Why your website isn't converting – and how to fix it fast

You've built your website, posted on social media, maybe run some ads. Traffic is arriving – and yet sales or enquiries are inconsistent.

Like most founders, you might have jumped to the conclusion that you need more traffic. And sometimes that's true. But more often, the bigger issue is this…

People are already arriving – they're just dropping off because something feels unclear, risky, slow or too hard.

That's a conversion problem. And it's usually fixable without having to fully redesign your site.

This blog gives you a practical, founder-friendly way to optimise your website or online platform.

You'll learn how to spot the biggest "conversion leaks", prioritise the highest-impact fixes and run a simple two-week "optimisation sprint" to build momentum.

What is a conversion leak?

A conversion leak is any point in your customer journey where motivated visitors hesitate, lose confidence or get frustrated – and leave.

Leaks are rarely dramatic. They're usually small, cumulative issues:

• Unclear messaging: Visitors don't instantly understand what you sell or why it's for them.

• Uncertain value: The offer feels vague, hard to compare or not worth the effort.

• Lack of trust: There isn't enough proof at the moment of decision.

• Too much friction: Forms, checkout or sign-up take too long (especially on mobile).

The impact can be bigger than it sounds. If your site converts at 1% and you move it to 1.2%, that's a 20% lift in sales or leads from the same traffic.

That's why optimisation is powerful. You're not chasing more visitors – you're turning more existing intent into results.

The leak map – your one-hour audit tool

A leak map is a simple snapshot of your funnel:

Entry → Key pages → Conversion action

All you need to get started is a clear view of where money is escaping.

Step A: Map the journey (10 minutes)

Pick the most common path to your main goal (purchase, enquiry, booking, signing up for a trial). Then write the steps down in a line.

For example:

• E‑commerce: Landing page → Product page → Cart → Checkout → Confirmation

• Service business: Homepage → Service page → Case studies → Contact form → Thank you page

• SaaS (software as a service): Homepage → Pricing → Sign-up → Onboarding → Trial activation

Step B: Walk it like a customer (20 minutes)

Open your site on mobile first (most leaks are worse there). Then repeat on desktop. At each step, ask these questions:

• Clarity: Do I instantly get what this is and what happens next?

• Trust: Do I believe this will work for me?

• Friction: How hard is it to take the next step?

Step C: Score it (10 minutes)

Give each step a quick 1–5 score for clarity, trust and friction.

1 = major leak

5 = strong

You'll quickly see your weak points.

Step D: Identify your top three leaks (10 minutes)

Circle the three lowest-scoring steps. Those are your first targets.

The five places revenue most commonly disappears

These are the highest‑frequency leak zones across small businesses (e‑commerce, SaaS and services). You'll likely recognise at least one.

Leak 1: Homepage clarity (the "What is this?" problem)

• What it looks like: High bounce rate, short time on page, visitors clicking around but not progressing.

• Why it happens: The homepage tries to please everyone, so it feels vague.

• Quick fixes:

  • Rewrite the hero section using "Who it's for + outcome + what you sell." As an example: "Bookkeeping for UK freelancers – simple monthly support and tax help."

  • Add a three-step "How it works" section.

  • Make the primary call to action (CTA) obvious and repeated (top, middle, bottom).

• Test question: In five seconds, will a stranger know what this is, whether it's for them and what they do next?

Leak 2: Product/service pages (the "Why you?" problem)

• What it looks like: Strong page views, weak add-to-cart, enquiry or sign-up rate.

• Why it happens: Pages describe features, but don't show the outcome, what sets this offer apart, or the next step.

• Quick fixes:

  • Lead with the outcome (not the feature list).

  • Make "what's included" scannable (three to seven bullet points).

  • Add one clear reason to choose you (speed, quality, guarantee, niche expertise, results).

  • Put proof next to the CTA (not hidden on a separate page).

• Test question: If a competitor is one click away, what makes choosing you feel obvious?

Leak 3: Pricing and offer structure (the "Too hard to choose" problem)

• What it looks like: Lots of pricing page visits, few purchases or sign-ups, customers asking "which one?".

• Why it happens: Too many choices, unclear plan differences or pricing feels risky.

• Quick fixes:

  • Offer a clear "best for most" option.

  • Add a one‑line guide under each plan: "Choose this if…"

  • Make plan differences easy to compare (three to five key points only).

  • Reduce add-ons at checkout; move them post‑purchase where possible.

• Test question: Can someone make a confident choice in under 30 seconds?

Leak 4: Trust signals (the "I'm not sure I believe this" problem)

• What it looks like: Visitors browse, hesitate and leave without buying or enquiring.

• Why it happens: Trust is missing at the moment of decision.

• Quick fixes:

  • Add proof near conversion points:

    • Reviews/testimonials

    • Case studies with specifics

    • Credentials, press, awards (if relevant)

    • Clear policies (delivery/returns/cancellation)

  • Include a real human "About" section with a photo and short story.

  • Add risk reducers (guarantee, free returns, clear next steps).

• Test question: Does this feel like a real business with real customers – right where I'm deciding?

Leak 5: Checkout or lead forms (the "This is too much effort" problem)

• What it looks like: Abandoned carts, half‑completed forms, drop-off on sign-up/onboarding.

• Why it happens: Friction taxes motivation.

• Quick fixes:

  • Cut your form fields in half. Start with name + email + one useful question.

  • Make steps visible (progress indicator) and remove surprises.

  • On mobile, use less text, increase spacing and keep buttons large.

  • Remove the unnecessary need to create an account (or explain the benefit clearly).

• Test question: Are you asking for commitment before you've earned it?

How to prioritise fixes (impact + ease)

Once you've found leaks, the next trap is doing the wrong work first. The simplest way to prioritise is a two-score system:

• Impact (1–5): If we fix this, how much will results likely improve?

• Ease (1–5): How quickly can we implement it with our current resources?

Then focus on High impact + high ease = your first moves.

A simple prioritisation method

• List your top 10 issues (from your leak map).

• Score each one for impact and ease.

• Sort by (Impact + Ease).

• Pick your top five. Example:

  • Rewrite homepage hero for clarity (Impact 4/Ease 5).

  • Add testimonials near CTA (Impact 3/Ease 4).

  • Reduce contact form from nine fields to three (Impact 4/Ease 4).

  • Rebuild the layout of your pricing page (Impact 4/Ease 2).

You don't need perfect scoring. The point is to create momentum and avoid getting stuck in "big project" mode.

A two-week optimisation sprint (simple, not perfect)

Optimisation works best as a habit – find a leak, ship a fix, learn, repeat.

Here's a lightweight sprint you can run without overloading your team.

Week 1: Identify and prioritise

• Build your leak map (30–60 minutes).

• Choose your top 10 issues.

• Score impact + ease.

• Select your top five (high impact, low effort first).

Week 2: Implement and test

• Ship two or three quick fixes (copy, proof, friction).

• Run one meaningful test (one change, one metric).

• Pick one primary metric based on your goal:

  • Purchases: Conversion rate, checkout completion

  • Leads: Form completion rate, enquiry rate

  • SaaS: Sign-up completion, activation (first key action)

Keep it focused, as this is all about momentum.

Conclusion

Most small businesses don't need a new website. They need a clearer, easier journey.

If you fix clarity, trust and friction – and prioritise the highest-impact changes first – you'll often see results faster than any traffic push.

Your website isn't a one-off project. It's a system you refine. So start by finding the leaks.

Want a expert pair of eyes?

If you'd like help turning this into a clear, prioritised action plan, we run a Performance Sprint for founders and small teams (e-commerce and SaaS).

A focused four-day sprint that finds what's leaking revenue and turns it into clear, science-backed recommendations and next moves.

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