Business Growth & Strategy
September 2, 2025
Should You Redesign Your Website or Start Fresh? A Business Consultant’s Take
It’s never been easier to get a business online, but that doesn’t mean every business does it well. In this article, I’ll share the seven most common mistakes I see small businesses making online, along with practical advice on how to avoid them.
As a business owner, you’re told you “must be online” to grow. So you set up a website, maybe a Facebook page, and hope customers will come. But without a clear plan, many small businesses end up with a digital presence that actually holds them back.
Here are the mistakes I see most often, and how you can fix them.
A lot of small businesses think of their website as a static leaflet. They fill it with information and then leave it untouched for years.
The problem is, a brochure just sits there. A website should act like your best salesperson: attracting attention, answering questions, and encouraging people to take action.
Over half of web traffic now comes from mobile devices [stat needed]. Yet I still see sites where the text is tiny, buttons are hard to press, and images load slowly.
If your site doesn’t work well on a phone, you’re losing potential customers every day.
If you serve customers in a local area, you need to show up when they search for services nearby. Many small businesses forget this and end up invisible on Google.
Make sure you:
Claim and optimise your Google Business Profile.
Use location keywords naturally in your site copy.
Ask happy customers to leave reviews.
Visitors need clear direction. “Call now”, “Book a consultation”, or “Get a free quote” are simple prompts that dramatically increase enquiries. Without them, people will browse and leave without contacting you.
Some business owners treat Facebook or Instagram as their main online presence. The problem? You don’t own those platforms, and algorithms change all the time.
A website is your digital home. Social media should support it, not replace it.
I see small businesses chasing every new platform or tool, burning time and money without results. The basics often work best:
A simple, clear website.
Regular updates and useful content.
Consistent communication with customers.
Without tracking, you won’t know what’s working. Simple tools like Google Analytics or call tracking can show you which efforts bring enquiries.
This helps you stop wasting money on what doesn’t work, and double down on what does.
The solution isn’t complicated. In fact, it comes down to three things:
Keep your website clear, simple, and customer-focused.
Make sure people can find you online, especially in your local area.
Track what’s working and adjust as you go.
Do those three things, and you’ll already be ahead of most of your competitors.
Your online presence should be working for you, not against you. Avoiding these mistakes means more enquiries, stronger customer trust, and less wasted effort. It doesn’t require a huge budget — just the right approach.
If you’d like me to take a look at your current online setup, I offer a free audit. I’ll show you where you’re losing potential clients and what changes will make the biggest difference.
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