Website not bringing in enquiries? 12 things to check

Most small business websites lose enquiries in the same few places. Before paying for a redesign, check these twelve. Open your site on your phone as you go: that’s how most of your customers see it.

On the first screen

1. It works properly on a phone. Text is readable without pinching, buttons are big enough to tap, and nothing runs off the side. If the site shows a shrunken desktop page, start here.
2. It says what you do and where. In plain words, at the top: “Plumbing and hot water repairs in Melbourne’s north”, not a slogan. A visitor should know in three seconds whether they’re in the right place.
3. There’s one clear next step. Call, book or get a quote, as a button, on the first screen. One main action, not five.

Making contact

4. The phone number is tap-to-call. On a phone, tapping the number should start the call. If people have to copy it, some won’t.
5. There’s a short enquiry form. Name, what they need, when, and the best way to reach them. Every extra field loses people.
6. Online booking, if you take bookings. A “Book online” button on every page, linked to your booking system, catches the people who decide at 10 pm.
7. Enquiries get an instant reply. Every form submission should get an automatic reply saying what happens next and when, so the customer stops searching.

Building trust

8. Reviews are on the page. Three recent Google reviews on the home page, with a link to the rest. Visitors trust other customers more than your own words.
9. Prices, or a starting price. Price is the first question most people have. A starting price or a range filters out the wrong enquiries and reassures the right ones.
10. The common questions are answered. Hours, area covered, how booking or quoting works, payment. Every question answered on the page is a call you don’t have to take.

Getting found

11. Google can read your business details. A search description for each page, and business details marked up for search engines (your name, area, hours and contact), help Google show the right information. Your Google Business Profile should link to your site, with the same name, phone and address.
12. It’s kept up to date. A footer that still says © 2019, old photos or out-of-date prices tell visitors the business might not be current either.

Fix or rebuild?

Often the fixes are enough: phone layout, a clear first screen, tap-to-call, a short form and reviews. A rebuild makes sense when the site can’t be edited, is slow on phones, or would cost more to patch than to replace.

If you’d like a second pair of eyes, the free AI Check reads your site, measures most of these twelve and tells you what’s worth fixing first.