Avoid costly website design mistakes Tauranga businesses make. Learn what’s holding your site back – and how to fix it for better leads and rankings.
Written by Sam JonesPosted on Thursday, Mar 27, 2025
If you’re a business owner in Tauranga, investing in a website is one of the smartest moves you can make. But here’s the kicker: most local businesses are leaving money on the table because of simple, avoidable web design mistakes.
In 2025, customers judge your business in seconds – online. And if your website is slow, clunky, confusing, or outdated, they’ll bounce. Worse? They’ll land on your competitor’s website that does get it right.
Let’s break down the most common website design mistakes we still see in Tauranga, how to fix them, and why fixing them matters more than ever.
Unclear Homepage Messaging
The Problem:
You’ve got just a few seconds to grab attention. If visitors land on your homepage and can’t instantly understand what you do and who you help, they leave.
The Fix:
Use a strong headline that clearly states what you offer.
Include a subheading with the benefit of your service.
Add a call to action (CTA) above the fold, like “Book a Free Quote.”
Use visuals (photos, icons, or video) that reinforce your message and build trust.
Why It Matters:
Your homepage sets the tone. Clear, conversion-focused messaging increases trust, reduces bounce rates, and funnels visitors deeper into your website. Don’t forget your other web pages too!
Tauranga SEO Tip: This also helps you rank for key terms like “builders Tauranga”, “cafe’s near me” or “accounting firms Mount Maunganui” when paired with the right heading tags.
Confusing or Cluttered Navigation
The Problem:
If potential customers can’t find what they’re looking for – and they won’t stick around to figure it out. Keep it simple and smart.
The Fix:
Stick to a clear navigation bar with no more than 6-7 top-level items.
Use intuitive labels like “Services,” “About,” “Contact.” – Don’t reinvent the wheel here!
Keep dropdown menus simple and organised.
Include a sticky menu so users can navigate easily on long pages.
Why It Matters:
A well-structured navigation flow improves the user experience and keeps people exploring your site longer – which leads to higher conversion rates.
Need an SEO Boost?: Clear internal linking improves crawlability and helps Google index your key pages correctly.
5 simple navigation mock ups for real estate websites
Non-Mobile-Friendly Design
The Problem:
Over 70% of users in New Zealand browse on mobile devices. If your website doesn’t adapt to mobile, you’re losing traffic and trust. We highly recommend you optimise your website for mobile – It’s the key to your online presence.
The Fix:
Use responsive web design that scales across all devices.
Test your site with Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test.
Ensure CTAs are thumb-friendly and readable on small screens.
Why It Matters:
Google prioritises mobile usability in its rankings. A mobile-optimised site gives you better visibility, improved bounce rates, and a competitive edge.
SEO tip: Responsive design directly impacts Core Web Vitals – Which are critical for ranking in 2025.
Slow Website Speed
The Problem:
If your site takes more than 3 seconds to load, users start leaving. If it takes more than 5 seconds, you’re bleeding traffic.
The Fix:
Compress images using tools like TinyPNG.
Use fast, secure hosting (avoid cheap or free plans). They’ll often host your website with many others on the same server, slowing you down.
Limit heavy plugins and scripts.
Use caching and lazy loading for fast response times.
Why It Matters:
Slow website speed issues affects everything – from bounce rates and user satisfaction to your Google rankings. Don’t make users wait.
SEO tip for Tauranga businesses: Don’t just optimise because it’s better for your clients. Use Google’s PageSpeed Insights to identify issues as speed is a key ranking factor, helping your websites visibility.
Weak or Missing Calls to Action
The Problem:
You’ve got a great website, but your target audience isn’t clicking, enquiring, or booking. Why? Because you’re not guiding them.
The Fix:
Include a bold CTA on every page.
Use action-focused phrases like “Book a Free Assessment,” “Get Started,” or “Request a Quote.”
Make buttons large, mobile-friendly, and visually distinct.
Why It Matters:
CTAs turn browsers into buyers. No CTA = no conversions.
Tauranga SEO Boost: Strong CTA usage improves engagement signals like time on site and page depth.
Spot the CTA! A clean, simple CTA helps your audience take the actions you want them to.
Poor Use of Visuals
The Problem:
Outdated stock photos. Blurry logos. No video or visual hierarchy. It feels… cheap. And users will pick up on it.
The Fix:
Use original photography or high-quality, relevant stock images.
Break up text with icons, illustrations, or screenshots.
Maintain consistent branding across all visuals.
Why It Matters:
Design is trust. Good visuals build confidence in your business and help tell your story. Don’t be afraid to bolster your website investment by getting professional photos taken. One thing that I always tell business owners to do is always take photos of your work, it’ll help in the long run!
SEO Boost: Optimised images (with alt tags) support accessibility and image search visibility. Alt tags are short keyword rich descriptions relating to your images which help Google and users with visual impairments.
Ignoring SEO Basics
The Problem:
You launch your shiny new site and it never ranks. Why? Because SEO wasn’t baked in from the start.
The Fix:
Optimise all title tags and meta descriptions.
Include local keywords like “Tauranga web design” and “SEO Tauranga.”
Use header tags (H1, H2) logically.
Create location-based content and internal links.
Invest in SEO optimisation in Tauranga.
Why It Matters:
You can’t get leads if people can’t find you. SEO is the digital marketing long game – but it starts with proper setup at launch. Unsure how your SEO’s tracking on your Tauranga website? We do free website assessments which you can book!
People want to contact you – but they can’t find how. Or worse, the info is outdated.
The Fix:
Include your contact details in the header or footer.
Add a dedicated contact page with a form.
Ensure consistency across your website, Google listing, and social media.
Why It Matters:
Frustrated users don’t convert. And inconsistent details can also confuse Google. Make sure you’re checking your websites content at least once a week and updating it as necessary.
SEO Boost: Consistent NAP (Name, Address, Phone) across all customer touch points is key for local SEO.
No Focus on Accessibility
The Problem:
Your site may be hard to navigate for users with disabilities – and you might not even know it.
The ‘User Friendly’ Fix:
Use readable fonts and colour contrast.
Add alt text to images.
Ensure your site is easy to navigable by keyboard.
Why It Matters:
Accessibility isn’t optional – it’s best practice. And it opens your business up to a wider audience.
SEO Tips: Google rewards accessibility with better rankings and improved user signals.
Inconsistent Branding Across Pages
The Problem:
Your homepage feels one way, your blog another, and your service pages don’t match anything. Web design’s need to be consistent and brand centred otherwise they confuse your audience.
The Fix:
Develop brand guidelines for colours, fonts, image style, and voice.
Use consistent layouts and design elements sitewide.
Why It Matters:
Brand recognition = trust. Inconsistent branding breaks that trust fast.
Boost up your SEO: Consistent branding and user experience lead to stronger authority and user retention.
Three website slides showing the side by side of three property development pages for The Neil Group
Stop Losing Leads Over Simple Web Design Mistakes
Every detail on your website counts. From navigation to load speed, mobile design to SEO – your site is either pulling its weight or quietly costing you leads. And in a competitive digital market like Tauranga, even one small mistake can make a big difference for small business.
Whether you’re planning a redesign or just looking to fine-tune your current site, the first step is awareness. The next is action. Because the businesses winning in 2025 aren’t just online – they’re optimised.
Ready to Clean Up Your Website?
If any of the issues above sound familiar, don’t stress – It’s very common and you’re not alone. Most Tauranga businesses make at least one of these mistakes. The good news? Fixing them can dramatically improve your website performance and bring in more leads.
