Common website mistakes 💀
Your website is often the first impression people have of your business. It’s your digital shopfront, your salesperson, your portfolio, and your credibility-builder all rolled into one. But despite how important it is, I see the same mistakes cropping up time and time again, mistakes that quietly cost businesses leads, sales, and trust.
If you’re planning a redesign or working with a Squarespace website designer UK-based (or anywhere else!), this is the perfect time to step back and make sure your site is really working for you.
Let’s get into the most common website mistakes, and what to do instead.
1. Overcomplicating Your Offering
One of the biggest (and most common) mistakes I see is businesses not fully understanding, or clearly communicating, their own offering.
This usually shows up as:
Too many services
Endless options and variations
Confusing navigation
Pages that try to say everything at once
I once worked with a client who offered such a huge range of services and optional add-ons that it actually left users overwhelmed by choice. Instead of making things easier, their website became complicated and difficult to navigate. People didn’t know where to start, what they needed, or what to do next.
And when users feel overwhelmed, they don’t explore more… they leave.
A website refresh is the perfect opportunity to simplify.
Ask yourself:
What do I really want to be known for?
What are my core services or products?
Can anything be grouped, streamlined, or removed?
Clarity always wins over complexity. A simple, focused offering will convert far better than a sprawling one.
2. No ‘About’ Page (or a Weak One)
This one surprises people, but your About page is often one of the most visited pages on your website.
Why? Because people want to know who they’re buying from.
Yet so many websites either:
Don’t include an About page at all, or
Treat it like an afterthought
Here’s the thing: people invest in people.
Your About page is your chance to:
Build trust
Share your story
Show your personality
Explain your “why”
It doesn’t need to be overly long or overly polished, but it does need to feel real.
Think about including:
Who you are
Why you started your business
What you care about
Who you help (and how)
This is what turns a casual browser into someone who feels connected to your brand. And connection leads to trust, and ultimately, to sales.
3. Hiding Your ‘Money’ Pages
Your “money pages” are the pages that actually generate revenue; your services, products, or enquiry pages.
And yet, so often, they’re hidden away.
I see websites where:
You have to click 3–4 times to find services
There are no clear calls-to-action
Important pages are buried in dropdown menus
If you want people to buy from you, you need to make it easy.
Don’t be shy about it either, this isn’t the place to be subtle.
Instead:
Add clear buttons throughout your site
Link to your services from your homepage, About page, and blog posts
Use strong, natural calls-to-action (e.g. “View Services”, “Work With Me”, “Get a Quote”)
The key is to do it in a way that feels helpful, not pushy. You’re guiding users, not forcing them.
If someone is ready to take the next step, your website should make that step obvious.
4. Not Using Photography or Imagery
A website without imagery can feel flat, impersonal, and forgettable.
Visuals are what bring your brand to life.
I’ve worked with clients who didn’t have any professional photography, and while it’s not something I’d usually recommend, we’ve made it work with carefully selected stock imagery. The key is being very intentional with what you choose, avoiding anything that feels generic or overly staged.
That said, nothing beats professional photography of you and your business.
It:
Builds trust instantly
Makes you feel more relatable
Helps people visualise working with you
Sets you apart from competitors
Even a simple brand shoot can make a huge difference. You don’t need hundreds of images, just a handful of high-quality, authentic photos can elevate your entire website.
If your budget allows, this is one of the best investments you can make.
5. Weak or Non-Existent Calls-to-Action
A surprising number of websites don’t actually tell users what to do next.
Or if they do, it’s vague:
“Learn more”
“Click here”
“Read more”
These aren’t strong enough, especially if you’re trying to drive enquiries or sales.
Your calls-to-action (CTAs) should be:
Clear
Specific
Action-oriented
For example:
“Book a Free Consultation”
“View Our Packages”
“Get a Quote Today”
Every page on your website should have a purpose, and a next step. Don’t leave users guessing.
6. Designing for Yourself, Not Your User
It’s your business, your brand, your website… but here’s the truth:
Your website isn’t for you.
It’s for your users.
A common mistake is designing based on personal preferences rather than user behaviour. That might look like:
Choosing style over usability
Using industry jargon your audience doesn’t understand
Prioritising what you want to say instead of what users need to know
Good website design is user-focused.
It considers:
What questions your audience has
What information they need
How they naturally navigate a page
What will help them feel confident taking the next step
If your website is easy to use, clear, and intuitive, it will always outperform something that just “looks nice.”
7. Slow Load Times
Attention spans are short, and patience these days is even shorter.
If your website takes too long to load, people will leave before they even see what you offer.
Common causes include:
Oversized images
Too many animations
Poor hosting
Unoptimised design
Speed isn’t just a user experience issue, it also impacts your SEO.
A well-designed website should feel quick, smooth, and responsive. If it doesn’t, it’s worth addressing as a priority.
8. Not Optimising for Mobile
More than half of your website visitors are likely browsing on their phones.
And yet, many websites are still designed primarily for desktop.
This leads to:
Text that’s hard to read
Buttons that are difficult to tap
Layouts that feel clunky or broken
Mobile design isn’t optional anymore, it’s essential.
When reviewing your site, always check:
How it looks on mobile
How easy it is to navigate
Whether key buttons are visible and accessible
A seamless mobile experience can make a huge difference to your conversion rate.
9. Lack of Consistency
Consistency builds trust.
If your website feels disjointed; different fonts, colours, tones of voice, it can make your brand feel less professional.
Consistency should run through:
Typography
Colours
Imagery style
Messaging and tone
This doesn’t mean everything has to look identical, but it should feel cohesive.
A well-branded website feels intentional and polished, and that reassures your audience that you know what you’re doing.
10. Ignoring SEO from the Start
SEO often gets treated as an afterthought, but it shouldn’t be.
If you want people to find your website organically, it needs to be built with SEO in mind from the beginning.
This includes:
Clear page structure
Thoughtful use of keywords (like “squarespace website designer uk”)
Proper headings
Image optimisation
Internal linking
You don’t need to overcomplicate it, but you do need to be intentional.
A beautiful website is great, but a website that people can actually find is even better.
Final Thoughts
Your website doesn’t need to be perfect, but it does need to be clear, user-friendly, and aligned with your goals.
If you’re making any of these mistakes, don’t panic. Most of them are easy to fix, especially if you’re already planning a refresh.
Think of your website as something that evolves with your business. Take the time to review it, refine it, and make sure it’s truly working for you, not against you.
And if you’re working with a Squarespace website designer (cough cough, me), use that opportunity to really dig into your strategy, not just the visuals. The best websites aren’t just beautifully designed - they’re built with purpose.