The 4 Website Details That Might Be Costing You Business
- Site Sleuth
- Aug 23
- 8 min read
(And Why They Matter More Than You Think)
Lately, I’ve been reviewing websites for clients and potential clients – many small businesses in the area – and I am noticing a trend in some of the same issues that are appearing. These are things that aren't obvious to the everyday user, but they're behind-the-scenes things that can make your website struggle to get top rankings on Google search results.
On the surface, many of these sites look fine. But underneath, there are behind-the-scenes things that can hurt your website's ability to show up in search engines like Google. The good news is, the mistakes are quick and easy to fix – and can lead to create results with your online visibility.
Here are 4 simple mistakes I see all the time, and why it is important to fix them:
1. Missing or Misused Alt Text and Image Titles
Images are a vital part of any website, they help tell the story of your business, build trust, and visually engage potential customer. Everyone likes to look at images of your team, your building, your products to help understand your business better.
But, many sites I audit don't have image titles or alt text – or they aren't being used correctly.
So, what exactly is image titles and alt text?
Image Title = the file name of the photo
When you save a photo to your computer or phone, the name you assign it is the image title. If you don't give it a specific name, the default file name will be something generic IMG_3784.jpg.
But, search engines, like Google, use the file name to understand what the image shows.
When you save an image, use clear and specific file names to make it easier for Google and AI tools to interpret the photo – this will increase your chances of appearing in image searches or being included in AI summaries.
Bad Example: IMG_3784.jpg
Good Example: greenville-dental-office-building.jpg
Alt Text = a written description of the image
Alt text is short for "alternative text" and explains what is in the image.
It is important for two reasons:
Accessibility – It’s read aloud by screen readers for people who have visual impairments.
SEO + AI Search – Google and AI tools (like ChatGPT) use alt text to understand and summarize your content.
When creating the alt text, think of it as describing the photo to someone who can't see it
How to improve your image SEO:
Rename your image files with clear, descriptive names before uploading them to your site.
Add alt text that explains what’s in the photo – include details like colors, layout, text on screen, or who’s in the image.
Include keywords for your business in both only if they naturally fit. Don’t force it.
Example using the image shown here:
Image Title: Site_Sleuth_Computer_Logo.jpg
Alt Text: Gray computer monitor with a teal and purple website layout on the screen. A magnifying glass hovers over a purple owl in the center.
Pro tip: On some websites, if you hover your mouse over an image, you can see the image title pop up.
2. Missing and Unorganized Heading Tags
Heading tags are like the chapter titles of books – they are the titles and subheadings of your website. They are used to organize your content so people and search engines know the topics of each page, and what's important on the page.
You've seen these headings and probably don't even notice – it's the big, bold text at the top of the page, like a headline of a news article. Or, it's the smaller, bold text for each section you scroll through on the page. On the backend of a website, these are called heading tags.
Heading tags are labeled as:
H1 = your main page title – the big idea or theme. There should only be one H1 per page.
H2 = Subsections under the main title that support it by breaking it down into sections.
H3, H4, etc. = additional subsections that further breakdown and support the subsection.
Think of it like a book:
H1 = the title of the book
H2 = chapter titles
H3 = sections within a chapter
Why do heading tags matter?
For visitors: They make your site easier to scan and understand, especially on a phone.
For search engines and AI assistants: They organize your content so tools like Google or ChatGPT can pull the right information and show it to users.
For accessibility: Screen readers use heading tags to help people navigate the page more easily.
If your heading tags are out of order, an H1 is missing or there are multiple H1s, your site becomes confusing to Google and your visitors.
How to improve your heading tag SEO:
Use one H1 per page and make sure it's the first heading on the page.
Make sure all headings describe what the section below it is about.
Keep tags in clear, logical order. Don't skip heading levels – it would be like jumping from Chapter 2 to Chapter 7 of a book without reading Chapters 3-6.
Example of good heading tag structure:
3. Slow Page Load Speed
You know the feeling: you click on the link to a website and it takes forever to load or the wheel spins. What do you do?
You wait a few seconds, you get frustrated and start tapping the screen or hitting the refresh button, you finally give up and leave the site.
Does that describe what usually happens? If so, you're not alone. It's what happens for many people – including visitors to your website if it doesn't load quickly.
Why does page speed matter?
You lose visitors: As we just observed, people leave slow websites. Visitors will wait a few seconds, MAX. Then, they leave the site, especially on a mobile device.
It impacts visibility: Google uses page speed as part of the matrix it uses for ranking websites for search results. The slower your page is to load, the less likely it is to appear at the top of results
It hurts your ad performance: If you’re running Google Ads, a slow site can lower your ad score, which means higher ad costs and fewer clicks to your site.
It erodes trust: Even if people stay, a site that loads slowly will create a bad impression for visitors and will make your business less credible to potential customers.
What usually causes slow page loads?
There can be many reasons that pages load slowly – some easier to fix than others. In my most recent website audits, the main culprit for slow load speeds is oversized images. That's an easy fix!
Trying to load a website that has multiple images that are 2, 4, even 6 MB each is like asking you to hike up a hill with a backpack full of bricks. It will slow you down every time.
What Can You Do to Speed Things Up?
Resize photos before you upload them to your site. Don’t upload a giant photo if it’s only going to display as a small logo on your site.
Compress your images. Use tools to shrink files but still keep the photo's quality, Tools like TinyPNG or Squoosh can help. Or search for other image compression tools.
Use modern image formats. .webp files load faster than .jpg or .png, and are now supported by most browsers.
Check your speed. Use Google Lighthouse Chrome Extension – it’s free and gives you a breakdown of what’s slowing your site down.
Pro tip: Keep images below 500 KB, even smaller if it's a large background image. Smaller images help with mobile site loading the most.
No Clear Call-To-Action (CTA)
When someone goes to your website, they are wanting to accomplish a specific action: getting information, finding a product, booking an appoint, etc. As the owner of the site, you want visitors to complete a specific action.
Does your website convey what you and your visitors are looking for?
If your website doesn't clearly tell the visitor, right away, what action to take, odds are high that they'll leave or scroll aimlessly trying to find what they are looking for – and get frustrated in the process.
What is a CTA?
CTA stands for Call-to-Action. It’s a button, link, or statement that tells your visitor what to do or what action you want them to take.
The CTA is similar to a sign hanging inside your store that says:
"Check out this item"
"Speak with our team"
"Look at our special offers"
On your website, this action may look like:
“Schedule an Appointment”
“Call Now for a Free Estimate”
“Book Your Consultation”
Why are clear CTAs important?
You are the guide on your website. It's your responsibility to point the visitors to your site in the right direction and give clear instructions so they don't click all over, get frustrated, and leave.
I see a lot of websites that don't have clear CTAs or the CTA is buried at the bottom of the page. I often see vague CTAs as well, such as "Learn More" or "Explore" – these don't create motivation or a sense of urgency to complete a specific action.
How to Create a Strong CTA
Place your main CTA "above the fold" This means the main action visitors should complete should be one of the first things they see on your page. It should be at the top where they don't have to scroll to see it and it should draw their attention – so make it big and bold.
Use clear, action-focused language Avoid vague words like “Click Here.” Use specific instructions like:
“Schedule Your Visit”
“Call Now”
“Book Online”
Guide them visually If you have secondary CTAs, additional actions you'd like the visitor to complete, like “Download Our Brochure” or “Read Patient Reviews”, use a different color or smaller size. While you want these actions to be completed, you don't want to confuse the visitor or have these actions compete with the main action.
Match your CTA to your ad (if running Google Ads) If someone clicks an ad that says “Book Your Free Consultation,” your landing page should have the exact phrase as the main CTA. It builds trust, keeps consistency and helps conversions.
Example of clear primary and secondary CTAs
The primary CTA is "Request Free Consultation" – it's a very specific action, it's the only yellow on the page so it stands out visually, and it's in two places, both above the fold
The secondary CTAs are the links to "What We Do", "Why Site Sleuth", etc. These are underlined to show they are links or actions for the user to take, but they don't compete with the primary CTA and are below it.
The Bottom Line: Small Fixes = Big Impact
If you’ve ever felt like your website “should be working better," any of these four details could be the hidden reason if they were overlooked.
These aren’t just tiny details or trendy suggestions, they are some of the main building blocks of your website. They help:
Build trust with visitors
Help search engines and AI tools understand your site and content
Improve chances that your website and content will appear in search results
Make your site easier to use, and more likely to help your business grow
The best part? None of these changes require a full website overhaul. In most cases, these are fairly easy fixes and can have big results for your site's performance.
Want to know if your site is experiencing any of these issues?
I offer simple, no-jargon audits that walk you through how your site performs in key areas like speed, usability, SEO, and AI-readiness.
Let’s take a look together and see where you’re already winning – and where a few smart updates could help you attract more business.