I’ve worked on a ton of websites and spotted super common website mistakes, from DIY Wix builds to overbuilt WordPress sites with a plugin for everything but the kitchen sink. Most of the time, I end up fixing the same issues again and again.
Here are the top 5 client website mistakes I see constantly, and how you can fix them properly.
1. No Clear Call to Action
You load the site and immediately wonder… now what?
You’ve got a logo, a few sections of text, maybe even a gallery — but no direction.
The Fix:
Add a clear button or action link right at the top. Whether it’s “Contact Us,” “Get a Quote,” or “Book Now” — make it obvious. Repeat it in key spots across your site to guide users.
2. The Site Is Painfully Slow
Speed kills — but not in a good way. Slow load times are one of the top reasons people bounce. I’ve seen sites dragging because of massive images, bloated themes, and too many scripts loading at once.
The Fix:
Compress your images. Trim the fat — remove unused scripts and plugins.
Use PageSpeed Insights to check where things lag.
Need help? I do ad-hoc site cleanups for R400/hr.
3. Plugins Galore
I see this all the time on WordPress (and even Wix). Clients install 10 different plugins to fix small issues — sliders, pop-ups, social icons, spam blockers — and half of them don’t even do anything.
The Fix:
Ask yourself: Can this be solved without a plugin?
Use the absolute minimum needed. Too many plugins slow your site, break compatibility, and create security risks.
4. Using Multiple Tools to Do the Same Job
Another common one, using different plugins or tools that overlap.
Example: A contact form from one plugin, a spam filter from another, and analytics from three different sources.
Another common example: using 2 different SEO plugins like Yoast SEO and All in One SEO. I’ve even seen people using multiple caching/compression plugins, mosting hosting services these offer excellent caching that it’s become unnecessary to use caching plugins.
The Fix:
Stick with a single trusted stack. If you’re using Elementor, use its built-in form instead of layering in WPForms, Ninja Forms, or whatever else. Simpler = cleaner, faster, safer.
Elementor and Divi have excellent caching options as well.
5. Leaving Default Text or Placeholder Images on the Site
I’ve seen entire sections still labelled “Lorem ipsum” months after launch. Or images with generic filenames like placeholder.jpg. It makes your site look unfinished, and Google picks up on that.
The Fix:
Double-check every page before going live. Replace demo content with real, relevant info. Rename your image files properly and set your alt text.
Bonus: Leaving placeholder content also messes with SEO. Google doesn’t like blank or meaningless content.
6. Not Setting Up a Favicon or Branding Basics
You’d be surprised how many live websites still have the default WordPress “globe” icon showing in the browser tab. Or no branding colors. Or inconsistent fonts.
The Fix:
Upload a proper favicon. Set a brand style — fonts, colours, button shapes — and use it across every page. It makes your site look polished and professional.
7. Forgetting to Disable Indexing During Development
So many devs leave the “Discourage search engines from indexing this site” checkbox ON after launch. Your site goes live but Google can’t find it.
The Fix:
Go into WordPress settings → Reading → Make sure the “Discourage search engines” box is unchecked before you launch.
8. Spelling Mistakes Are Still a Thing (and They Hurt Trust)
It might seem obvious, but spelling mistakes still show up on way too many websites. I’ve had clients wonder why their site isn’t converting — only to find typos in headlines or broken grammar in their service descriptions. It looks sloppy, and it makes people question your credibility.
The Fix:
Use a tool to scan your website for spelling and grammar mistakes. One of the easiest options is Typo3 or Grammarly’s browser extension — it highlights errors as you browse through your own site.
For WordPress users, WebSpellChecker or the Proofreader plugin can help spot issues before they go live.
Pro tip: Don’t just check your homepage — scan service pages, blog posts, and even image alt text or meta descriptions.
Conclusion
Wecraft Studio can assist you with you website support if you’ve spotted more or several of these issues. We offer R400.00 per hour support services with full revamp website projects.
