Most website problems are not dramatic.
The homepage does not suddenly disappear and the screen does not start flashing red. Instead, small issues build up quietly.
They may make the website slower, harder to use or less effective at bringing in enquiries. Because the owner sees the website regularly, these problems can be surprisingly easy to miss.
Here are ten worth checking.
1. Contact forms are not delivering messages
A contact form can appear to work even when its emails are not arriving.
The visitor sees a confirmation message, but the enquiry may be blocked, sent to spam or delivered to an old address.
Test every form on your website and confirm that the message reaches the right inbox.
2. Phone numbers are not clickable
Mobile visitors should be able to tap your phone number and call you.
If the number is displayed as ordinary text, they must copy it or remember it before opening their phone app. That adds an unnecessary step.
Clickable telephone links are a small improvement, but they make contacting you much easier.
3. Images are much larger than necessary
A photograph taken on a modern phone can be several megabytes in size.
Uploading it directly to a website may slow the page down, even when the image only appears in a small box.
Website images should be resized and compressed before or during upload. The goal is to keep them looking clear without making visitors download a huge file.
4. Important information is buried
Visitors should not have to search through long paragraphs to understand what you do.
Your main service, location and next step should be clear near the top of the page.
A website can contain all the right information and still fail because that information is difficult to find.
5. The navigation has become cluttered
Menus often grow as new pages are added.
A simple five-item menu can slowly turn into a crowded list containing every service, policy and old landing page.
Keep the main navigation focused on the pages most visitors need. Less important links can usually sit in the footer or inside relevant pages.
6. The website is difficult to read
Text may be too small, too pale or placed over a busy image.
Long paragraphs can also make useful information feel like hard work.
Readable website content normally uses:
- Clear fonts.
- Strong colour contrast.
- Short paragraphs.
- Helpful headings.
- Enough space around the text.
Good readability is not about making a website boring. It is about making the content comfortable to use.
7. Old plugins are still installed
WordPress websites often contain plugins that are no longer needed.
Some may have been used for an old form, gallery or feature that has since been removed. Leaving them installed can create security, performance or compatibility problems.
Unused plugins should be checked and removed carefully. A backup should be made first.
8. Page titles are vague
Titles such as “Home”, “Services” or “Welcome” do not tell search engines or potential customers very much.
A clearer title might include the service and location, such as:
Garden Maintenance in Burnham-on-Sea
Each important page should have a title that describes what the page is actually about.
9. There is no clear next step
Every important page should guide the visitor towards an action.
That could be:
- Requesting a quote.
- Calling the business.
- Booking an appointment.
- Viewing a service.
- Sending an enquiry.
Without a clear next step, visitors may reach the bottom of the page and simply leave.
10. Nobody is checking the website
A website is often launched and then forgotten.
Links break. Business details change. Plugins become outdated. Forms stop delivering messages.
A quick monthly check can catch many of these issues. You do not need to inspect every technical detail, but you should regularly test the main pages and contact methods.
Small website problems are usually easier and cheaper to fix when they are caught early.
