25 Website Problems You Can Fix Today (No Developer Needed)

You don’t need to hire a fancy marketing team or a computer programmer to fix most of your website's problems. Here are 25 things you can fix right now—and most take less than 30 minutes.

SEO basics

1. Missing or duplicate page titles Every page needs its own unique title that is shorter than 60 characters. Think of this like the title on a book cover. You can change this easily in your website's settings or "CMS" (the software you use to edit your site).

2. Missing meta descriptions A "meta description" is that little summary you see under a link on Google. Write 140–160 characters for each page to tell people why they should click on your link instead of someone else's.

3. No H1 on the page An "H1" is the main headline of your page. Every single page should have exactly one. It’s like the headline on the front page of a newspaper.

4. Multiple H1 tags Don't use more than one H1. If you have a few big headlines, pick the most important one to be the H1. Turn the others into H2s or H3s.

5. Skipping heading levels Don't jump from an H1 straight to an H4. Headings are like an outline for a school essay: you go from H1 to H2, then H3. Keep them in order.

6. Missing alt text on images "Alt text" is a written description of a picture. It helps Google "see" what the image is about, and it helps people who use screen readers to understand your site.

7. Generic image file names Don't upload a photo named IMG_2847.jpg. Rename it to something like red-leather-couch.jpg first. It helps search engines find your photos.

Speed and performance

8. Oversized images Huge images make your site slow. If a photo is bigger than 200 KB, use a tool like TinyPNG or Squoosh to make the file size smaller without making the picture look blurry.

9. Wrong image format Try to use WebP or AVIF files instead of old-school PNGs or JPGs. They are much smaller, which makes your site load faster.

10. No lazy loading "Lazy loading" means your site only downloads a picture when you scroll down to it. It’s like a video game that only loads the map as you walk through it. Most website themes let you turn this on with one click.

11. Too many plugins Plugins are extra tools you "plug in" to your site. Each one makes your site a little heavier and slower. Delete any that you aren't actually using.

12. Render-blocking scripts Some pieces of code (like chat boxes or tracking tools) stop the rest of your page from showing up while they load. Set them to load *after* the main parts of your page are finished.

13. No caching "Caching" saves a copy of your site so it doesn't have to rebuild itself every time someone visits. Use a plugin or ask your hosting company to turn it on. Your pages should load in the blink of an eye.

Mobile and UX

14. Text too small to read On a phone, your main text should be at least 16px. If it's smaller, people have to squint, and they'll probably just leave.

15. Tap targets too close together Buttons and links need space. Make sure they are big enough to tap with a thumb (at least 48x48px) and aren't squished right next to each other.

16. Horizontal scrolling on mobile If your site wobbles left and right on a phone, something is too wide. Make sure your images and boxes are set to "max-width: 100%" so they fit on small screens.

17. Pop-ups that block content on mobile Google dislikes big pop-ups that cover the whole screen on a phone. Use a small banner at the top or bottom instead so people can still see the page.

18. No favicon A "favicon" is the tiny icon you see on a browser tab. If you don't have one, your site looks unfinished. It's like a brand logo for your tab.

Trust and conversions

19. No HTTPS The "S" in HTTPS stands for secure. If your site doesn't have it, browsers will tell people your site is "Not Secure." Most website hosts give you a "security certificate" (SSL) for free. Get it.

20. Broken contact form Go to your site right now and send yourself a message. If the email doesn't show up in your inbox, your form is broken and you're losing customers.

21. Missing phone number on every page Put your phone number right at the top. On a phone, people want to be able to just tap the number to call you instantly.

22. No clear call-to-action above the fold "Above the fold" means the part of the page you see before you start scrolling. People should know exactly what you want them to do (like "Buy Now" or "Book a Call") within three seconds.

23. Outdated copyright year in footer If your website says "Copyright 2021," people might think you went out of business. Update it to the current year every January.

Technical hygiene

24. Broken internal links Clicking a link that goes to a "404 Error" page is frustrating. Use a link checker tool to find broken links and fix them or delete them.

25. Missing or outdated sitemap A "sitemap" is a list made for Google so it knows where all your pages are. Make sure you have one and send the link to Google using their "Search Console" tool.

How to work through this list

Pick five things and fix them today. Then, go back and run your website audit to see how much your score went up. Most people can finish this whole list in one weekend. Usually, you'll start seeing better results in Google within about two weeks.

If the speed stuff (tips 8–13) feels a bit too "techy," that’s the only part you might need help with. Everything else is something you can definitely do yourself!