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IS YOUR WEBSITE GOING TO FAIL?

Launching a website for your business can feel like an accomplishment, but if it's not carefully designed with user experience in mind, it may be working against you.

Your website is either working for you or against you. It is not in the middle.

From overwhelming text to dead-end links, even small missteps can turn visitors away and cost you valuable business.

Let's dig into the six surprising ways your website might be failing — and what to do to turn things around.

1. It doesn’t look that great (to put it kindly)

Ever landed on a website only to feel immediately overwhelmed by a wall of text or mismatched images? That first impression matters.

People equate the quality of your brand with the quality of your website. If your website looks cluttered or unprofessional, visitors are likely to think the same about your brand.

Here’s why this matters:

• TOO MUCH TEXT: Websites overloaded with text can feel exhausting to read. Visitors come looking for quick answers, not a novel. When there’s too much content, people tend to skim — and that’s if they don’t click away entirely.

• MISMATCHED OR LOW-QUALITY IMAGES: Images should tell a story, not distract from it. Grainy, mismatched, or generic stock images can make your brand seem unprofessional. Poor visuals don’t create trust; instead, they cast doubt on your brand’s credibility.

• CLUTTERED LAYOUT: It’s easy to forget that empty space is your friend. A cluttered layout can make your site look busy and chaotic, which is stressful for visitors.

Solution:

Go for a clean, minimalist look. Break text into smaller chunks with subheadings, use high-quality images that align with your brand, and prioritize white space to let your content breathe. It may seem counterintuitive, but less is more when it comes to design.

2. Checkout Process is Complicated

If your checkout process feels more like a scavenger hunt, you’re going to lose sales. People don’t want to jump through hoops in order to give you money. The less friction, the most sales you’ll have.

Here’s how a convoluted checkout process can hurt your bottom line:

• Asking Customers to Call/Email to Buy: It’s the 21st century, people! In this day and age, people expect to be able to make a purchase online. Asking customers to call or send an email in order to purchase something is a big turn off, and will leave you hurting for sales.

• Lack of Payment Options: If your website only accepts one type of payment, like PayPal, you’re alienating a whole chunk of potential buyers. Today’s customers expect to be able to pay online with a credit card.

• Can’t Find the Product They Want: A confusing or hidden product page makes it hard for visitors to make a purchase. If they can’t find what they’re looking for in a few clicks, they’re likely to give up.

Solution:

Create a simple, streamlined checkout. Clearly list products with prices, offer a range of payment options (credit card, Apple Pay, etc.), and make sure your product pages are easy to navigate.

PRO TIP: Be sure to check out my favorite tip to increase conversions after checkout.

3. IT’S IMPOSSIBLE TO Reach a Human

A website with no clear contact information is frustrating. When visitors have questions or concerns, they want an easy way to get in touch.

Here’s how this issue could be costing you:

• Missing Contact Page: If someone has to dig around to find a way to contact you, they might not bother. A missing or hard-to-find contact page can make your business seem untrustworthy.

• No Email or Phone Number: Even with a contact form, people often want an email address or phone number for reassurance. If they can’t find either, they may wonder if anyone will ever respond to their inquiries.

• No Live Chat Option: Live chat provides an immediate way for potential customers to get answers. If they can't reach out instantly, you might be losing sales from people who needed that quick nudge.

Solution:

Make your contact options highly visible. Include a contact page with a form, email address, and phone number, and consider adding a live chat feature if it fits your business model.

4. Your Text Hasn’t Proven You Can SOLVE Their Problem

Your website’s messaging should clearly communicate how you can solve your customers’ problems. If it’s vague, generic, or overly complex, visitors may not realize you’re the solution they need:

• Weak or Vague Copy: If your website’s content doesn’t quickly demonstrate the value you offer, visitors will assume you’re just another generic option. Strong, specific text is essential for establishing authority and trust.

• Fails to Address Customer Pain Points: Your text should be laser-focused on the problems your target audience faces and how you solve them. If they can’t see themselves in your words, they won’t see the need to stick around.

• Too Much Jargon: People want simple, straightforward answers. If your content is packed with jargon or complicated language, it can alienate readers and make your site feel inaccessible.

Solution:

Focus on clear, customer-centered language that highlights how your products or services meet specific needs. Avoid fluff, and keep your language straightforward and impactful. Incorporate testimonials on your home page to show your success stories from other clients.

5. No Call to Action Buttons

A website without call-to-action (CTA) buttons is like a movie without an ending. CTAs guide users toward the next step, whether it’s buying a product, signing up for a newsletter, or scheduling a consultation.

Here’s why missing CTAs can be a dealbreaker:

• Lack of Direction: If visitors don’t know what to do next, they’ll simply leave. People like to be led, and clear CTAs do exactly that.

• Missed Conversion Opportunities: Every page should have a purpose, whether it’s getting users to read more, contact you, or make a purchase. CTAs help guide them down the conversion funnel, and without them, you’re missing valuable opportunities.

• Creates Frustration: Visitors shouldn’t have to guess where to go next. A site without CTAs can feel aimless, leaving users frustrated and ready to exit.

Solution:

Place clear and compelling CTA buttons throughout your website. Make sure they stand out visually and are specific (e.g., “Start Your Free Trial” instead of just “Click Here”). Each page should have a clear next step that aligns with your goals.

6. External Links Don’t Open in a New Tab

This last one may sound like a minor detail, but it can have a major impact on your traffic. When external links open in the same tab, they pull visitors off your site — often never to return.

Here’s why this can hurt your website’s performance:

• Losing Traffic to Other Sites: If a visitor clicks an external link and it opens in the same tab, they’ve effectively left your site. You’re driving traffic away instead of keeping it engaged. This is a big reason why I never put social media links in the header navigation.

• Interrupting User Flow: Opening external links in a new tab lets users explore additional resources without disrupting their browsing session on your site. By keeping them on your page, you increase the chance they’ll return to explore more.

• Impact on Conversions: The longer a visitor spends on your site, the more likely they are to convert. Every time someone leaves your site, you lose the opportunity to guide them toward a purchase or another conversion.

Solution:

Set external links to open in a new tab. This simple adjustment keeps users on your site while still allowing them to explore external resources. Plus, it creates a seamless browsing experience. Use SEOSpace to scan your site to see which links need to be switched to open in an external tab.

Conclusion

Your website should be a powerful tool that serves your business — not a passive online brochure. From the visual appeal to clear CTAs and a friction-less checkout process, it’s worth investing time to make sure every aspect is working toward your business goals.

By avoiding these common pitfalls, you’ll create a website that not only looks good but performs well, helping you convert visitors into loyal customers.

Take a look at your site, see if any of these six signs are holding you back, and start making small adjustments to turn things around!

Want further analysis from an expert to know if your website is going to fail? Get a free website assessment today.

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