And how to fix them
Let’s be honest. Most small business owners wear a dozen hats at once. You’re managing inventory, posting on socials, answering customer emails… and somewhere in there, you’re expected to build a beautiful, high-converting website.
No pressure, right?
A practical guide to the most
1. Using too many fonts or colors
Brand chaos is real. If your site has five different fonts and a rainbow of colors, it can feel overwhelming (and amateurish).
Stick to:
- 1–2 fonts
- A simple, consistent color palette
It instantly makes your site look more polished and trustworthy, even if you built it yourself.
Pro tip: A solid go-to font pairing is Playfair Display (for headlines) and Lato (for body text) – modern, elegant, and super versatile.
2. Forgetting mobile users
Over half of your visitors will check you out on their phone. If your site looks great on desktop but clunky on mobile, you’re losing leads fast.
Quick fix:
Test your site on different screen sizes and prioritize a clean, mobile-friendly layout.
3. Hiding your contact info
If someone wants to reach you, don’t make them dig.
Best practice:
Add your contact button, form, or email to your site header or footer so it’s visible on every page.
4. Cramming too much “above the fold”
Above the fold (what people see before they scroll) is prime real estate — treat it like it.
Common mistake: Trying to squeeze in everything at once: text, buttons, images, menus, popups.
Better approach:
Keep it clean. Lead with a strong headline, subhead, and one clear call to action.
5. Using low-quality or oversized Images
Blurry, stretched, or massive file-size images can instantly drag your site down.
What to do:
Use high-quality photos that are optimized for web – they should load fast and look crisp on all screen sizes.
Need good images?
Try these free stock image sites:
- Pexels – great for lifestyle and business photography
- Unsplash – artistic, high-res images for almost any niche
You don’t need to be a designer to get the basics right. These simple tweaks can make a huge difference.
Whether you’re DIY-ing your site or thinking about handing it off, just know that nobody gets it perfect on day one. And that’s okay. You’re building something real, and that’s what matters.
Need a little help getting started? That’s what we’re here for.