Andrew Hurrell • March 5, 2025
Why Most Local Business Websites Are Secretly Losing Customers (And How to Fix It)
Your website shouldn't be a maze
Ever walked into a shop where everything's a mess, the staff ignore you, and you can't find what you're looking for?
That's exactly what your website might be doing to potential customers right now! 😱
Sarah is a chiropractor who couldn't figure out why her gorgeous new website wasn't bringing in appointments.
It turns out she was making the same mistakes I see every day while helping businesses.
Let's dive into the real problems (and proper solutions) that actually work.
The "We're Here!" Problem 📍
Picture this: You're walking down the high street, and there's this amazing coffee shop.
But the sign's so small you almost miss it, and you can't tell if they're even open. Frustrating, right?
Your website might be doing the same thing. I came across a website and their phone number is at the bottom of the page!
Yeah, it may be on every page, but who's scrolling all the way down there when all they want is a quick call?
Quick Fix: Ensure your contact details are clearly visible - where they can't be missed – top right corner, on every single page.
Also make sure your
opening hours are easy to spot!
The Mobile Nightmare 📱
Here's a shocker – I just checked 20 local business websites in Essex.
Want to guess how many looked proper on my phone? Only 8! The rest were like trying to read the paper through a letterbox.
True story: A local garage lost £1,200 worth of bookings in one week because customers couldn't tap the 'Book Now' button on their phones.
The button was there, but it was playing hide and seek with their thumbs!
Sort It: Grab your phone right now. Open your website. Can you easily:
- Tap to call?
- Book a service?
- Find your address?
If not, you're leaking customers faster than a dodgy tap.
The "Where Am I?" Muddle 🗺️
Remember when your sat-nav sent you to the wrong end of the industrial estate? That's how customers feel when they land on a confusing website.
Bear in mind that if someone is trying to book a local window cleaner, for example, they would have to bounce between five different pages to find the prices.
In the end, they would give up and call someone else. That window cleaner lost a job because their website was playing Twenty Questions!
The Fix:
- Clear menu labels (none of that clever-clever stuff)
- Prices where people can find them
- Services explained in plain English
- A big, prominent button for your most popular service
The Trust Problem 🤝
Most business owners don't realise that people are nervous about spending money with companies they don’t know.
Dave, a caterer, couldn't understand why his website wasn't converting. His food was brilliant, but his website looked like it had been built in 1995.
There were no reviews, no photos, and nothing to show that he wasn't some random bloke with a few bowls of crisps and nuts.
Trust Companies That Actually Work:
- Recent customer reviews (real ones, not those generic "Great service!" ones)
- Before and after photos too
- Certificates and qualifications
- Local area mentions
- Real photos of you and your team (not stock photos!)
The "Call Us Maybe" Mistake ☎️
Stop making people work for it! I see too many websites where customers must jump through hoops to contact the company.
Quick story:
a cleaning business added a simple WhatsApp button to their website recently. Bookings went up 40%!
Why? Because people could message them, while they were thinking about it.
Make It Easy:
- Add multiple ways to contact you
- Include a WhatsApp option (people love it)
- Put a simple contact form on EVERY page
- Make your phone number clickable on mobile
The Bottom Line 💡
Your website shouldn't be a maze - it should be more like your favourite local pub: welcoming, easy to navigate, and inviting you to return.
Need help sorting your website? Give us a bell. We speak plain English, not tech waffle.
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