5 Common Web Design Mistakes Small Businesses Make

Building a website is a huge step for any small business.

But here’s the catch: a great-looking site can still fail if it’s built on weak design or strategy. Visitors may leave frustrated, Google may rank you lower, and your website ends up costing you opportunities instead of creating them.

The good news? These mistakes are common and they’re fixable. Here are the 5 most common web design errors small businesses make, why they matter, and how to avoid them.

1. Poor Mobile Responsiveness

The Mistake: Your site looks polished on a desktop, but clunky and frustrating on a phone.

Why it Matters: More than 70% of web traffic in Australia comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re losing the majority of your potential customers and Google penalizes non-responsive designs.

The Fix:

Use a responsive design that automatically adapts to different screen sizes
Test on real devices (phones and tablets)
Ensure buttons and menus are touch-friendly

AI Tip: Use BrowserStack or Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test to preview your site on multiple devices instantly.

2. Slow Page Load Times

The Mistake: Your website takes more than 3 seconds to load.

Why it Matters: Studies show a 3-second delay increases bounce rates by 32%. A slow site frustrates visitors and tells Google your site provides poor user experience.

The Fix:

Compress images (try TinyPNG)
Choose reliable, fast hosting (avoid the cheapest shared plans)
Limit unnecessary plugins and scripts

AI Tip: Tools like NitroPack use AI to automatically optimize and cache your site for speed.

3. Confusing and Cluttered Navigation

The Mistake: Your website is a maze - menus everywhere, too many links, and no clear structure.

Example: https://www2.pnwx.com/

Why it Matters: If visitors can’t find what they need in seconds, they’ll leave. Confusing navigation looks unprofessional and undermines trust.

The Fix:

Keep menus simple (5–7 main items)
Organize content into clear categories
Follow the “3-click rule”: visitors should reach any key page within three clicks

AI Tip: Use Hotjar or Microsoft Clarity heatmaps to see where users get stuck and optimize navigation flow.

4. Lack of Clear Call-to-Actions (CTAs)

The Mistake: Visitors land on your site but don’t know what to do next.

Why it Matters: Your website isn’t just a brochure, it’s a business tool. Without clear CTAs like “Book a Call,” “Get a Quote,” or “Shop Now”, you’re leaving money on the table.

The Fix:

Add clear, prominent CTA buttons on every page
Use action-driven text (“Get Started Today,” not “Submit”)
Make CTAs visually stand out with contrasting colors

AI Tip: Tools like Copy.ai can generate high-converting CTA text tailored to your business.

5. No Focus on Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

The Mistake: You’ve built a beautiful site—but didn’t optimize it for search engines.

Why it Matters: A website without SEO is like a shop with no signage. Customers can’t find you, and your competitors get the traffic instead.

The Fix:

Conduct keyword research (Google Keyword Planner, Ubersuggest).
Write unique, valuable content that answers customer questions.
Add proper titles, meta descriptions, and clean URL structures.

AI Tip: Use SurferSEO or Jasper to create optimized content that ranks higher on Google.

Conclusion

Web design mistakes don’t just look bad, they cost you traffic, leads, and revenue. The good news? By fixing these 5 issues (mobile responsiveness, speed, navigation, CTAs, and SEO) you’ll create a website that not only looks good but works hard for your business.

At Glinteco, we help Australian SMEs build clean, responsive, and conversion-driven websites - powered by modern design and AI tools that give you an edge over the competition.

Ready to stop losing customers to design mistakes? Let’s build a website that grows your business.