Your website doesn’t need to win design awards. It needs to work.
If you’re a private practice owner, therapist, or small business owner, you probably didn’t build your website just to have something “pretty” floating around on the internet. You built it to bring in the right people — clients, customers, patients — and help your business grow.
But how do you actually know if your website is pulling its weight?
Spoiler: It’s not about having the trendiest fonts or the flashiest graphics. It’s about performance, clarity, and conversion.
And the good news? You don’t necessarily need a total overhaul to get there. Let’s dig in.
If someone lands on your homepage, can they immediately tell:
Or do they have to squint, scroll, and decode your intentions like it’s a mystery novel?
Quick Test: Ask a friend (who isn’t already familiar with your business) to look at your homepage for 10 seconds. Then ask them to explain what you do and who you help. If they stumble, it’s time for some copy updates.
Easy Fix: Tighten up your homepage messaging. Focus on clarity over cleverness. Your headline and first sentence should make it painfully obvious who you’re talking to and what you offer.
Bonus tip: Skip the “Welcome to my website” intro. Get straight to the point.
In 2025, slow websites aren’t just annoying — they cost you money.
Google prioritizes fast-loading sites. People bounce fast if a page takes more than 3 seconds to load.
Quick Test: Go to PageSpeed Insights and run your URL. Pay extra attention to the mobile score (because mobile traffic is often 70%+ these days).
Easy Fixes:
If your website is a ghost town when it comes to search engines, it’s harder for new clients to find you.
Quick Test: Google your business name. (At the very least, you should show up for your own name!)
Then: Google something like “[your service] near me” and see if you pop up.
Easy Fixes:
Want a deeper dive? Check out my SEO services here.
Want someone to schedule a call? Book a session? Download a free guide?
Make it blindingly obvious.
Quick Test: Scroll through your homepage. How many times are you asking people to take an action? And is it clear what that action is?
Easy Fix:
Friendly reminder: “Contact Us” is not a compelling CTA.
Over half of your traffic is probably coming from mobile.
If your website is hard to read, has buttons too tiny to tap, or looks like a jumbled mess on a phone… you’re losing people.
Quick Test: Pull up your site on your phone. Click around. Fill out your own contact form. Be brutally honest.
Easy Fixes:
(If you’re not sure, I offer Website Tune-Up that look at exactly this.)
Your website should match what you’re actually doing now, not what you were offering three years ago.
Quick Test:
Easy Fix: Block off an hour and audit your pages for accuracy. Small updates can make a massive difference in conversions.
One of the most underrated parts of a good website: filtering out the wrong people before they take up your time.
Quick Test: Are you getting inquiries that are a good fit? Or are you constantly fielding emails from people who can’t afford your services, don’t match your values, or aren’t your ideal clients?
Easy Fixes:
Your website doesn’t have to be brand new to work.
But it does have to:
If you’re checking most of these boxes, great news: your website is doing its job.
If you’re not… don’t panic. Most of the time, a few strategic updates are all you need to get things back on track.
Want a professional set of eyes on it? Get an advanced SEO and website audit here.
You’ve already built something great. Let’s make sure it’s working for you 24/7.
Courtney has 15+ years of experience putting together and designing marketing materials, WordPress websites, customer experiences, and workflows that help you save time and money. She developed these skills during her years as a Director of Corporate Health Services, Group Fitness Program Manager, Lead Wellness Dietitian, fitness and yoga instructor, and her own nutrition private practice, Vickery Wellness.
She also taught undergraduate courses at the University of Georgia where she graduated with the following degrees:
Declet Designs offers website design, strategy, and SEO for weight-inclusive private practices & small businesses. Located in Athens, GA, and serves businesses nationally and internationally.
Declet Designs is a welcoming and inclusive space for all people regardless of their race, ethnicity, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, neurodivergence, or national origin.
Declet Designs is located on the lands of the Muscogee and Tsalaguwetiyi people and wishes to acknowledge them as the Traditional Custodians of this land. We also pay our respects to their Elders, past, present & emerging.
COPYRIGHT 2025 DECLET DESIGNS LLC
