The problem with an okay website

A common sentiment we hear from business owners: "Yeah, our website's okay, but we get most of our new customers from word of mouth and referrals."

But here’s the problem—an okay website often quietly undermines your credibility and costs you more opportunities than you might realize.

On the internet, people do not give the benefit of the doubt. With so many scams and fake businesses out there, if your website is average, outdated, or hard to find, visitors may assume your business is too.

In this post, I will explain why this happens and provide four quick fixes to enhance your online presence and help get it back on track.

Why is This Happening?

There’s a compelling piece of research from over 25 years ago at Stanford which found that 75% of people judge a business’s credibility by its website.

That’s a staggering number, and considering it’s from 20 years ago, one can only imagine how this statistic might have shifted today. It leads to a strong perception: a good website equals a good business, while a bad website equals a bad business.

Many business owners think their website is fine. It works, has their brand, logo, and a contact email. However, visitors—who could potentially become future customers—don’t see it that way. Instead, what they see is a website that is behind the times.

An outdated or cluttered website signals that the business may have stopped paying attention. Businesses that are poorly designed can lead visitors to think they need to find a more modern and contemporary solution to their problems.

The cost of having a mediocre website can be huge. You may be receiving a few inquiries each month, but you might not realize that you are likely missing out on dozens, hundreds, or even thousands more who are deterred from reaching out, either because they can’t find your website or because it doesn’t reflect the quality of your current offerings.

4 Things to Check on Your Website

So, what can you do about this? Here are four things to check:

1. Ensure Your Website is Findable

Too often, we encounter business owners who think that a simple tweak to their website or a new blog post is the solution.

The reality is that they may actually be facing a visibility problem rather than a website problem. If people cannot find you online, even the best website won’t be effective. Utilize Google Search Console and even run searches on an incognito tab to see how easily someone could find your products or services.

2. Reflect on Where You Are Now

Many websites represent an outdated version of the business.

The market dynamics may have changed, but their web presence remains frozen in time. Updating visuals and copy doesn’t have to be a massive overhaul. A few small tweaks can make your website feel current and credible once more.

3. Showcase Social Proof

It’s a sad reality, but bounce rates tend to be between 50% to 70% across the internet.

This means most people leave a site almost immediately after visiting. How can you get them to stick around? The answer lies in social proof. Potential customers are more likely to trust what others say about you than what you say about yourself. Displaying testimonials, case studies, and client logos can help draw people in and motivate them to explore your site further.

4. Get a Fresh Perspective

Sometimes, we’re too close to our own businesses to identify issues.

Consider reaching out to a friend, customer, or even someone from outside your industry to provide candid feedback. They may point out confusing copy or outdated photos, both of which could be instant credibility killers for visitors.