Conversion

The 5 website fixes that move the needle first

Key takeaways

  • Fix conversion fundamentals before spending on ads or a redesign.
  • Priority order: a clear customer-focused headline, one obvious call to action, fast page speed, proof beside your CTAs, and shorter forms.
  • Most businesses have more customers hiding in the site they already have.

Most businesses think they need a redesign. They usually don't. Before you spend on ads or rebuild from scratch, fix the things that quietly cost you customers on the site you already have. Here are the five I'd tackle first, in order.

1. Make your headline about them, not you

Within three seconds, a visitor should know what you do, who it's for, and why it's worth their attention. Swap "We're a full-service agency" for the outcome your customer actually wants. Here's the test: cover everything on the page except the headline and first line — can a stranger tell what you offer and whether it's for them? If not, that's your first fix.

2. Put one clear call to action above the fold

One primary action per page. Don't make people choose between five buttons of equal weight — decision fatigue kills conversions. Decide the single most valuable next step (book a call, get an audit, start a trial) and make that button impossible to miss. Secondary links can live further down.

3. Speed: every second costs you

Roughly half of mobile visitors leave if a page takes more than three seconds to load. Compress your images, drop scripts you're not using, and lazy-load anything below the fold. Run your URL through Google's PageSpeed Insights — for most sites, the single biggest win is oversized images.

4. Add proof where you ask for trust

People believe other customers far more than they believe you. Put a specific testimonial, a recognizable logo, or a concrete result right next to your call to action. The moment you ask someone to act is the exact moment they need reassurance — don't bury your proof on a separate page.

5. Remove friction from your forms

Every field you ask for costs you conversions. Do you really need a phone number to send a quote? Cut the optional fields, set expectations ("takes 30 seconds"), and tell people exactly what happens after they hit submit. Less is almost always more.

None of these need a redesign. Do them in order, measure before and after, and you'll usually find more customers hiding in the site you already have.

If you'd like a specific, prioritized list for your own site, that's exactly what a free audit gives you — no pitch, no obligation.

Jared McElreath

Founder of Cedar & Sparrow, a senior-led marketing studio. After years inside agencies and in-house teams, he started the studio to do the opposite of the agency runaround: senior work, honest reporting, and no long contracts. More about Jared →

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