What Most Small Businesses in North Devon Get Wrong With Their Websites

Most small businesses in North Devon already have a website. In many cases, it looks fine on the surface. It loads, it has the right pages and it reflects the business reasonably well. The problem usually appears when the site is expected to do more than simply exist.

When enquiries are inconsistent or search visibility stalls, the instinct is often to refresh the design or add more content. While those things can help, they rarely address the root of the issue. From reviewing and auditing a wide range of local sites, the same patterns tend to emerge.

The site structure does not reflect what the business actually does

One of the most common issues is structure. Many North Devon business websites have grown organically over time. New services are added as new pages, blogs are published sporadically and navigation is adjusted without a clear plan.

The result is a site where important pages are difficult to find, both for users and for search engines. Core services may sit several clicks deep, while less important pages receive most of the internal links.

When structure is unclear, search engines struggle to understand which pages matter. That alone can limit rankings, even if the content itself is strong.

Tracking is either missing or not useful

Another widespread issue is measurement. Google Analytics or Search Console may be installed, but often they are not configured in a way that answers real business questions.

Traffic numbers are checked, but there is little clarity around which pages lead to enquiries, phone calls or bookings. Without that information, decisions are based on assumptions rather than evidence.

For small businesses, this makes marketing feel unpredictable. Time and money are spent without a clear sense of what is actually working.

DIY platforms create hidden technical problems

DIY website platforms have made it easier than ever to get online. They are a good starting point for many small businesses. Over time, though, they can introduce technical limitations that are not immediately obvious.

Issues with page speed, mobile usability and indexation often build up quietly. Plugins, themes and add ons add complexity, while basic SEO settings remain untouched.

These problems are rarely visible to visitors, but they affect how search engines crawl and rank the site.

SEO becomes guesswork instead of a process

Without a clear technical foundation or reliable data, SEO often turns into guesswork. Keywords are chosen because they sound right. Content is written because it feels productive.

The issue is not effort. It is direction.

Without understanding which pages should rank for which searches, it is difficult to make meaningful progress. This leads to frustration and the feeling that SEO does not really work.

How clarity changes everything

The common thread across these issues is a lack of clarity. When a site is reviewed properly, the priorities become obvious. Structural problems can be fixed. Tracking can be improved. Content can be aligned with real search intent.

For many North Devon businesses, this does not require a complete rebuild or ongoing SEO spend. It requires a clear review and a practical action plan.

If your website feels like it should be doing more than it is, the fastest way to understand why is to step back and assess how it is put together and how it is measured. Once those foundations are in place, improvements become far easier to make.