helps visitors know exactly what to do and increases the chance they’ll follow through.
Your website doesn’t have to be complicated to be effective. By fixing these common mistakes, you’ll make it easier for visitors to stick around, engage with your content, and ultimately take the next step with your business or nonprofit.
And if you’re not sure where to start — that’s where I come in. I help small businesses and nonprofits build websites that not only look great but actually work. If you’d like a free website review, let’s talk.