22 Issues That Impact Website Conversion Rate & How to Fix Them

Many sites successfully attract visitors but struggle to turn them into customers because the experience fails to answer the four questions every visitor is subconsciously asking the moment they land:

1. What do you do?

2. Does it work?

3. Where do I go next?

4. How do I start?

If your site doesn’t answer those in seconds, they’re gone.

After auditing sites across industries, from enterprise brands to small businesses, I keep seeing the same issues show up again and again:

• Messaging gets vague
• Proof gets buried
• Navigation becomes a maze
• CTA’s don’t match what the user is ready for
• And so many more…

This guide walks through the most common issues I see in website audits, along with practical ways to fix them so your traffic has a better chance of turning into leads.

Note that it’s a lot, so we suggest you save it to come back to as needed.

The 5-Minute Self-Audit

(Do this before changing anything)

Before we dive in, humor me with a quick test. In another tab open up your site and answer these five questions:

1. What is this immediately offering?
2. Who is it for?
3. Why should I trust it?
4. What should I do next?
5. Is anything confusing, overwhelming, slow, or broken?

If any of these answers are unclear, your conversion rate pays the price, regardless of how much traffic you’re getting.

If You Only Fix 3 Things This Week

If you’re short on time, attack these issues first:

• Trust signals (proof beats claims)
• Clear differentiation + pain points (why you, why now)
• A clear next step (CTAs + internal paths that match intent)

Trust is the pillar that all business relies on. In order for users to trust your brand you must provide social proof. Here are the most common trust issues I see in audits, and what to do about them.

Issue: Missing Trust Symbols

As the saying goes, talk is cheap. Your site needs to have social proof/trust signals to back up your claims. Try adding at least one of the following:

• Logos of businesses you have worked with
• Reviews from clients
• Video testimonials
• Case studies
• Statistics/visuals showcasing your impact
• Third party certifications/awards

Fix: Add Proof Element Near Call To Actions (CTA’s)

Source: https://www.pipedrive.com/

Pipedrive does a good job adding trust signals beneath it’s CTA that encourage the user to take action. Not needing to add a credit card, strengthens the proposition of being able to try it for free.

Notice too that they list how many customers use their product below the CTA. Our goal is to get users to take action, so we want the proof elements to sandwich (show above and below) our call to action.

Issue: Trust Signals Exist, But They’re Weak

You may already have trust signals, but if you are not using them effectively, they are just adding noise.

Example of Weak Trust Signals:

• Vague testimonials (“Great service!”)
• Case studies with no outcomes
• Logos that don’t match your buyer

Fix: Align Trust Signals With Prospects’ Hesitations

Source: https://drinklmnt.com

LMNT does a good job addressing the hesitation many people have with consuming too much salt. They address this quickly, referencing a science baked study.

When trying to optimize ask ‘what’s making prospects hesitate?’ Then place the proof that neutralizes that fear right where the decision happens.

Issue: Trust Signals Are Buried

Okay by now you are probably wondering when will we move on. Well this is the last time I will mention trust signals. They are important and if they are buried your prospects are likely not seeing them.

Fix: Make Sure Trust Signals Are Visible Within First Scroll

If you get someone to your site the last thing you want is for them to leave right away. One of the most effective ways to keep users is to have trust signals visible on page landing, or shortly after scrolling.

Issue: Too Much Telling, Not Enough Showing

Text has its place on websites, but graphics, images, gifs, and interactive components are where websites can shine. The more you can immerse the user in your site, and provide them a look into your product, or solution, the more likely they become interested in learning more.

Fix: Leverage Visuals & Interactivity

Source: https://toggl.com/

Toggl does a good job using visual design and interactive tabs to showcase their product with detailed screenshots, and walk throughs.

Here are some ways to show vs tell:

• Screenshots of the product in use
• Demo video
• In page application/tool
• Before/after photos

Issue: Lack of Transparency

The general rule is, the less you make a user have to guess, the more likely they will reach out to you. If users can’t quickly answer the following, it’s a problem:

• What does this actually do (and not do)?
• What do I get specifically?
• What happens after I submit a form?
• How long does it take to get started, and to see results?
• What does this cost (or what determines cost)?
• Is there a commitment?
• What are the policies / terms that reduce risk?

Fix: Remove Guesswork

Take time to flesh out what you offer, and make sure to ask your sales team what common questions people are asking. You can also ask current customers what confused them or they had questions when they first went to your site and work to address them.

When a user lands on a page they are quickly trying to access if Google, or Reddit, or whoever sent them to your site, got them to the right place.  If the page doesn’t make it obvious who the solution is for, what makes it different, and why it solves their problem better than the alternatives, they will likely bounce.

Issue:  Lacking Brand Voice or Differentiating Angle

Stock imagery, sterile boilerplate text. A robot (ahem, AI) could have written the page, or probably did. If the copy is using generic adjectives, vague outcomes, and lacks a strong point of view, it’s likely that users can’t tell why you’re different, which leads them to other considerations like price which might not be the key differentiator.

Fix:  Speak To What Makes You Different

Our agency cares about each of our clients to the point where we lose sleep and obsess over every opportunity to get them leads. We are very well aware that a common pain point is that agencies mismanage ad funds, leading to wasted budget and lower ROI. So we lean into our brand (data-driven, obsessed with results, and true business partners). We wear our obsession on our digital sleeve.

It can be hard to land on a brand voice, but clearly defining your values, and who you serve can help you hone in your copy. Then it’s a matter of pointing out what makes you better than your competition, why someone would pick you over them.

Issue: Poor Positioning (Generalist vs Specialist)

When a page tries to speak to everyone, it ends up reading like a menu instead of a solution. And in a more sophisticated market, that usually works against you. Buyers tend to reward specialists not because they only offer one thing, but because they make it obvious they’re the right choice for a specific problem. Generalist positioning forces visitors to do extra mental work:

• Is this actually for me?
• Do they understand my situation?
• Are they truly great at what I need, or just offering it?

That uncertainty creates hesitation, and hesitation lowers conversion rates.

Fix: Showcase Clear Speciality

You can absolutely offer adjacent services, but your page needs one primary audience, problem, and outcome, so the user immediately feels like they’re in the right place.

Issue: Not Addressing Pain Points

Prospects are looking for a solution to a specific problem. If your copy is generic, you are leaving leads on the table.

Fix: Lead With the Problem, Then Prove the Outcome

Source: https://zapier.com/

Zapier does a great job calling out the pain point of waiting on a developer. Then they make it easy to get started and follow up with a short video walking through how easy it is to use.

When structuring your content use headings that reflect what your prospects are actually dealing with then explain how you solve it in plain language, backed by proof. If you serve multiple audiences or pain points, don’t cram them all into a catch-all page. Create targeted pages that speak directly to distinct needs.

Issue: Not Using the Language the Audience Expects

If you speak above your audience, you lose them. If you speak below them, you lose credibility. Using internal jargon, acronyms, or marketing speak can further dilute your value, turning it more into a sales pitch than a solution.

Fix: Translate Your Message Into Customer Language

Replace vague terms with plain, specific outcomes and remove internal shorthand. Don’t guess at the language, pull it from reality: sales calls, support tickets, forums, reviews, competitor comparisons, and onsite search queries.

Ex:

• “streamline workflows” → “reduce manual quoting time”
• “robust solution” → “recover in one click” / “checkout in under a minute”

Issue: Not Considering Competition

You don’t need to pick fights or name names, but you also shouldn’t pretend comparison isn’t happening. Prospects are going to compare solutions. If you avoid the conversation entirely, you leave the decision framework to your competitors, or to whatever assumptions the prospect fills in on their own.

Fix: Add Comparison Tables & Speak To Differences

Source: https://ahrefs.com/

Ahrefs does a great job getting ahead of the question “How is Ahrefs different from Semrush?” Between comparison graphics, and exclusive features, they make sure it’s clear what they do differently and make it easier for the consumer to compare.

To get improve conversions, include clear comparison tables that help buyers self-select. The graphic should quickly highlight:

• What makes you different
• What you’re best at
• When you’re not the best fit

Compare based on clear pain-points and outcomes.

Issue: Mismatch of Search Results & On-Page Content

Showing up on Google is not enough. If your search result promises one thing and the page delivers another, users are going to see right through it. Worse yet, all the bounces will send negative engagement signals and Google will stop showing your brand.

Quick way to spot this in the data:

If a page gets strong organic traffic but shows low engagement time, high exits, shallow scroll depth, and weak conversion rate, that’s often a sign you’re winning the click but losing the visitor.

Fix: Align Search Intent, Your Search Listing, and Messaging

Audit your top landing pages and compare the meta title/description with what a user sees in the first scroll. If the snippet promises something the page doesn’t deliver, either rewrite the snippet to reflect reality or update the page to fulfill the promise.

Issue: Mismatch of Offer/Value With User Intent or Demographic

Not every page is meant for conversions. Some pages exist to foster engagement, serve as brand awareness, and educate the prospect. These pages are important to future conversions. If you try to sell someone too early, or don’t answer their questions and allow them the chance of self-discovery, (Ahem vague copy and forcing them to have to reach out to learn more) you will lose them when they are ready to convert.

Fix: Align the Content/CTA To The User Journey

Give early-stage visitors a low-friction next step (learn, see examples, compare), mid-stage visitors proof and pricing clarity, and high-intent visitors a direct path to demo, quote, or checkout.

Issue: Using The Same CTA Everywhere

A lot of sites pick one CTA and paste it across every section of every page. This is rarely effective. Users don’t have the same question or level of certainty at the top of a page as they do after they’ve seen proof, pricing, and details. When you repeat the same CTA everywhere, you’re not guiding the decision, you’re just interrupting the reading experience. Worse, generic CTAs don’t speak to pain points.

Fix: Treat CTAs Like Next Steps, and Test Them

CTAs should be placed where a user would naturally take pause. The language should match the action the user is likely ready for at that moment.

Early on, that might be proof or self-discovery (“See results,” “Read a case study,” “View examples”).

Mid-page, it might be clarity (“View pricing,” “Compare options,” “How it works”).

Later, it can be commitment (“Request a demo,” “Get a quote,” “Start checkout”).

CTAs should be tied to the core pain point and offer of the page. Test variations and let the data tell you which language resonates the most.

You can have great content and a solid offer, but if users can’t find what they need, none of it matters.

Issue: Overwhelming or Hard-to-Use Navigation

If the menu is cluttered, vague, or inconsistent, users have to work too hard to find what they came for. If important pages aren’t listed, or it’s confusing where a link goes, it’s likely the user won’t make it to the right page and will leave the site.

Fix: Make Your Menu a Shortcut, Not a Sitemap

Your main navigation should highlight the handful of pages most users actually need, using simple labels. Keep it lean, keep it obvious, and keep it easy to access, ideally with a sticky (or always-visible) header so users can navigate without hunting. Then put the “everything else” in a footer sitemap: a structured set of links that helps users (and search engines) find deeper pages without turning your main menu into a cluttered directory.

Issue: Missing Site Search / Or Poor Search Experience

The goal is to get users to a relevant page in the fewest clicks possible. On larger sites, that often means giving them a site search function. However if this search experience returns poor results, it creates the exact friction it’s supposed to eliminate.

Fix: Make Search Fast, Visible, and Relevant

Source: https://www.algolia.com/

Algolia is known for their powerful site search engine. They do a great job on their own site showing it off, offering a visual list of related results with the option to filter while remaining in the search screen. This combo allows users to continue to type and hone down on what they are looking for.

If your site is large enough to need search, treat it like a core navigation tool, not an afterthought. Make it easy to find, ensure results actually surface the most relevant pages or products, and support refinement with filters, categories, or suggested results where appropriate.

Issue: Lack of Internal Linking or Repetitive Linking

Most sites I audit lack an internal linking strategy. That is they are not properly linking between pages to related, or additional content that serves as a value add and a natural extension of the users session.

The other issue I see is linking to the same page multiple times and with different anchor text. Generally you should only link to a page once on a page and across the site the anchor text should be consistent and clear as to where the user will end up.

Links should be strategic and placed naturally. If your copy looks like “add a link” is a keystroke on your keyboard that you hit in place of the space bar, then you are doing internal linking wrong.

Fix: Use Internal Links to Guide the Next Logical Step

Link to related pages where they naturally help the user continue, whether that’s learning more, comparing options, seeing proof, or taking action. Keep anchor text clear, destinations intentional, and avoid repeatedly forcing the same page.

Issue: Answering the Direct Query But Not Subsequent Queries

You worked hard to get someone to your site. The odds are they didn’t arrive with just one question. If your page only answers the initial query and stops there, you leave the user to do the rest of the research on their own. That creates friction, weakens trust, and gives them a reason to leave before taking the next step.

Fix: Anticipate the Next Questions and Answer Them

Once you answer the main query, guide the user forward by addressing the natural follow-up questions they’re likely to have. If there is additional content on your site that would be helpful, link to it. If the answer belongs on the page itself, include it there.

The goal is to make the user feel like they don’t need to leave your site to keep evaluating.

Issue: Text Heavy / Hard to Digest

We’ve all landed on a site with a wall of text and went “nope”. If you want visitors to stick around your content must be scannable and have clear sections.

Fix: Use Visual Hierarchy to Make the Page Easy to Scan

Source: https://www.atlassian.com/

Atlassian does a good job guiding users down the page with clear contrast, interactive components, strong viuals and balanced whitespace. The text is digestible and its easy to scan.

When starting down a wall of text, break content into clear sections and use headings, bullet points, contrast, imagery, graphics, icons, numbers, and callouts to guide the eye. The goal is not to decorate the page, it’s to make key information easier to find, understand, and act on. Good design reduces effort and helps users pick up the value quickly.

Issue: Thin Content (Not Enough to Support a Decision)

Some pages look more like a note passed around in a middle school cafeteria than a built-out page. It’s not enough to stand up a page with a title and a few sentences and call it done. Each page should serve the user something of value. If it doesn’t provide enough substance to help someone understand, evaluate, or trust the offer, it’s unlikely to drive action.

Fix: Make Sure Each Page Serves The User

Add the elements that help someone make a decision:

•  Proof
• Examples
• Specifics,
• FAQs,
• Process details,
• Visuals,
• Comparisons,
• Clear next steps.

The goal isn’t to make the page longer. It’s to make the page useful enough that a prospect can keep moving forward without needing to leave and keep researching elsewhere.

Issue: Broken Code / Interactive Elements Not Working / Form Issues

Sometimes the problem isn’t messaging or design. The site just doesn’t work. A form won’t submit. A popup can’t be closed. A button looks clickable but does nothing. The menu won’t open. Site search returns nothing useful.

These issues are easy to miss when you already know how the site is supposed to work, but for users they’re dead ends. And if someone is ready to take action but the site fails them, that conversion is gone.

Fix: Regularly Test the Site Like a Real User Would

Run through key actions on a regular basis: submit forms, click buttons, open and close popups, test navigation, use search, and complete the full path on both desktop and mobile. Don’t stop at the front end—check confirmation pages, email notifications, and analytics events too. A page can look polished and still leak conversions if the functionality is broken underneath.

Issue: Complex Checkout / Forms

So they build forms with far too many fields, pile upsells into checkout, and ask users to do extra work right when they’re ready to convert. That’s a mistake. There’s a reason people buy from Amazon: it’s easy. The point of a form or checkout is to complete the action, not turn the moment of conversion into an obstacle course. If you add friction just to gather more data, don’t be surprised when users abandon the process instead.

Fix: Reduce Friction at the Point of Conversion

Ask only for the information you truly need, simplify the steps, remove distractions, and make expectations clear. If you need more data, find another way to collect it without obstructing the user experience. The easier you make it to finish the form or purchase, the more likely users are to follow through.

Issue: Page Speed Issues

Page speed matters, but it’s one of the most over-simplified issues in marketing. Slow load times can hurt conversions but so can thin content. A faster page isn’t automatically a better one. If you remove the elements that help users understand the offer, trust the brand, or visualize the solution, you may improve your page speed while still hurting conversions.

The goal is to build the fastest page that still does its job.

Fix: Optimize What Matters, Don’t Just Remove It

Compress images and video, lazy-load non-critical assets, reduce unnecessary scripts, and prioritize the content users see and interact with first. But be careful not to remove heavier elements like videos, or helpful interactive elements just to chase speed scores.

Conversions Improve When the Path Is Clear

Most conversion problems aren’t caused by one catastrophic flaw. They come from smaller points of friction that stack up over time.

If you want to improve conversions, make sure your site is:

• Easy to understand
• Easy to trust
• Easy to navigate
• Easy to act

That’s really what good website optimization comes down to: making the experience more seamless, the messaging more consistent, and the next step more obvious.