Why Your Website Gets Traffic But No Clients (And How to Fix It)
The complete guide to turning website visitors into paying clients
You're doing everything right. You're posting consistently on social media. You're showing up in search results. Your Google Analytics shows hundreds of visitors each month.
But your inquiry form? Completely empty.
If this sounds familiar, you're not alone. This is one of the most frustrating problems small business owners face, and it's usually not the problem you think it is.
You don't have a traffic problem. You have a conversion problem.
The good news is conversion problems are fixable and usually solved pretty quickly.
I've audited over 100 small business websites, and I see the same conversion killers over and over again. So let’s unpack exactly what's preventing your website visitors from becoming clients, and show you how to fix each issue.
Understanding Website Conversion
Before we dive into the fixes, let's get clear on what "conversion" actually means for your website.
Website conversion is when a visitor takes the action you want them to take. Usually, that means:
Filling out your contact form
Booking a discovery call
Requesting a quote
Purchasing a product or service
Downloading your lead magnet
Your conversion rate is the percentage of visitors who take that action.
For example: If 100 people visit your website and 3 people fill out your contact form, you have a 3% conversion rate.
So what's a "good" conversion rate?
For service-based businesses, here are the benchmarks:
Below 1%: Something is seriously broken
1-2%: Below average, lots of room for improvement
2-5%: Average, but you should be doing better
5-10%: Good! You're converting at a healthy rate
10%+: Excellent! Your website is a conversion machine
If you're getting traffic but no inquiries, you're likely in the "below 1%" category. Which means there are probably multiple conversion barriers on your site.
The goal of this guide is to get you to at least 5% (and ideally higher).
The 10 Biggest Conversion Killers (And How to Fix Them)
Here are the most common reasons your website isn't converting—and the specific fixes for each one.
1. Your Call-to-Action (CTA) Is Weak and Vague
The Problem:
Your website is full of CTAs like:
"Contact me"
"Learn more"
"Click here"
"Get started"
These tell visitors absolutely nothing. Contact you for what? Learn more about what? Get started with what?
Vague CTAs create decision fatigue. When visitors have to think about what happens next, they usually just leave instead.
The Fix:
Make your CTAs specific. Every CTA should answer two questions:
What action should I take?
What will I get from taking it?
Weak CTA Examples:
❌ "Contact me"
❌ "Learn more"
❌ "Get started"
Strong CTA Examples:
✅ "Book your free 30-minute website strategy call"
✅ "Get your custom quote in 48 hours"
✅ "Download the complete Squarespace template guide"
✅ "Schedule your discovery session to see if we're the right fit"
Notice the difference? The strong CTAs tell you exactly what you're getting and what happens next.
Action Step: Go through every page of your website and rewrite your CTAs to be specific and benefit-focused.
2. You're Hiding Your Pricing
The Problem:
Your website says "Contact for pricing" or doesn't mention investment at all.
You think this will get people on calls where you can "sell them" on the value first. But here's what actually happens:
Serious buyers get annoyed and go to your transparent competitor instead
Tire-kickers waste your time with consultations to "see what you charge"
You attract price-shoppers who were never going to be ideal clients anyway
"Contact for pricing" signals one of two things to visitors:
Your prices are embarrassingly high
You're going to negotiate (they should lowball you)
Neither positions you well.
The Fix:
Show your pricing. At minimum, show ranges or starting prices.
You don't need to list every possible scenario and price point. But give people a ballpark.
Examples:
"Website projects start at £2,500"
"Investment: £1,500 - £5,000 depending on scope"
"Packages range from £997 to £4,997"
Showing pricing isn't about avoiding objections. It's about attracting the right clients and repelling the wrong ones.
Action Step: Add pricing ranges or starting prices to your services page. If you're not ready for exact numbers, at least indicate investment level ("Premium service," "Mid-range investment," etc.)
3. You Are Not Providing Social Proof
The Problem:
You're asking strangers on the internet to trust you with their money, and you're showing them zero evidence that others have successfully worked with you.
No testimonials. No reviews. No case studies. No results. Nothing.
From a visitor's perspective, this is a massive red flag. Either you're brand new and unproven, or you've had bad experiences you're hiding.
The Fix:
Add social proof everywhere on your website. And not just "Great to work with!" testimonials. You need specific, results-focused social proof.
Types of social proof that convert:
Detailed testimonials with full names and specific results
Before/after case studies showing transformation
Client logos (if you've worked with recognizable brands)
Review platform badges (Google reviews, Trustpilot, etc.)
Media mentions or "as featured in" badges
Numbers (clients served, projects completed, years in business)
Weak Testimonial:
"Sarah was great to work with! Highly recommend."
— Anonymous
Strong Testimonial:
"Before working with Sarah, my website was costing me clients. I was getting traffic but zero inquiries. She rebuilt my site using a strategic Squarespace template, and within two weeks of launching, I booked three new clients worth $15,000 total. The ROI was immediate."
— Jessica Martinez, Brand Photographer
See the difference? The strong testimonial tells a story with a specific problem, solution, and result.
Where to place social proof:
Homepage (above and below the fold)
Services page (testimonial per service if possible)
About page (establishing credibility)
Pricing page (removing objections right before the ask)
Portfolio page (proof of results)
Action Step: Reach out to 5 past clients this week and ask for specific testimonials. Give them the following prompts: "What problem did you have before working with me?", "What results did you get?" and "What would you tell someone considering working with me?".
4. Your Mobile Site is a Mess
The Problem:
Your website looks perfect on your laptop. On mobile? It's a disaster.
Text overlaps images. Buttons hide behind other elements. The contact form is impossible to fill out. Navigation doesn't work.
And here's the kicker: 60-70% of your website traffic is on mobile devices.
You're losing the majority of potential clients to a broken mobile experience.
The Fix:
Make sure you check how it looks on mobile as you design each section of your website and also when you make any changes. Squarespace highlight the mobile preview button when you make any changes to your site to remind you to check the layout. Finally always test your site on actual phones (not just the mobile preview).
Mobile optimisation checklist:
All text is readable without zooming
Images fit properly (not cut off or overlapping)
Buttons are easily clickable (not too small, close to other blocks or hidden)
Navigation menu works smoothly
Contact form is easy to fill out
Page loads quickly on mobile connection
CTAs are visible and accessible
Tested in both portrait and landscape mode
Squarespace-specific tip: Use the mobile editor in Squarespace to adjust layouts, spacing, and element order specifically for mobile devices. What looks good on desktop often needs adjustments for mobile.
Action Step: Visit your website on your mobile phone as if you're a potential client. Try to navigate it, read it, and fill out your contact form. Note down everything that's broken or frustrating, then fix those issues in your mobile editor.
5. Visitors Can't Tell What You Actually Do
The Problem:
Someone lands on your homepage and thinks, "Okay... but what does this person actually do?"
Your headline is vague. Your subheadline is generic. Your value proposition is unclear.
Common examples:
"Helping businesses succeed"
"Creative solutions for modern problems"
"Making your dreams a reality"
"Transforming brands through design"
These sound nice but mean nothing. They could apply to a thousand different businesses.
The Fix:
Your homepage headline should answer three questions in 10 words or less:
WHO do you serve?
WHAT do you do?
WHAT result do they get?
Vague Headlines:
❌ "Welcome to my website"
❌ "Helping businesses thrive online"
❌ "Creative solutions for your brand"
Clear Headlines:
✅ "Squarespace websites for creative businesses that actually convert"
✅ "Launch your premium website in 2 weeks without the custom price tag"
✅ "Template-based Squarespace sites that look custom and book clients"
Your subheadline should expand on this with more detail about the transformation or process.
Example: Headline: "Launch your premium Squarespace website in 2 weeks"
Subheadline: "I help small business owners create professional websites using strategic templates that attract ideal clients and increase sales, without spending $10K on custom design"
Now there's zero confusion about what you do and who you serve.
Action Step: Rewrite your homepage headline and subheadline to be specific and clear. Test it by asking someone outside your industry: "Can you tell exactly what I do from this headline?" If they hesitate, it's too vague.
6. Your Website Loads Too Slowly
The Problem:
Your website takes 8-12 seconds to load, and by then 50% of visitors are already gone.
They didn't see your beautiful design. They didn't read your compelling copy. They saw a loading spinner and hit the back button.
The data is brutal:
1-3 second load time = normal bounce rate
1-5 seconds = 90% increase in bounce rate
1-10 seconds = 123% increase in bounce rate
Every second counts. Literally.
Why is your site slow?
99% of the time, it's because you're uploading massive, uncompressed images straight from your camera.
You're uploading:
8MB file sizes
6000 x 4000 pixel dimensions
Zero compression
Then wondering why your pages feel "sluggish."
The Fix:
Compress and resize every image before uploading.
Image optimisation process:
Resize to display size: If your image displays at 800px wide on your site, don't upload a 4000px wide image. Resize it to 1600px wide (2x for retina displays).
Compress file size: Use a free tool like TinyPNG.com to compress images. Aim for under 300KB per image when possible. I personally recommend Pixresize by Squarestylist which also allows you to rename your files at the same time (great for SEO).
Choose the right format:
JPG for photos
PNG for logos and graphics with transparency
SVG for simple icons and logos (infinitely scalable)
Lazy load images: Most website platforms (including Squarespace) have lazy loading built in. Make sure it's enabled.
Action Step: Test your website speed at Google PageSpeed Insights. If your score is below 50, start by compressing all your images. This one change can drop your load time from 12 seconds to 2 seconds.
7. There's No Clear Next Step
The Problem:
Visitors land on your site, browse around, and think, "Okay, I like what I see... now what?"
Every page is a dead end. No clear path forward. No guidance on what to do next.
So they just... leave. Maybe they'll remember to come back later (spoiler: they won't).
The Fix:
Every page needs a clear call-to-action that guides visitors to the next step in their journey.
The ideal website journey:
Homepage: Learn what you do → CTA to Services
Services page: See what you offer → CTA to Pricing or Contact
Portfolio page: View your work → CTA to Start a Project
About page: Learn about you → CTA to Services or Contact
Blog post: Get valuable info → CTA to related service or contact
Notice how every page has a logical next step? You're guiding visitors through a journey, not leaving them to figure it out themselves.
Basic CTA strategy by page:
Homepage: 3+ CTAs (top, middle, bottom)
Services page: 1 CTA per service + main CTA at bottom
About page: 1-2 CTAs directing to services or contact
Portfolio page: CTA encouraging visitors to start their project
Contact page: Clear form with obvious submit button
Footer: Consistent CTA or contact button on every page
Action Step: Audit every page on your website. Does each page have a clear next step? If someone lands on that page, would they know what to do next? Add CTAs where they're missing.
8. You're Using Gmail for Your Business
The Problem:
Your website still shows: contact@gmail.com or yourname@yahoo.com
This instantly signals to potential clients:
"This is a hobby, not a real business"
"They're not professional enough to invest in basic tools"
"They might not be around long-term"
It's a tiny detail that has a massive impact on credibility.
The Fix:
Get a custom domain email. It should match your website.
Instead of: yourname@gmail.com
Use: hello@yourwebsite.com or contact@yourwebsite.com
How to set this up:
Squarespace: Many Squarespace plans include Google Workspace (custom email) for free or at a discount
Google Workspace: $6/month per user
Microsoft 365: Similar pricing
This is literally a £6/month investment that makes you look 10x more professional and credible.
Action Step: Set up your custom domain email TODAY. Then update it everywhere: website, email signature, business cards, social media, invoices.
9. Your Navigation is Overwhelming
The Problem:
Your navigation menu has 12+ items, multiple dropdown menus, or vague labels like "Plans" or "Other Things."
Visitors experience decision paralysis. They can't find what they need, so they give up and leave.
The psychology of choice:
More options = Harder to decide = No decision at all
This is called "choice overload" or "overchoice," and it's killing your conversion rate.
The Fix:
Simplify your navigation to 5-7 items maximum.
What your main navigation should include:
Home
About
Services (or whatever you call your main offering)
Portfolio/Work (if relevant)
Blog (if you actively maintain it)
Contact
That's it.
"But what about all my other pages?"
Put them in your footer or link to them from relevant pages. Your main navigation isn't a sitemap, it's a roadmap to the most important destinations.
Navigation best practices:
Use clear, specific labels (not "Offerings" or "What I Do")
Avoid dropdown menus with 10+ sub-items
Don't duplicate - your logo already goes to homepage, so you don't need "Home"
Keep labels consistent across pages
Test on mobile (hamburger menus need to work smoothly)
Action Step: Reduce your main navigation to 5-7 items. Move everything else to your footer or internal linking.
10. Your Copy Sounds Like a Corporate Robot
The Problem:
You're trying so hard to sound "professional" that you've stripped away all personality and humanity from your website copy.
Your website reads like a corporate brochure. Stiff. Formal. Forgettable.
Examples:
"We provide comprehensive solutions for businesses seeking to enhance their digital presence"
"Our firm specialises in delivering results-oriented strategies"
"Leveraging cutting-edge methodologies to optimise outcomes"
This isn't how you actually talk to clients. And it's not connecting with anyone.
The Fix:
Write like you talk. Be conversational and show your personality. Remember that clients may not understand your industry jargon so keep it simple and approachable.
People buy from people, not from corporate robots.
Before (Robot):
"Our organisation provides comprehensive website design solutions utilising industry-leading platforms to optimise digital presence for businesses seeking to enhance their online engagement metrics."
After (Human):
"I build Squarespace websites that actually get you clients. No jargon, no 6-month timelines, no $10K price tags. Just strategic, beautiful websites that work."
See the difference?
How to write conversational copy:
Use "you" and "your" (not "clients" or "businesses")
Write in first person ("I help..." not "We provide...")
Use contractions (don't, won't, can't instead of do not, will not, cannot)
Avoid jargon unless your audience uses those exact terms
Tell stories instead of listing features
Ask questions to create engagement
Keep paragraphs short (2-3 sentences max)
Read it out loud – if it sounds weird spoken, rewrite it
Action Step: Pick one page of your website and rewrite it in a conversational tone. Then read it out loud. If it sounds like something you'd actually say to a client in a conversation, you are on the right track.
The Bottom Line
Traffic without conversions isn't a traffic problem - it's a clarity, trust, or action problem.
Your website gets three seconds to convince a visitor that you're:
Credible (can I trust you?)
Capable (can you help me?)
Clear (what do I do next?)
Every item in this guide helps you pass that three-second test.
The good news? These are all fixable issues. You don't need to rebuild your entire website. You just need to remove the friction from the visitor-to-client journey.
The easiest place to start is with the quick wins. Focus on fixing the highest-impact issues first, then work through the rest of the site.
Remember your website should work like a 24/7 sales person, pre-qualifying leads and getting people excited to work with you before you even talk to them.
Need Help?
If you're looking at this list and thinking "I need someone to just tell me what MY website needs," I can help.
I offer Website Conversion Audits where I personally review your site and create a custom action plan with your top 3-5 priorities.
I also help creative business owners launch conversion-optimised Squarespace websites in 1 day using strategic templates that are designed to convert visitors into clients.
Ready to turn your website into a client-booking machine?
Book An Audit | Find Out More About Our Website In A Day Service | See The Templates
