How do I know if my website is costing me customers?
If you’ve ever wondered why your website gets traffic but your phone isn’t ringing, you’re not alone. Many small business owners assume that once a site is live, it should automatically bring in customers. But a website can quietly push people away without you realizing it. The good news is you can spot the signs early and fix them before you lose even more leads. Let’s break down the most common reasons a website costs customers and what you can do about each one.
Is my website loading too slowly?
A slow website turns people away immediately. The answer is yes if your site takes more than a couple seconds to load on mobile or desktop. Google reports that when a page takes longer than three seconds to load, more than half of users leave before it finishes. That means you could lose the majority of your traffic if your site is slow. According to Google’s page speed study, every extra second of load time causes conversion rates to drop even further:
Your site might feel fast on your phone or laptop, but real customers could be getting a much slower experience depending on their device, browser, or connection. You can run a free test using Google PageSpeed Insights to see how your site performs. If you discover issues, upgrading to an SEO optimized website like the ones built through Surge by Thrive can help you solve page speed problems while improving search rankings.
Are customers confused or unsure what to do next?
If your website doesn’t guide people clearly, they bounce. People visit a business website with a job to do and expect the next step to be obvious. A study by Stanford University found that 75 percent of users judge a company’s credibility based on its website design: . When your site is cluttered, outdated, or missing clear calls to action, customers lose trust and leave.
Ask yourself a simple question. If someone lands on your homepage right now, is the next step unmistakable? Should they book an appointment? Request a quote? Fill out a form? If the answer isn’t obvious within a few seconds, that confusion is costing you customers.
You can simplify this with features built into Surge by Thrive, like Custom Forms at and our integrated Calendars and appointment tools. These tools give your visitors a straightforward path to take action.
Is my site missing trust signals that help people feel confident?
Customers are more skeptical than ever. Reviews, testimonials, badges, certifications, and case studies all help visitors feel more confident choosing your business. BrightLocal’s annual Consumer Review Survey found that 98 percent of consumers read online reviews before choosing a local business.
If your website doesn’t highlight positive reviews or recent customer experiences, you’re missing one of the most powerful tools to convert visitors. This is especially important for competitive industries where people are choosing between several companies. Surge by Thrive includes Reputation Management tools that automatically collect new reviews and showcase them where they matter most.
Could poor mobile experience be driving people away?
More than half of all website traffic today comes from mobile devices. According to Statista, mobile users made up over 50 percent of global traffic throughout 2024 and continue to grow: . If your website doesn’t work smoothly on smaller screens, people will leave quickly and choose a competitor.
Signs your mobile experience is costing customers include buttons that are too small, text that’s hard to read, forms that aren’t optimized, or layouts that break on certain phones. A mobile friendly website is essential if you want higher conversions. Surge by Thrive’s SEO Websites automatically ensure fast load times and smooth user experience across all devices.
Are my forms too long or confusing?
People don’t want to fill out long or complicated forms, especially on a phone. Research from HubSpot shows that reducing the number of form fields directly increases conversions, sometimes significantly: . If your forms ask for too much information up front, customers quit halfway through or never start at all.
You can fix this by using smart, custom forms that only ask the essential questions. Surge by Thrive includes streamlined forms that improve the customer experience and boost conversion rates.
Am I missing follow-up and automation that could save lost leads?
Even if your site collects leads, you can still lose customers when follow-up is slow or inconsistent. Harvard Business Review found that responding to leads within one hour increases the odds of qualifying that lead seven time. If you wait several hours or even days, that interest is gone.
This is where automated workflows, email and SMS systems, and AI chatbots can prevent lost opportunities. Surge by Thrive includes Workflow Automations, Email and SMS Marketing, and AI Bots. These tools keep conversations going automatically so customers get answers and confirmations immediately.
Do I really need a CRM to track customers and know where they drop off?
If you don’t know where leads are coming from or where you’re losing them, it’s much harder to fix the problem. A CRM shows you which pages convert well, which fall flat, and where customers abandon the process. Without that insight, your website issues stay hidden.
Surge by Thrive includes a built in CRM and lead capture platform. You can see every lead, track their actions, and identify exactly where your website might be dropping customers.
Common signs your website is costing you customers
Here are the biggest red flags:
- Traffic is steady but leads are slowing down
- Bounce rates are high on key pages
- Forms get visits but few submissions
- Phones aren’t ringing even though ads are running
- Mobile users spend less time on your site
- You don’t have a consistent follow-up system
- Reviews aren’t visible or look outdated
- Visitors ask the same questions repeatedly because your site doesn’t answer them
If any of these feel familiar, your website is likely costing you opportunities every day.
How to fix it quickly
If you’re ready to improve your site, here are the fastest steps you can take.
- Test your page speed and improve loading times
- Simplify your layout and highlight your main call to action
- Add trust elements like reviews, testimonials, and certifications
- Make sure your mobile experience works perfectly
- Shorten your forms to the essentials
- Automate your follow-up process
- Track all leads through a CRM
Surge by Thrive helps with each of these through our SEO Websites, Custom Forms, Appointment Scheduling, CRM, Automations, AI Bots, and Review Management tools. If you want help improving your website and increasing your customer conversions, you can contact us or request a live demo.