THE SHORT ANSWER.
Check the speed, mobile usage, current content, contact, and HTTPS connection. Record the specific difficulties and start fixing the issues that interfere with the customer’s main journey.
Website errors can go unnoticed by the owner because he already knows where everything is. The customer does not have that advantage. He has to understand the service, find the terms and conditions, and contact you on his first visit.
If the website doesn’t receive enough inquiries, the reason doesn’t necessarily lie in the design. What matters are the visitors, the offer, and the way you handle the interest. But there are several obstacles you can check for yourself before planning a major change.
The next five checks do not replace a technical review. They give you specific observations with which to start a conversation about fixing or redesigning the website.
Mistakes on Website #1: Important information appears slowly
A slow website is one that makes it difficult for a person to start their task. A large image may appear gradually, and the button may not respond immediately. If the layout moves, the visitor may press a different place than the one they selected.
Viewing from your own computer is not enough. Some of the resources may already be saved in your browser, and the connection at the office may be good. Also, check the first visit from a phone using mobile data.
How to check
Open the homepage and an important service in PageSpeed Insights. The tool offers performance measurements and guidance. When there is enough data, it also shows observations from real visits; otherwise, you see a lab test. A description of the measurements from Google.
Note where the person is waiting: before the text appears, when opening the menu or when submitting the form. Do not use one evaluation as the sole proof of the quality of the entire site. Check several representative pages and the actual action.
How to fix it
Common starting points are unnecessarily large images, too many external resources, and an inappropriate configuration of the hosting. Caching means reusing already prepared data instead of having everything processed from scratch. It should be configured according to the site's functionality.
Ask for a specific plan: who is creating the delay, what will change and how the result will be verified. Do not remove important features just to get a better number. The goal is to provide a more convenient path for the customer.
Sign No. 2: The site fits on the phone, but it is difficult to use
Shrinking the content to the width of the screen is not enough. The text may be too small, the links may be too close together, and the important button may be hidden under a long section. The mobile visitor must be able to complete the task without having to zoom in and constantly search.
Often the problem lies in the layout. A beautiful image can push the service and the contact down. A menu that works with pointing with the mouse can behave differently when tapped. Check the actual actions, not just whether the page looks roughly correct.
How to check
Open the website from your own phone. Find a specific service, see how the price is determined, and try calling. Fill out the form with a clearly stated test request and check if you receive it in the agreed manner.
Also look at the error messages. If you miss a required field, you need to understand what it is. The text should not be wasted for no reason. The button to close the pop-up window should be easy to press.
How to fix it
Organize the most important information for a small screen: the offer, key terms, and action. Use sufficiently readable text and clearly separated buttons. Remove effects that interfere with reading or require action to see basic information.
With a new project, start from the phone, not the reduced-size computer version. The article about the mobile version of the site has a more detailed test and explanation of the mobile first approach.
Sign No. 3: The presentation does not reflect the current business
An outdated type is not determined solely by the fashion in design. More serious signs are an outdated service, photos of the previous object, an outdated team, or conditions that no longer apply. The person must be able to rely on the information they use to make decisions.
A year at the bottom of the page by itself does not prove that the business is inactive. Review the content in context. You don't need to replace every image, but it's important that the presentation matches what the client will receive.
How to check
Open each main service and compare the description with your actual work. Check the working hours, photos, and deadlines. If you have changed your address or phone number, look for the old data on other pages of the website.
Ask a colleague to note down anything that sounds general or inaccurate. A phrase like “leader in all decisions” does not help to understand the specific proposal. Compile the corrections into a single list, rather than editing unrelated details at random.
How to fix it
First, update the content that influences the choice. Add real-world examples, clear conditions, and up-to-date contact information. Then assess whether the structure and visual presentation also need changing.
When updating a site more extensively, keep information about the old page addresses. If you change them, plan redirects to the appropriate new locations. This way, the old links will not leave people on an nonexistent page.
Sign No. 4: The visitor does not understand how to connect
The website can present the service convincingly and still leave the next step unclear. The phone is just an image; the form asks for unnecessary details or the button leads to a different page. The contact should be a logical conclusion to what has been read.
There are also issues that are not visible from the outside. The form may show confirmation, but the team may not be monitoring the place where the requests are being recorded. Recording and sending an email are different operations and should be checked separately.
How to check
Choose an important service and count the necessary steps to contact the person. Don't look for the phone number in the memory. Check if the person who sees the site for the first time understands where to go next and what will happen next.
Send a test request with a different email address than the administrator's. Confirm receipt and processing. If there is Viber or WhatsApp, test from the phone and check which actual number the buttons are linked to.
How to fix it
Give each important page a clear main action. Place it near the information that allows a decision. For the first conversation, ask only for the necessary data and explain how you will respond.
Determine who monitors the inquiries and how problems are checked. Adding a larger button is useful, but it won’t help if the requests remain unprocessed. The external design and the internal process need to meet.
Sign No. 5: The browser warns about the connection
A security warning can stop a visitor before they even read the service. The reason could be a missing, expired, or incorrectly configured certificate. The certificate is part of HTTPS — the secure connection between the browser and the website.
HTTPS does not prove that all content is true or that the site has no other problems. It protects the data transfer and is necessary for normal use of forms and other functions. Do not encourage customers to ignore the warnings.
How to check
Open the site through an address starting with https://. Check the usual versions with and without www if the business uses them. Follow the browser notification and send the information to the person who manages the hosting.
Browse a few pages because the problem may be in a separate external resource. Do not enter real customer data into a form while the connection displays a warning. The technical investigation should determine the exact cause.
How to fix it
Check the issuance, renewal, and correct domain of the certificate. Many hosting services include a certificate, but the terms must be confirmed for the specific plan. Activation itself may not be enough if the pages are still loading resources through an unprotected address.
After the fix, check the redirects and forms again. It is not necessary to replace the entire site because of one certificate. The person in charge needs to remove the cause and confirm that the problem does not recur.
A short checklist for about ten minutes
-[ ] I opened the home page and an important service from the phone. -[ ] I can read the main text without magnification. -[ ] The phone number, address and terms are up to date. -[ ] I understand what to do after the service description. -[ ] I checked the sending and receiving of a test request. -[ ] I don't see a warning about the HTTPS connection. -[ ] I recorded the specific problems, instead of just the overall impression.
You don't need to perform the technical fixes yourself. The list helps you explain what is preventing the client. If there are several problems, discuss the priorities and the cost of creating or updating the website based on the actual scope.
Frequently asked questions
A low speed score means a new site?
Not necessarily. First, the cause must be identified and which pages are affected. Sometimes a limited technical fix is enough, but other times the structure or the solution used also need to be changed.
Can I only update the most important pages?
Yes, if this solves the established problem and the rest of the site works well. The homepage, the main services, and the contact information are a good start. Also keep an eye on the links between them so that there is no interruption for the visitor.
What should I send for a preliminary examination?
The address of the website, its main purpose, and the specific difficulties. Add which features are most important and where inquiries are coming from. Do not send passwords in the first message; the necessary access details are specified separately.
Let's check what's preventing your site from functioning properly
Did you recognize two or more difficulties? Send us the address of the site and what you want it to do better. We will discuss an initial review, appropriate changes, and what scope makes sense.
