In today’s digital landscape, your website often serves as the first point of contact between your business and potential customers. For Fort Collins businesses competing in a growing market, website mistakes can cost you valuable leads and sales opportunities. Understanding these common pitfalls and how to fix them is essential for staying competitive in Northern Colorado’s vibrant business environment.
1. Poor Mobile Responsiveness
With over 60% of web traffic now coming from mobile devices, having a mobile-responsive website isn’t just a nice-to-have—it’s essential. Yet many Fort Collins businesses still operate with websites that look great on desktop but create frustrating experiences on smartphones and tablets.
Why This Matters
Google prioritizes mobile-friendly websites in its search rankings, meaning poor mobile performance directly impacts your visibility to potential customers. Additionally, visitors who encounter a difficult-to-navigate mobile site are 5 times more likely to abandon it entirely.
Common mobile responsiveness issues include:
• Text that’s too small to read without zooming
• Buttons and navigation elements placed too close together
• Images that don’t resize properly
• Forms that are difficult to complete on small screens
• Horizontal scrolling required to view content
How to Fix It
Implement responsive design principles that allow your website to automatically adjust to different screen sizes. This approach ensures that your site provides an optimal viewing experience across all devices.
Action steps:
• Use a mobile-responsive theme or template if using platforms like WordPress
• Test your website on multiple devices using Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test tool
• Implement “hamburger” menus for mobile navigation
• Ensure all buttons are finger-friendly (minimum 44×44 pixels)
• Optimize images to load quickly on mobile connections
“53% of mobile site visitors leave a page that takes longer than three seconds to load.”
Google Research
2. Neglecting Local SEO
Fort Collins businesses have a tremendous advantage in their local market, but many fail to optimize their websites for local search. When potential customers search for services “near me” or “in Fort Collins,” these businesses miss valuable opportunities to appear in search results.
Why This Matters
According to recent studies, 46% of all Google searches have local intent, and 88% of consumers who conduct a local search on their smartphone visit a related store within a week. For Fort Collins businesses, local SEO isn’t optional—it’s essential for capturing the growing market of residents and visitors.
Signs your local SEO needs improvement:
• Your business doesn’t appear in Google’s “Map Pack” for relevant local searches
• You haven’t claimed or optimized your Google Business Profile
• Your website lacks Fort Collins-specific content
• You’re missing NAP (Name, Address, Phone) consistency across the web
• Few or no customer reviews on Google, Yelp, or industry-specific platforms
How to Fix It
Implementing proper local SEO strategies can dramatically improve your visibility to potential customers in the Fort Collins area.
Action steps:
• Claim and fully optimize your Google Business Profile
• Ensure consistent NAP information across all platforms
• Include location-based keywords throughout your website content
• Create content specific to Fort Collins events, news, or community involvement
• Actively solicit and respond to customer reviews
• List your business in local directories relevant to your industry
“78% of location-based mobile searches result in an offline purchase.”
SEO Tribunal
3. Unclear Value Proposition
Many Fort Collins business websites fail to clearly communicate what they offer and why potential customers should choose them over competitors. Visitors often leave these sites confused about the business’s purpose or value.
Why This Matters
You have approximately 7 seconds to capture a visitor’s attention when they land on your website. Without a clear, compelling value proposition, potential customers will quickly click away and find a competitor whose offering is easier to understand.
Signs of an unclear value proposition:
• Generic messaging that could apply to any business in your industry
• Focusing on features rather than benefits
• Using industry jargon that customers don’t understand
• Burying what makes you unique several scrolls down the page
• Lacking evidence to support your claims (testimonials, case studies, etc.)
How to Fix It
Developing a strong, clear value proposition helps visitors immediately understand what you offer and why they should choose your business.
Action steps:
• Place your value proposition prominently at the top of your homepage
• Focus on customer benefits rather than technical features
• Use clear, jargon-free language that speaks to your ideal customer
• Include social proof (testimonials, reviews, case studies) to validate your claims
• Highlight what makes your Fort Collins business unique in the local market
• Test different versions to see which resonates best with your audience
“If you confuse, you lose. Clarity is the key to conversion.”
Donald Miller, StoryBrand
4. Slow Loading Speed
Website speed is crucial for both user experience and search engine rankings, yet many Fort Collins businesses operate sites that take too long to load. This is particularly problematic given the high percentage of visitors using mobile devices, often with variable connection speeds.
Why This Matters
Research shows that 47% of consumers expect a web page to load in 2 seconds or less, and 40% will abandon a website that takes more than 3 seconds to load. Additionally, Google uses page speed as a ranking factor, meaning slow sites are less likely to appear in search results.
Common causes of slow loading speeds:
• Unoptimized images and videos
• Too many plugins or scripts
• Cheap hosting services
• No content delivery network (CDN)
• Lack of browser caching
• Unminified CSS and JavaScript files
How to Fix It
Improving your website’s loading speed can significantly enhance user experience and boost your search engine rankings.
Action steps:
• Compress and optimize all images before uploading
• Implement browser caching
• Minimize HTTP requests by combining files where possible
• Enable GZIP compression
• Consider upgrading to a better hosting provider
• Use a content delivery network (CDN)
• Remove unnecessary plugins and scripts
• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files
“A 1-second delay in page response can result in a 7% reduction in conversions.”
Aberdeen Group Research
5. Ineffective Calls-to-Action
The final common mistake made by Fort Collins businesses is having weak, confusing, or missing calls-to-action (CTAs). Without clear direction, visitors may appreciate your content but leave without taking the next step in the customer journey.
Why This Matters
Your website should guide visitors toward specific actions that benefit both them and your business. Whether it’s making a purchase, booking a consultation, or signing up for a newsletter, effective CTAs are crucial for converting visitors into leads and customers.
Signs of ineffective calls-to-action:
• Generic button text (“Click Here” or “Submit”)
• Too many competing CTAs on a single page
• CTAs that blend in with the rest of the page design
• Lack of urgency or benefit in the CTA language
• CTAs placed in non-intuitive locations
• No CTAs on key pages
How to Fix It
Improving your CTAs can significantly increase your website’s conversion rate and generate more business from your existing traffic.
Action steps:
• Use action-oriented, benefit-focused language (“Get My Free Quote” instead of “Submit”)
• Create visual hierarchy with contrasting colors for CTA buttons
• Limit primary CTAs to one per page section
• Place CTAs in logical locations based on the user’s journey
• A/B test different CTA placements, colors, and language
• Include CTAs that match different stages of the buyer’s journey
• Create urgency with limited-time offers where appropriate
“The primary purpose of your homepage is not to close business; it’s to move people further into your website.”
Andy Crestodina, Orbit Media
By addressing these five common website mistakes, Fort Collins businesses can significantly improve their online presence, attract more local customers, and convert more visitors into leads and sales. The digital landscape continues to evolve, but these fundamental principles remain crucial for business success in Northern Colorado’s competitive market.
Remember that your website is often the first impression potential customers have of your business. Taking the time to fix these issues isn’t just about aesthetics—it’s about creating a powerful business tool that works for you 24/7, helping you stand out in Fort Collins’ growing business community.
ABOUT TRIPSIXDESIGN
Tripsix Design is a creative agency based in Fort Collins, Colorado and Manchester, England. We specialize in branding, digital design, and product strategy – combining creativity with data-driven insight to deliver tailored, high-impact solutions. Small by design, agile by nature, we’re dedicated to producing thoughtful, high-quality work that drives results.
If you like what you’ve read here and would like to know more, or want to know how we can support your business growth, then connect with us here.
SOURCES
Google Research on Mobile Page Loading
SEO Tribunal Statistics
Aberdeen Group Web Performance Research
