Why local business websites fail
Why local business websites fail, and how to fix yours
Local business websites usually let their owners down for the same few reasons: they are slow, confusing, hard to find on Google or left alone after launch.
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Local business websites that stop bringing in work usually share the same five problems. Knowing them is the first step to fixing yours.
First, they are slow. A page that takes several seconds to load loses visitors before they see your offer. Slow hosting, oversized images and bloated code are the usual causes.
Key points
Second, they ignore mobile. Most local searches happen on phones. If your site needs pinching, zooming or sideways scrolling, people give up.
Third, the wording is unclear. Visitors should be able to tell what you do, who you do it for and why to choose you almost at once. Many small business websites bury this under general copy and stock photos.
Fourth, Google cannot place them. Without local search groundwork (accurate contact details, the places you cover and a Google Business Profile that matches) you are hard to find in “near me” searches, however good the site looks.
What this means for you
Fifth, they are left alone after launch. Out-of-date prices, broken forms and old photos tell visitors your business might be quiet too.
Each of these has a plain fix: build for speed, design for the phone first, write clearly, do the local search groundwork and keep the site maintained.
In our clients’ words
What our clients say.
FAQ
Common questions
Test it with Google PageSpeed Insights. If your mobile score is low or the page takes more than a few seconds to show anything, it is worth fixing.
Usually because of missing local groundwork: no Google Business Profile, no mention of where you work, contact details that differ from site to site, or technical issues stopping Google reading the pages.
Review it at least every quarter. Update prices, hours, team details and reviews whenever they change, so a visitor never finds something out of date.
Keep reading
Read next
What makes a good small business website
A good small business website loads quickly, works on a phone and explains in plain words what you do and why a customer should choose you.
How much does a website cost?
Published estimates put most small business websites at £500 to £8,000 to build, and larger agencies well above that. Here is what each option costs in year one, and what you keep paying after.
Local SEO basics
Local SEO helps nearby customers find your business. It rests on a complete Google Business Profile, clear local wording, genuine reviews and consistent details.
Find out what your website is costing you.
A free Growth Audit™: a written, prioritised audit of your website, with the three fixes worth making first. You do not need a call to get it, and it is yours to keep.
We take on a limited number of builds at once, so there is usually a short wait before a new one starts. Once yours starts, it is about 14 working days from agreed direction to launch.