5 Signs Your Website is Turning Clients Away

Your website is turning clients away if it lacks a clear headline explaining what you do, has broken links, hides pricing or contact information, loads slowly on mobile devices, or uses excessive industry jargon that confuses the average visitor.

Your website is your digital storefront. Imagine walking down the street and seeing a store. The sign above the door is missing, the windows are tinted so you can't see inside, and there is a note on the door that says "Synergistic Solutions Inside."

Would you walk in? Probably not. You would keep walking until you found a store that clearly said "Coffee Shop."

People do the exact same thing on your website. If your site is confusing, broken, or difficult to navigate, potential clients will not email you to ask for clarification. They will simply hit the "back" button and hire your competitor.

Here are the 5 biggest red flags that your website is actively losing you money, and how to fix them today.

1. The "Mystery" Headline

You have approximately 5 seconds to capture a visitor's attention before they leave. If I land on your homepage and cannot tell exactly what you sell and who you sell it to within those 5 seconds, your website is failing.

Many business owners try to be clever instead of clear. They use headlines like "Empowering Your Journey to Success" or "Elevating Your Digital Footprint." These mean nothing.

The Fix: Use the "What + Who" formula.

•Bad: "Empowering Your Journey to Success"

•Good: "Social Media Strategy for Local Plumbers"

•Good: "Virtual Bookkeeping for Creative Agencies"

(Read next: What is Answer Engine Optimization (AEO) and Why Does It Matter?)

2. Excessive Industry Jargon

We all do this. We get so deep into our own industries that we forget our clients do not speak our language.

If you are a marketing consultant, you might use terms like "omnichannel optimization," "KPI deliverables," or "brand architecture." Your client just wants to know, "Will this get me more customers?"

The Fix: Read your homepage copy out loud. If you wouldn't say those exact words to a friend over coffee, delete them. Replace industry jargon with plain English that focuses on the outcome the client wants.

3. Hidden Contact Information

If a client has decided they want to hire you, do not make them work for it.

I have seen websites where the only way to contact the owner is a tiny, broken social media icon hidden in the footer. If I have to click three times to figure out how to email you or book a call, I am going to give up.

The Fix: Your primary Call to Action (CTA) button should be in the top right corner of your website menu, and it should be a contrasting color. It should say something clear like "Book a Call," "Get Started," or "Contact Us."

4. The Mobile Disaster

Over 60% of web traffic now comes from mobile devices. If you designed your website on a beautiful 27-inch desktop monitor and never checked what it looks like on an iPhone, you are in trouble.

If your text is too small to read, your images are cut off, or your buttons are too close together to tap with a thumb, mobile users will leave immediately.

The Fix: Open your website on your phone right now. Navigate through every page. If you have to pinch and zoom to read anything, you need to adjust your mobile formatting in your website builder.

5. No Clear Next Step (The Dead End)

A visitor reads your "About" page, loves your story, and scrolls to the bottom. What happens next?

On many websites, the page just ends. There is no button, no link, no direction. The visitor has reached a dead end, so they close the tab.

The Fix: Every single page on your website must have a clear "next step" at the bottom. If they are on the About page, the button at the bottom should say "See My Services." If they are on the Services page, the button should say "Book a Consultation." Guide them through the journey.

FAQ: Website Optimization

Q: Do I need to put my prices on my website?

A: It is highly recommended to at least include a "Starting at $X" price. This filters out people who cannot afford you, saving you from wasting time on discovery calls with unqualified leads.

Q: How often should I update my website?

A: You should do a basic audit every 6 months to ensure links are working and your portfolio is up to date. A major redesign is usually only necessary every 2-3 years.

Q: Does my website need a blog?

A: A blog is the best way to drive organic SEO traffic to your site. If you have the bandwidth to write consistently, yes. If it is going to sit empty with one post from 2021, hide the blog page until you are ready to commit to it.

Need to organize your client journey? Grab our Client Onboarding System for just $97. It ensures that once your website converts a lead, your onboarding process is flawless.