Small Business Website Mistakes That Are Costing You Sales (And How to Fix Them)
Most small business websites don’t fail outright — they quietly lose leads and sales over time.
The problem isn’t usually obvious. Your site might look fine on the surface, but small issues in structure, messaging, and usability are often enough to push potential customers away before they ever contact you.
Let’s change that. Here are 5 small business website mistakes you might not even know you’re making — and how to fix them before they cost you more sales.
5 Small Business Website Mistakes That Hurt Conversions
Mistake #1: The Local Lead Killer — Skipping Google Business Profile Optimization
Most small businesses either forget to claim their Google Business Profile (GBP) or let it gather digital dust.
Your Google Business Profile plays a major role in local visibility. Google reports that 76% of people who search for a nearby business visit within a day — and many of those searches lead directly to purchases.
Fix it:
Claim & verify your GBP
Keep your name, address, phone (NAP) info consistent everywhere
Add fresh photos + respond to every review
Post updates at least monthly
This isn’t just housekeeping. It’s one of the fastest ways to boost local leads.
If local customers can’t find you, they can’t buy from you.
Mistake #2: The Silent Sales Stopper — Headlines That Talk About You (Not Them)
Here’s a real-world comparison:
❌ “We innovate digital solutions.”
✅ “We help small businesses get found online with custom websites and SEO strategies.”
See the difference? One is jargon soup. The other speaks directly to a customer’s pain point.
Your headline has seconds to tell visitors what you do and why they should care. If it’s stuffed with vague buzzwords, they’re gone.
Fix it: Write headlines that answer:
Who do you help?
What do you help them do?
Why should they trust you?
Mistake #3: The Mobile Money Drain — Forgetting Mobile-First Design
Here’s the stat that stings: more than 60% of all searches are mobile (Statista).
If your website looks gorgeous on desktop but clunky on mobile? You’re losing more than half your audience.
Fix it:
Test your site on your own phone (yes, right now)
Is text readable without zooming?
Are buttons tappable with thumbs?
Does it load in under 3 seconds?
If your site doesn’t work seamlessly on mobile, it isn’t doing its job.
Mistake #4: The Navigation Dead End — No Internal Linking Strategy
Internal links aren’t just for SEO (though they do help Google crawl your site better). They’re for people, too.
Think of them as signposts guiding visitors where you want them to go. Without them, people wander around… or leave.
Fix it:
From every blog post, link to a related service page
From your services pages, link to your contact page
From your homepage, link to your highest-converting pages
Pro tip: If someone’s reading your “Services” page, ask yourself: where do I want them to go next? Then link it. (Have you noticed all of our internal links so far?)
Internal links reduce friction, improve SEO, and increase the likelihood that visitors take the next step.
Mistake #5: The Credibility Killer — Letting Broken Links Pile Up
Clicking a broken link for a website visitor is like walking into a store and finding the lights off. It signals neglect and instantly chips away at trust.
Fix it:
Use tools like Broken Link Checker or Ahrefs Site Audit
Replace, redirect, or remove dead links ASAP
Broken links create friction for users and signal neglect to search engines — both of which hurt trust and performance.
The Bottom Line
Most small business websites don’t have one catastrophic problem — they have several small ones working against them at the same time.
When messaging is unclear, mobile usability is poor, or navigation leads nowhere, potential customers leave before converting.
The good news? Every one of these mistakes is fixable.
When your website is structured intentionally, it stops acting like a digital brochure and starts working like a sales tool.
Ready to fix what’s holding your website back?
About the Author
I’m Liz Kroft, a Santa Cruz California-based marketing strategist and founder of Aviso Studios.
With a Digital Marketing certification from Harvard Business School, I help small businesses and entrepreneurs across the U.S. grow through small business website optimization, branding, SEO and digital marketing that actually gets results.
Ready to get seen? —
Want help boosting your visibility, optimizing your website, or growing your brand with strategy that actually works? Explore our marketing services or schedule a free strategy call today.
