You don’t need a marketing degree to know when something’s off.
You’re showing up every day for your clients. You’re putting in the work. But somehow your website—the thing that should be bringing in steady leads—isn’t pulling its weight.
You’re not alone.
The #1 complaint we hear from small business owners is: “We have a website… but it’s not doing anything.”
Here’s the truth most agencies won’t tell you:
It’s not that you need more bells and whistles. You just need to stop making the mistakes that kill conversions.
And most of them are fixable.
In this blog, I’m breaking down the most common website mistakes we see (after 26+ years of building and optimizing sites) and how you can fix them—either on your own or with help from a partner like us.
If your website only exists to “have a presence,” you’re leaving money on the table.
Today, your site should:
Attract the right people
Build trust instantly
Guide visitors to take action
Rank in search so you can be found
Convert traffic into leads—even while you sleep
This isn’t about aesthetics. It’s about performance.
And inside our Performance Marketing Program, that’s the standard: every website we touch is designed to drive growth.
Let’s fix what’s holding yours back.
When someone lands on your site, they should know three things in the first five seconds:
What you do
Who you help
Why it matters to them
❌ “Welcome to ABC Services”
✅ “Affordable AC Repair for Lake of the Ozarks Homeowners”
Fix it: Rewrite your homepage headline using simple, customer-first language. Make it about what they get—not just what you do.
If your only CTA is “Contact Us,” you're missing out. Most visitors need more direction—and more encouragement.
Your CTA should be:
Specific
Repeated throughout the site
Easy to find on mobile
Matched to the visitor’s stage of readiness
Better CTA examples:
“Schedule a Free Strategy Call”
“Download Our Pricing Guide”
“Get a Custom Quote in 24 Hours”
Fix it: Add a CTA button above the fold on your homepage, and repeat it at least twice per page.
Cramming all your services onto one generic page hurts your SEO and your user experience.
Google ranks pages, not websites. If each service doesn’t have its own page, you’re limiting how often you can be found in search.
Fix it: Create a separate page for each core service. Include:
A keyword-rich headline
Clear description of what’s included
Local language (city/state)
A direct CTA
We build this into every Performance Marketing site. It’s non-negotiable.
You may be tempted to write in “professional” language to sound credible—but if it doesn’t resonate with your audience, it won’t convert.
Examples of this mistake:
❌ “We provide integrated, client-centered dental solutions.”
✅ “We help families in Osage Beach feel confident about their smiles.”
Fix it: Use your customer’s words. Speak like a human. Make your copy conversational, not corporate.
Want help rewriting it? That’s part of what we do.
More than half of your visitors are coming from their phones. If your site is hard to navigate on mobile, they won’t stick around.
61% of users say they’ll never return to a mobile site they had trouble accessing. (Google)
Fix it: Pull out your phone and check:
Can you click the phone number easily?
Can you read the text without zooming?
Does the layout stack properly?
If not, it’s time for a mobile-first redesign.
Speed matters. Not just for user experience—but for SEO, too.
Google favors sites that load in under 3 seconds. Anything slower, and visitors bounce before the page even appears.
Fix it:
Run your site through PageSpeed Insights
Compress large images
Remove unnecessary plugins or scripts
Consider hosting upgrades
We handle this optimization automatically for our clients.
Even if your content is good, people need proof.
If you’re not showing reviews, testimonials, certifications, or real-life examples, you’re making it harder for someone to say “yes.”
Fix it: Add:
Google reviews on the homepage
Client testimonials on each service page
Trust badges (e.g., licensed, bonded, insured)
A simple “About Us” that builds connection
Don’t make visitors guess whether you’re legit. Show them.
You’d be shocked how many business owners are flying blind.
If you don’t know how many people visit your site, where they come from, or what pages they view, how can you improve anything?
Fix it:
Set up Google Analytics and Google Search Console
Track conversions (form submissions, calls, button clicks)
Monitor traffic sources
Inside the Performance Marketing Program, we give you monthly reports and real guidance on what to do with that data.
Many sites are beautiful but invisible. If you’re not optimizing for search, no one will find you organically.
That means:
No keyword targeting
No location-based terms
No blog content or FAQ strategy
No internal linking or metadata
Fix it: Focus on basic, proven SEO steps:
Use keywords in your page titles and headlines
Create blog content answering customer questions
Add internal links between pages
Optimize image names and alt text
We use our 67-point SEO checklist with every client—and you can get a copy if you ask us for it.
A business owner came to us with a site she described as “fine.”
It looked okay.
It had her logo.
It listed her services.
But it wasn’t getting calls.
We rebuilt it using the structure you’ve just read about:
Rewrote her messaging for clarity
Broke services into individual pages
Added calls to action
Displayed recent Google reviews
Optimized for SEO
Within 90 days, she saw a 3x increase in leads—and more than that, she finally felt like her website was working.
We don’t build websites for the sake of “having a website.”
We build marketing tools—designed from day one to:
Attract the right traffic
Build trust with your audience
Convert that traffic into leads
Set the stage for long-term growth
That’s why our Performance Marketing Program doesn’t just include a website—it includes everything that makes that website perform.
And we do it with you, every step of the way.
Your website can (and should) be your hardest-working sales tool.
But if it’s built without strategy, it’s just another digital brochure floating in the noise.
Start by fixing the fundamentals.
And if you want a team that doesn’t just build sites—but builds smart marketing engines that drive real results—we’re here for that.
We’ll review your site and show you:
What’s working
What’s not
What changes could make the biggest difference—fast
📞 Call us at 573-552-8403
Or schedule your free strategy session at:
https://mswinteractivedesigns.com/pages/request-a-quote
Let’s turn your site into the asset it was meant to be.
Related Reading:
→ The Missing Link in Most Small Business Marketing: Why Retargeting Brings Visitors Back—and Converts Them
Learn how to bring lost visitors back to your site and turn them into paying customers—without chasing them down.
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.
