Seven mistakes on hobby websites that cost you customers.
Hobby does not mean bad. But things are often missing that visitors do not see and Google still notices. Do the self-test, it takes ten minutes.
By Patryk Awierianow ·
Check seven points: mobile view and loading time, Google basics, required pages, security and updates, licences for images and fonts, the first impression and measuring. Each point has a test you can do without technical knowledge.
How the self-test works
Open your site on your phone and go through the seven points. You only need a phone, a laptop and free tools from Google. Each point says what happens if it is missing and how to check it.
1. Mobile view and loading time
Most visitors come on a phone (mobile first). According to Think with Google, in 2017 53% of visits to mobile sites that took longer than three seconds to load were abandoned. That is an older figure, but it shows how quickly visitors leave. Test: open the site on mobile data and check it with Google PageSpeed Insights. More in Website speed and Core Web Vitals.
2. Google basics
Every page needs its own title, a description and exactly one main heading, and it must be allowed into Google (indexing). Test: type “site:” followed by your address into Google and see whether your pages appear. In Google Search Console you can see what Google knows about your site more on SEO.
3. Required pages and consents
A legal notice, a privacy policy and, where needed, a cookie consent belong on a business site. Test: can the pages be reached from every subpage? Whether the content is right for you should, if in doubt, be checked by a lawyer. This is a hint, not legal advice.
4. Security and updates
Sites with many add-ons need upkeep. Security reports such as the one from Patchstack have shown for years that most WordPress vulnerabilities are not in the core but in third-party plugins and themes. So the software is not the problem, missing upkeep is. Test: does the address start with “https” (SSL), when was the last update and is there a backup? more on maintenance
5. Images and fonts: licences
A photo from an image search is not automatically free to use, and fonts have licence terms too. Test: where does each image come from, and is there a permission or licence? If in doubt, replace it. Again: this is a hint, not legal advice.
6. First impression and trust
Visitors decide quickly whether they trust a company. In the large Stanford study on the credibility of websites (Stanford Web Credibility Project, 2002), 46.1% of the comments referred to the look of the site. The study is old, the direction stays: looks matter. Test: show your site to someone who does not know you and ask: what do we do, and would you call?
7. Measuring and the enquiry path
Without measuring you do not know whether the site achieves anything. Test: is there a clear button for a call, WhatsApp or an enquiry, and can you see how many visitors come, for example in Search Console? With a Google Business Profile you are also found on the map.
What to do with the result
If you failed three or more points, it is worth having someone check the site who does this every day. If you passed all of them, your basis is good. If you want a site built or renewed, you will find the services here: Custom websites and Website relaunch.
Note: the figures mentioned are examples from studies and reports, with their year. They are no guarantee for your site.
Terms in this article
Explained simply, without jargon.
- Loading time
- The time until a page is visible. People who wait too long leave. Google pays attention to it too. More
- Mobile first
- A website is designed for the smartphone first and then for tablet and computer. More
- Indexing
- Google adds a page to its directory. Only indexed pages can appear on Google. More
- SSL / HTTPS
- The encryption between visitor and website. You recognise it by the padlock in the address bar. Without it, browsers warn people about your site. More
- Update
- A new version of the software behind your website. Updates close security holes and keep everything current. More
- Backup
- A copy of your website that is saved regularly so it can be back online quickly after a problem. More
Frequently asked questions
How long does the self-test take?
About ten minutes if you open the site on your phone and go through the seven points one after another.
Do I need technical knowledge?
No. The tests only need a phone, a laptop and free Google tools.
Are hobby websites always flawed?
No. But these seven points are often forgotten on self-built sites because you do not see them at first glance.
More on this: matching pages and projects
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