We’ve all been there — you click onto a website, ready to find what you need, and within seconds you’re sighing, clicking around aimlessly, or giving up altogether.
It’s usually not because the business isn’t great — it’s just the website is working against the visitor instead of with them.
I see the same little frustrations (or what I call common website mistakes) pop up on websites all the time, and the good news? They’re all fixable.
Here are my top five pet peeves — and how you can turn them into positives.
Why it’s a problem: We’re all busy — if your site takes more than a few seconds to load, people will move on.
Quick fix: Resize and compress your images, check your hosting speed, and remove any plugins or scripts you don’t actually need can help avoid frustrating website features that slow things down.
Why it’s a problem: If people can’t find what they’re looking for quickly, they won’t stick around.
Quick fix: Keep menus simple, use clear wording (no jargon!), and make sure your most important pages are front and centre.
Why it’s a problem: Big blocks of text feel heavy to read and can make visitors switch off.
Quick fix: Break things up with headings, short paragraphs, bullet points, and images — so it’s easy to scan and understand.
Why it’s a problem: Old dates, expired offers, or out-of-date details are one of those bad website habits that’s easy to fix but often ignored.
Quick fix: Set a reminder every few months to review your site — swap old images, update details, and refresh anything that feels stale.
Why it’s a problem: One well-timed pop-up can work. Three in quick succession? That’s a fast track to an annoyed visitor.
Quick fix: Keep pop-ups minimal, relevant, and easy to close.
Your website is often the very first impression someone gets of your business. Avoiding these little frustrations (or website annoyances) can make the difference between someone clicking away and clicking “get in touch”.
If you’d like a fresh pair of eyes to check over your site, a website health check can help spot any little quirks that might be putting people off. Let’s have a chat — and get your website working for you, not against you.
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