A visitor decides within seconds whether to stay or leave. Not because they're in a hurry, but because they're looking for three pieces of information very quickly: where am I, what's on offer, and what do I do now. Here are the ten mistakes that most often stop them from finding the answers.
1 to 3 - The message doesn't get through
1. A headline that doesn't say what you do
"Excellence in the service of your ambitions" means nothing. The visitor still doesn't know whether you sell consulting, transport or insurance. A good headline names the activity and the benefit in one sentence: you should be able to read it out loud and understand it instantly.
2. An auto-rotating carousel at the top of the page
Slides that change every four seconds are one of the rare points on which every usability study agrees: visitors ignore them, and when they start reading a message, it disappears. Choose one strong message rather than five messages nobody reads.
3. No visual hierarchy
When everything is bold, nothing is. If your page has five elements shouting at the same volume, the eye doesn't know where to go and gives up. A well-built page has an obvious first reading level, a second one, and then the rest.
4 to 6 - Friction builds up
4. A form that's too long
Every extra field lowers the completion rate. Ask for what you need to get back to the person - name, a way to contact them, message - and keep the rest for the next conversation. A form isn't a questionnaire, it's a front door.
5. Vague calls to action
"Learn more" promises nothing. "See pricing", "Get a quote within 24 hours", "Book a slot" tell people exactly what will happen after the click. Visitors click when they know where they'll land.
6. Tap targets that are too small on mobile
A 20-pixel-high link is a nightmare for a thumb. The usual recommendation is a minimum of about 44 pixels square, with enough spacing between two clickable elements. It's a technical detail that translates directly into lost conversions.
Quick test
Open your site on your phone, one-handed, standing up. If you have to zoom, aim or switch hands to complete the main action, your visitors give up at exactly the same point.
7 to 8 - Trust never takes hold
7. No proof
A site that makes claims without showing anything gets forgotten. Past projects, named testimonials, verifiable figures, client logos: proof does more for your credibility than ten paragraphs about your values. One detailed case study is worth more than twelve anonymous thumbnails.
8. Contact details nowhere to be found
A real address, a clickable phone number, a visible email. Their absence is one of the strongest warning signs for a hesitant visitor - especially in markets where trust is largely built through direct contact.
9 to 10 - The technology lets the design down
9. Unoptimised images
A 4 MB photo displayed in a 400-pixel-wide block means several seconds of waiting on an average mobile connection - and a visitor who hits the back button before even seeing your offer. Resize to the actual display dimensions, compress, serve WebP and lazy-load anything that isn't visible straight away.
10. Insufficient contrast
Light grey on white is very fashionable in mock-ups and very painful in real life, especially in bright sunlight on a phone screen. Aim for a contrast ratio of at least 4.5:1 for body text. It isn't just a matter of accessibility, it's a matter of readability for everyone.
None of these ten points calls for a complete redesign or a big budget. Fixed one by one, they're often enough to noticeably increase the number of enquiries you receive. If you'd like an outside eye on your current site, get in touch - we run this kind of review regularly.