5 Website Warning Signs Every Small Business Owner Should Know

Website Care / 3 MIN Read
5 Website Warning Signs Every Small Business Owner Should Know
Amanda Robinson
Amanda Robinson / Founder & Web Solutions Specialist @AmandaRobinson

Your website might be silently costing you customers right now. As someone who's spent 11 years fixing website problems for small businesses, I've seen the same warning signs repeatedly. The good news? Most are easy to spot once you know what to look for.

Warning Sign #1: Your Site Takes Forever to Load

The Test: Visit your website on your phone using cellular data (not WiFi). If you find yourself waiting more than 3 seconds, so are your potential customers—except they're probably leaving.

Why It Matters: Google research shows that 53% of mobile visitors abandon sites that take longer than 3 seconds to load.

Quick Fix: Optimize images and remove unnecessary plugins. For deeper issues, consider professional performance optimization.

Warning Sign #2: Your Contact Forms Aren't Working

The Test: Fill out your own contact form monthly. You'd be surprised how often businesses discover their forms have been broken for weeks.

Real Example: A local ecommerce client lost an estimated $15,000 in sales over three months due to a broken quote request form they didn't know about.

The Fix: Set up form notifications and test regularly, or have someone monitor this for you.

Warning Sign #3: Your Site Looks Terrible on Mobile

The Test: Check your website on different phone sizes. Does text overlap? Are buttons too small to tap? Can visitors easily navigate?

Why It Matters: Over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. A poor mobile experience directly impacts your bottom line.

Warning Sign #4: You're Getting Spam Comments or Suspicious Activity

The Danger: This often indicates security vulnerabilities that could lead to your site being hacked, blacklisted, or completely compromised.

What to Do: Update all plugins and themes immediately, install security monitoring, and consider a professional security audit.

Warning Sign #5: Your Website Hasn't Been Updated in Over 6 Months

The Reality Check: WordPress releases security updates regularly. Outdated sites are prime targets for hackers.

The Business Impact: A hacked website can result in:

  • Complete site downtime
  • Loss of customer data
  • Damage to your business reputation
  • Expensive emergency repairs

Don't Wait for Problems to Find You

The best time to address website issues is before they impact your business. Regular maintenance and monitoring can prevent most of these problems entirely.

Take Action Today

  1. Test your website speed on mobile
  2. Submit a test inquiry through your contact forms
  3. Check when your site was last updated
  4. Schedule regular website health checks

Feeling overwhelmed? That's exactly why Rooted in SoIL exists. We handle all the technical details so you can focus on running your business. Contact us for a free website assessment and discover what issues might be hiding on your site.