If you’re like most business owners, you’ve spent good money on your website.
It probably looks nice. It has your logo, your services, a contact page—and yet, for some reason, it’s not doing what it’s supposed to do:
Generate leads.
If your site looks good but doesn’t bring in inquiries, calls, or sales—you’re not alone. We’ve rebuilt and optimized hundreds of websites over the past 26 years, and we see the same issue over and over:
The site was built to “look good.” It was not built to convert.
Pretty doesn’t equal profitable. And unfortunately, most web designers stop at the design.
At MSW, we don’t. We build websites that drive action—because you deserve a website that pulls its weight and helps you grow.
In this blog, I’m going to show you what’s missing from most websites, how to fix it, and how to turn your site into a lead-generating machine that works even while you sleep.
Let’s start with the core problem: most websites don’t have a strategy behind them. They’re built as online brochures, not as sales tools.
Here's what we often see:
No clear call to action
Confusing navigation
Walls of text with no hierarchy
Zero keyword targeting for SEO
No trust signals (testimonials, badges, case studies)
No lead magnets or value-driven offers
Generic messaging that doesn’t speak to the real problems your customers are facing
And that’s just the short list.
When we audit websites inside our Performance Marketing Program, we typically find that the business has everything it needs—just not in the right places, or not working together.
This is a big mindset shift.
A lot of business owners come to us thinking they need more traffic, more ads, or more SEO. And sometimes they do. But more often, they just need their existing website to do its job.
According to WordStream, the average website conversion rate across industries is around 2.35%, but the top 25% convert at 5.31% or higher.
Let’s say your site gets 1,000 visitors a month:
A 1% conversion rate = 10 leads
A 5% conversion rate = 50 leads
That’s 5x the leads without any additional traffic—just by fixing how your website performs.
Let’s talk about how to do that.
It’s not just about having the right colors or fonts. It’s about creating a guided experience that does the following:
Makes it immediately clear what you do and who you help
Builds trust quickly through testimonials and proof
Gives people a reason to take action right now
Provides an easy path to contact you or take the next step
Works for SEO so people can find you in the first place
Your homepage headline is the most valuable real estate on your site. It should answer three questions in under 5 seconds:
What do you do?
Who do you serve?
Why should they care?
Example:
Instead of: “Welcome to Thompson & Associates”
Try: “Trusted Legal Help for Lake of the Ozarks Families and Small Businesses”
It’s specific, it speaks to the audience, and it communicates a clear value.
Visitors need to be told what to do. “Contact us” in the top menu isn’t enough.
We use strong CTAs like:
Schedule a free consultation
Get your custom quote
Download our free guide
Start your project
And we repeat them throughout the site—on the homepage, on every service page, in the footer, and in blog posts. The more opportunities to act, the better.
Social proof is huge. Prospects want to see that others like them have had a great experience.
That’s why we build in:
Google review widgets
Client testimonials with names and photos
“As seen in” or certification badges
Case studies (even short ones work!)
You don’t need 100 reviews—but a few well-placed ones can double your conversion rate.
Not everyone is ready to call you today. That’s where a lead magnet comes in—a free resource that solves a small problem and gets them on your email list.
We’ve created dozens for our clients:
Free guides (“Top 10 Website Mistakes to Avoid”)
Checklists (“Is Your Business Showing Up on Google?”)
Webinars (“How to Get More Leads Without Ads”)
Stat: HubSpot reports that companies with lead magnets convert up to 30% more visitors than those without.
Each core service you offer should have its own page—written in clear language, with keywords your customers actually search for.
We talked about this in Blog #1, but it’s worth repeating: your website must speak your customer’s language.
Pages should include:
Keyword-rich titles and meta descriptions
Local SEO signals (your city/region)
Clear descriptions of what’s included
Calls to action
If your site doesn’t work well on a phone, you’re losing half your audience.
We design all MSW client sites to be responsive, fast-loading, and easy to navigate—on desktop and mobile.
Stat: 61% of users won’t return to a site they struggled with on mobile (Google).
Finally, we install tools like Google Analytics and form tracking so you actually know what’s working.
If your current site can’t tell you:
How many people visit each page
Where leads are coming from
What your top traffic sources are
Then it’s time to make a change.
A client came to us with a beautiful site. The problem? No one was calling. It had great photos, but no clear CTA, no service pages, and no keyword targeting.
Here’s what we did:
Rewrote the homepage with a clear, benefit-focused headline
Created a page for each service: lawn care, retaining walls, snow removal
Added local keywords for Osage Beach and surrounding areas
Installed a sticky “Request a Quote” button
Added three client testimonials from Google reviews
Built a lead magnet: “The Homeowner’s Guide to Choosing a Landscaper”
The result?
Their lead volume doubled in 60 days—and their site now shows up in the top 3 search results for 7 different services in their local area.
Let me sum it up.
Most small business websites are missing:
A message that speaks to the customer
A structure that guides action
Content that works for search
A way to capture leads (not just “contact us”)
Proof that you’re worth hiring
When we rebuild websites inside the Performance Marketing Program, we’re not starting from scratch—we’re rebuilding with strategy.
We’re creating a site that can grow with you, attract qualified traffic, and convert visitors into real, paying customers.
You don’t need to spend a fortune on advertising if your website does its job. When your messaging, design, SEO, and offers all work together, your site becomes your best salesperson.
It works 24/7.
It doesn’t take breaks.
And it never forgets the follow-up.
We’ll review your site for:
Conversion barriers
SEO gaps
Missed opportunities for lead capture
User experience issues
Messaging that needs tightening
📞 Call us at 573-552-8403
Or book a free strategy call at www.mswinteractivedesigns.com/pages/request-a-quote
We’ll give you honest feedback, clear next steps, and if we’re a fit—we’ll rebuild your site into a real business asset.
Related Reading:
→ Why Consistent Business Listings Are Critical for SEO (And How To Fix Yours)
Sandy Wardenburg Waggett is the Founder & CEO of MSW Interactive Designs, a premier digital marketing agency specializing in SEO, AI-powered content strategies, and website optimization. With over a quarter century of experience (eek!), Sandy has helped thousands of business owners increase visibility, generate leads, and dominate their local markets through strategic online marketing.
As a Certified High-Performance Coach, Certified Maxwell Leadership Coach, and LXCouncil Moderator, Sandy is not just a marketing expert—she’s a trusted mentor and business strategist who equips entrepreneurs with data-driven insights and future-proof tactics. She leads AI & Marketing Mastery Training and exclusive CEO mastermind groups, helping business leaders stay ahead in the rapidly evolving digital landscape.
Sandy is also the author of the upcoming book, The Future-Proof SEO Blueprint: AI, AEO, and SEO Tactics for Small Business Dominance—a must-read for business owners looking to outsmart competitors and win in the new era of search marketing. The book provides cutting-edge strategies on AI-driven SEO, Answer Engine Optimization (AEO), and how to leverage AI tools to future-proof your digital presence.
When she’s not crafting game-changing marketing strategies, Sandy enjoys coaching entrepreneurs, speaking at business conferences, and empowering leaders to make bold moves in their industries.
🚀 Want to take your digital marketing to the next level? Connect with Sandy at MSWInteractiveDesigns.com or call 573-552-8403.
