5 Signs Your Current Website is Costing You, Customers

Your website is often the very first interaction a customer has with your brand. It’s your 24/7 salesperson, working even when you’re asleep. But if that salesperson is using outdated scripts, moving too slowly, or ignoring half the people who walk in the door, they aren’t helping your business—they’re hurting it.

In a city like Tacoma, where the “Grit and Grain” aesthetic meets a booming tech scene, your online presence needs to be as sharp as your physical one. Here are five warning signs that your website is driving customers straight to your competitors.

1. The “Three-Second” Loading Lag

In the digital world, patience is a relic of the past. Research shows that if a page takes longer than three seconds to load, over half of your visitors will abandon the site.

• The Cost: You’re paying for marketing and SEO to get people to your site, only to lose them before they even see your logo. Speed isn’t just a luxury; it’s a requirement for survival.

2. It’s a Nightmare on a Smartphone

Take out your phone and pull up your website. Do you have to “pinch and zoom” to read the text? Are the buttons so small that you accidentally click the wrong link?

Over 60% of web traffic now happens on mobile devices. If your site isn’t “responsive”—meaning it doesn’t automatically adjust perfectly to any screen size—you are effectively telling mobile users you don’t want their business.

3. That “2010s” Time Capsule Vibe

Design trends move fast. If your site features clunky sidebars, tiny low-resolution photos, or “Flash” elements that don’t even play anymore, it sends a message of stagnation.

• The Psychological Impact: A modern design signals that your business is active, successful, and attentive to detail. An outdated design makes customers wonder if you’ve gone out of business or if you’ve stopped caring about the quality of service.

4. The “Where Do I Go?” Confusion (Poor UX)

When a customer lands on your site, they should know exactly what to do next within five seconds. If your navigation menu is a mile long or your contact information is buried at the bottom of a “More Info” tab, you have a User Experience (UX) problem.

• The Fix: Your website should act as a guided tour, leading the customer from “Hello” to “Book Now” with zero friction.

5. Your “Call to Action” is Missing in Action

The biggest mistake a website can make is being a “brochure” instead of a “bridge.” If your site doesn’t have clear, bold buttons like “Get a Quote,” “Book an Appointment,” or “Shop Now,” you are leaving money on the table. Customers want to be told what to do. If you don’t ask for the sale, you won’t get it.

Is it time for a refresh?

A website shouldn’t just exist—it should perform. If any of these signs sound familiar, your site is likely an anchor holding your business back rather than a sail moving it forward.

Want to see where your site stands?

At Tacoma Web Designers, we specialize in turning “2010s time capsules” into high-performing digital engines. Reach out today for a website audit, and let’s make sure your online presence reflects the hard work you put into your business every day.