10 Mistakes Small Businesses Make with Their Websites 

For small businesses a well-built website can be your best salesperson, working 24/7 to attract leads, convert customers, and build credibility. But too often, small businesses invest in a website that looks “nice” but doesn’t actually work for their goals.

At Developyn, we’ve worked with businesses across the UK and Europe to rebuild, optimise and upgrade underperforming sites. We see the same mistakes again and again, so we’ve pulled together this list to help you avoid (or fix) them.

Here are 10 of the most common website mistakes small businesses make, and how we can help you get them sorted.

No Clear Call to Action (CTA)

Visitors land on your site, scroll for a bit… and leave. Why? Because they’re not sure what to do.

Fix it: 

Make your CTAs obvious and action-oriented: Book a call, Get a quote, Start your trial, something clear, simple and easy to click.

Trying to Say Too Much at Once

Your homepage isn’t the place to list every service, product and brand promise. Visitors need clarity, fast.

Fix it:

Lead with your value. Who do you help? How do you help them? What’s the next step?

Poor Mobile Experience

If your site isn’t mobile-optimised, you’re losing leads. Full stop. Over half of all web traffic is on mobile devices.

Fix it:  

Make sure your site is fully responsive, fast-loading, and easy to use on any screen size. We test every project on multiple devices before launch.

Slow Load Times

Users and search engines hate slow sites. A few seconds’ delay is all it takes to lose a visitor.

Fix it: 

Compress images, clean up your code, reduce plugin bloat, and choose reliable hosting. Our WordPress builds are speed-optimised from the ground up.

DIY Websites with No Strategy

It’s tempting to use a drag-and-drop builder, but without strategy, even a “nice-looking” website can underperform.

Fix it: 

We always begin with your business goals. Then we design and build with conversion, user experience and performance in mind.

Generic Stock Images

People can spot cheesy stock photos a mile off. They don’t inspire trust, and certainly don’t tell your story.

Fix it:  

Use real photos where possible, or at least carefully chosen visuals that reflect your brand. Need help with brand identity? We can guide that too.

No SEO Foundation

Your site may look great, but if no one can find it, what’s the point?

Fix it:

We build every site with search engine optimisation baked in, from clean code and meta tags to content structure and keyword-friendly layouts.

Outdated Content

If your last blog post was in 2021 or your “news” page is gathering dust, it signals neglect to potential customers.

Fix it:  

Keep content fresh and relevant. Not a writer? We collaborate with trusted copywriters and content partners who can help.

Too Many Plugins

This one’s especially common with WordPress sites. Plugins can be powerful, but too many (or the wrong ones) slow things down and create security issues.

Fix it: 

We only use trusted, lightweight plugins – and build custom features where needed. Clean, lean, and secure is our mantra.

No Analytics or Tracking

If you’re not measuring your site’s performance, how do you know what’s working, or what needs fixing?

Fix it: 

We set up analytics and tracking tools so you can monitor traffic, conversions, user behaviour, and more. And if you’re not sure how to read the data, we’ll show you.

Let’s Get It Right from the Start (or Fix What’s Broken)

Your website is more than a digital business card, it’s a key part of your marketing and sales strategy. If it’s not pulling its weight, something needs to change.

At Developyn, we don’t just build websites, we craft high-performing digital experiences designed to convert, scale, and support your long-term business growth.

• Need a full rebuild?  
• Want a strategic refresh?  
• Not sure what’s wrong? Let’s take a look.

Book a free website audit and let’s turn your site into a proper business asset.