Is your website working for you? Against you?
Or is it working at all?
Your website should be a boon to your business, driving leads, conversions, and sales 24/7. But if your site loads slowly, lacks clear calls to action, or features outdated or confusing content, it may actually be hurting your business. Poor website performance can cost you in ways that aren’t always obvious—lost traffic, lower search engine rankings, and fewer conversions.
The good news? You don’t necessarily need a complete overhaul to see major improvements. Sometimes, a few focused changes can radically improve your website performance and your visitors’ experience.
Use this 10-point checklist to perform a mini content audit and correct the most common culprits. You’ll be one step closer to a more effective, engaging website that supports your goals.
10 Quick Fixes to Improve Website Performance
1. Clarify Your Homepage Headline
Your homepage headline is one of the most powerful lines of copy on your website. It’s the first thing visitors see—and it shapes their first impression. Within seconds, they should understand what you offer and why it matters to them.
Too often, headlines are vague, generic, or stuffed with buzzwords that say nothing. If a visitor can’t tell how your business can help them, they’ll bounce.
Quick Fix: Rewrite your headline with clarity and benefit in mind. For example:
Instead of:
“Innovative Solutions for Modern Businesses”
Try:
“Helping Warehouses Boost Efficiency with Reliable Forklifts.”
Your headline should contribute directly to stronger website performance by grabbing attention and setting the tone for your brand.
2. Refine Your Calls to Action (CTAs)
Think of your CTA as the handshake after your pitch. What do you want your visitors to do next? Call? Book? Download? If you don’t tell them, they’ll often do… nothing.
Even the best web content can fall flat without intentional direction. Strategic CTAs help boost conversions and reinforce website performance.
Quick Fix:
- Add action-oriented CTAs like “Schedule a Call,” “Get Your Free Estimate,” or “Download Our Checklist.”
- Use prominent buttons placed above the fold and repeated where appropriate.
- Keep the CTA language specific and benefit-focused.
If you’d like help writing high-converting CTAs, check out this free guide on persuasive website copywriting.
3. Improve Readability
Visitors won’t wrestle with long blocks of text. If your content looks overwhelming or difficult to scan, they’ll click away—and that hurts your website performance.
Quick Fix:
- Use subheadings and bullet points to structure your content.
- Write in short paragraphs with simple, conversational language.
- Avoid jargon unless absolutely necessary. When unsure, explain it like you would to a friend or your mom.
Improved readability means visitors stay longer and engage more—key indicators of healthy website performance.
4. Optimize for Mobile
Over 60% of web traffic comes from mobile devices. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, your website performance is undercut by poor usability and frustrated users.
Quick Fix:
- Test your website on phones and tablets.
- Ensure that buttons are easy to tap, text is readable without zooming, and menus are intuitive.
- Tools like Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test can help you assess mobile readiness.
A mobile-optimized design supports both better UX and stronger rankings, improving website performance across the board.
5. Refresh Outdated Content
Old content is a silent killer of credibility and website performance. When visitors find outdated blog posts, expired promotions, or irrelevant company details, trust erodes fast.
Quick Fix:
- Review all content regularly for broken links, outdated facts, and stale language.
- Update statistics, improve clarity, and align content with current offerings.
- Refreshing old blog posts is also a proven way to improve SEO without creating new content from scratch.
Want help evaluating your content? Consider using a professional web content audit for a full site checkup.
6. Strengthen Your About Page
The About page may seem like a formality, but it’s often one of the most visited pages on a site. A strong About page builds trust and influences conversions, directly impacting website performance.
Quick Fix:
Don’t just talk about who you are. Show your visitors how your background and values equip you to solve their problems.
- Share your story and mission, but always tie it back to your clients’ needs.
- Include high-quality photos of yourself or your team.
- Mention awards, certifications, or community involvement where relevant.
An authentic, client-focused About page can dramatically enhance your credibility and overall website performance.
7. Add Social Proof
People trust other people. Testimonials, case studies, and third-party endorsements signal reliability and reduce buying hesitation—making social proof a vital component of good website performance.
Quick Fix:
- Add testimonials throughout your site, not just on a dedicated page.
- Feature recognizable client logos, review snippets, or “As Seen In” media badges.
- Use real names, titles, and photos when possible for added credibility.
Need more on the power of proof in Internet Marketing?
8. Improve Page Speed
A slow site can tank your website performance. Visitors expect your site to load in under 3 seconds—or they’re gone.
Quick Fix:
- Compress image sizes with tools like TinyPNG.
- Minimize JavaScript and CSS bloat.
- Choose a reliable hosting provider with performance-boosting features like caching and a CDN.
Use Google PageSpeed Insights to identify specific issues slowing you down.
Faster load times mean better user experience, higher engagement, and better search engine rankings.
9. Audit Your Links
Broken links damage user trust, SEO rankings, and website performance. Internal links that lead nowhere (or to outdated content) create frustration and interrupt flow.
Quick Fix:
- Use free tools like Broken Link Checker or Ahrefs to find dead links.
- Fix, update, or remove them.
- Revisit internal links too: Are they helping your users explore related content, or just acting as clutter?
Well-managed linking is a secret weapon for optimizing website performance.
10. Ensure Accessibility
Over 25% of U.S. adults have some form of disability. By making your website accessible, you not only expand your audience—you future-proof your site for AI-driven search and voice navigation. Accessibility directly improves website performance in both usability and SEO.
Quick Fix:
- Add alt text to all meaningful images.
- Ensure strong contrast between text and background.
- Label all form fields clearly.
- Use tools like WAVE or AXE to scan for compliance issues.
Accessibility is not just the right thing to do—it’s a smart strategy for long-term website performance gains.
Putting It All Together
Will these 10 quick fixes solve every issue? Not quite. But they will address the most common (and easily correctable) roadblocks to better website performance.
Think of them as routine maintenance—like checking the oil in your car or replacing the air filter. Small efforts, big impact.
If your site still isn’t delivering the results you want, don’t guess. A professional website content audit is the fastest way to get expert insights and a clear plan for moving forward.
Your website should be your hardest-working employee. Is it earning its keep?
Let’s get your website performance where it needs to be—so your business can thrive.