5 Signs Your Website is Scaring Off Potential Clients (and How to Fix It)

Let’s be real—your website should be doing the most for your business: making you look legit, showing potential clients how you fit into their life, and (most importantly) helping you book those clients. But sometimes, it’s doing the exact opposite. If your inquiries are slow, your website might be accidentally sending potential clients running for the hills.

Here are five dead giveaways that your site is scaring off your dream clients—and what to do instead.

1. Your Website Takes Forever to Load

🚩 Red flag alert: If someone has to wait more than a few seconds for your site to load, you’ve already lost them. People are busy. They’re not going to stick around twiddling their thumbs while your homepage slowly reveals itself like a dramatic movie intro.

✅ Quick Fix: Compress your images so the file size is around 500 KB (seriously—those giant photo files are the main culprit), ditch unnecessary plugins if you’re not on Squarespace, and keep your layout simple. A clean, lightweight site isn’t just easier on the eyes—it performs better too.

2. It Looks Dated (Like Early 2010s Dated)

If your site still looks like the blog you started in college, it’s time for a refresh. First impressions happen fast—like, 50 milliseconds fast. And if your design screams “I haven’t updated this since going-out tops and low-rise jeans were a thing,” then it would be wise to spruce it up.

✅ Quick Fix: Update your font choices (goodbye Comic Sans), modernize your color palette, and make sure your layout looks good on mobile. Sleek, professional, and on-brand wins every time. Plus, Google loves to see that you’re making regular updates. This will signal that you are relevant. That’s why I also recommend you blog consistently, but that’s for another day.

3. It’s Not Clear What You Do or Who You Help

This one’s a silent killer. If someone lands on your site and can’t immediately figure out what you do, who you help, or how to hire you, they’ll bounce faster than you can say “homepage confusion.”

✅ Quick Fix: Add a headline that clearly says what you offer and who it’s for. Something like:
🗣 “Website Design for Busy Small Business Owners Who Want to Book More Clients.”
Follow it up with a call-to-action that tells them what to do next.

4. It’s Giving “Still in Progress” Vibes

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with starting out scrappy—many amazing businesses (maybe even yours!) began with a DIY website and some late-night Googling. If you’re tech-savvy and had to make it work in the beginning, kudos. That resourcefulness is a superpower.

But if your site still looks like a placeholder rather than a polished brand experience, it could be sending the wrong message. Inconsistent fonts, awkward spacing, or broken links don’t mean you’re not legit—but they can make potential clients hesitate.

✅ Quick Fix: Give your site a mini check-up. Are your fonts and colors cohesive? Do your buttons work (and make sense)? Is your copy friendly and easy to follow? A few intentional tweaks can make a big difference in how professional and trustworthy your site feels—without losing that DIY spirit.

5. There’s No Clear Path to Contact or Book You

You know what’s not fun? Clicking through six different pages trying to figure out how to actually hire someone. If your contact form is buried or your process is a mystery, you’re basically telling people, “Don’t bother.”

✅ Quick Fix: Put your contact link or booking CTA front and center—like in your top nav and your homepage. And for bonus points? Add a short blurb about what happens next so your audience feels confident and informed before reaching out.

Let’s Bring Your Website Back from the Dead

If you read this and thought “ugh, my site is guilty of at least three of these,” you’re not alone. Most small business owners start with a DIY site, but eventually, it just doesn’t cut it anymore. 

✨ The good news? You don’t have to burn it all down and start from scratch.

You just need a website that actually does what it’s supposed to do:
👉 Shows off your services
👉 Reflects your vibe, but speaks to your ideal customer
👉 Gets clients into your inbox with ease

Are you ready to make your site your hardest-working employee? I’d be happy to help!