Why isn't your website getting enquiries?

First: find out where the problem is

Before you rewrite everything, you should know whether the problem is that nobody finds the site, or that those who find it never get in touch. These are two different problems with different solutions.

If you have access to visitor statistics, you can see whether anyone is visiting at all. If not, ask new customers where they found you. If almost nobody visits, start with visibility. Read what determines local visibility. If people visit but nobody gets in touch, the answer usually lies on the page itself. In that case, the points below are for you.

1. The first screen doesn't say what you do

What visitors see before they scroll decides whether they stay. If the top of the page says "Welcome" or a vague slogan, they have to search for the answer themselves. Many can't be bothered.

The first screen should answer three questions without anyone needing to scroll:

• What do you do? Use everyday words. "Plumber for bathrooms and kitchens" says more than "Complete solutions".
• Where are you based? Name the town or area you cover.
• How do people get in touch? Have a clear button or a phone number visible straight away.

Test it like this: Show the front page to someone who doesn't know the business, for just a few seconds. Ask what you do and where. If they hesitate, the heading needs rewriting.

You can also use the front page check to go through your own front page point by point.

2. No hint about price

Many small businesses leave out prices because every job is different. That is understandable, but for the customer it means uncertainty. Some never get in touch because they assume you are too expensive. Others choose a competitor who gives them something to go on.

You don't need a complete price list. One of these is often enough:

• A starting price for the most common jobs.
• A couple of price examples from real jobs, with a short description of what was included.
• An hourly rate, and if relevant what you charge for call-outs or travel.
• An explanation of what affects the price, and whether a site visit is free.

The aim is to give the customer enough to judge whether you are an option. The rest can be covered in the conversation.

3. The form doesn't work, or nobody sees the messages

This is the most frustrating reason, because it is invisible. The form looks fine and the customer presses "Send", but the message lands in a spam filter, in an inbox nobody checks, or nowhere at all.

Test it yourself

Send an enquiry through your own form from your phone. Check that it arrived, that it went to the right address, and that the sender got confirmation that the message was sent. Do it again every time you change email address or update the website, and otherwise at regular intervals.

Make it easy to fill in

Only ask for what you need to reply: name, phone or email, and a short description of the job. Every extra field is another reason to give up.

Offer alternatives

Not everyone wants to fill in a form. Keep the phone number visible and tappable on mobile, and give the email address. By all means state when the customer can expect a reply, but only if you can keep to it.

4. The site is slow or awkward on mobile

Many people looking for a tradesperson, a hairdresser or somewhere to eat do it on their phone, often on the go. If the page loads slowly, or the buttons are so small that they tap the wrong thing, they move on.

Here is how to check: Open the site on your own phone, on mobile data rather than wifi. Try to find the phone number and call. Try to send the form. Note everything that annoys you.

Common culprits:

• Large photos uploaded straight from the camera without being resized.
• Image carousels and videos that start on their own.
• Pop-ups that cover the content.
• Text that is too small, or buttons and links too close together.

The simplest fix is often to remove things. A short page that loads fast does more for enquiries than a long page with everything on it.

5. The site gives no reason to trust you

The customer may be about to let you into their home or pay you for a big job. Before they get in touch, they look for signs that you are serious and still in business.

This builds trust:

• The name and a photo of the person or people behind the business.
• Company registration number and address, or the area you cover.
• Your own photos of real work, not stock images. Read more in Photos that build trust.
• Reviews or short quotes from customers, with name and place if they have agreed to it.
• Master craftsman certificates, certifications or memberships, if you have them.

This tears it down:

• A news page where the latest post is several years old.
• An outdated year in the footer.
• Dead links and services you no longer offer.
• Wrong opening hours or a phone number that doesn't work.

It doesn't take much. A few genuine signs carry more weight than lots of general claims about quality and good service.

Where to start

Don't try to fix everything at once. Start with what is quickest to test and stops the most enquiries:

1. Send a test through the form, and call the number shown on the site.
2. Read the first screen on mobile and check that it answers what, where and how to get in touch.
3. Add a starting price or a price example.
4. Replace stock images with your own photos.
5. Remove outdated content.

If you realise the front page really needs rewriting from scratch, it may be easier to start over. Webbit builds ready-made front pages at a fixed price, and you see a preview before you decide. See services and prices for what is included, the industry examples for how it can look, or read how ordering works.

Webbit builds ready-made front pages at a fixed price. See prices and terms.