Coming back from Thanksgiving, this is the perfect time to give your website a quick tune up before the new year rush hits

Most business owners wait until January to fix their website problems and who could blame them? Especially after all that turkey (or pernil – my favorite!)  The issue is that January is already too late. Customers are searching now, comparing now, and choosing who they plan to work with going into the new year. The good news is that simple website fixes can make a big difference without rebuilding anything.

These tweaks take very little time, but they can drastically increase conversions, speed, credibility, and customer confidence. And since we are all finally returning to normal after Thanksgiving leftovers and family overload, now is a great moment to clean up the parts of your website that you have been putting off.

Let us break it down.

Stage 1: Replace Low Quality Images

Blurry photos, stretched graphics, and random stock images instantly reduce trust. This is one of the easiest simple website fixes because most businesses overlook it.

Replace:

• Old photos
• Pixelated hero banners
• Outdated logos
• Generic stock images

Use:

• High resolution photos
• Industry relevant visuals
• Real team or project images
• Clean, minimal backgrounds

Free tools to optimize or upgrade images:

• TinyPNG: https://tinypng.com

• Compressor.io: https://compressor.io

Free stock image sites:

• Pexels: https://pexels.com

• Unsplash: https://unsplash.com

Your visuals speak before your words do. When a visitor lands on your site, the images should feel modern, professional, and intentional.

Stage 2: Tighten Up Your Homepage Messaging

If your homepage does not answer these three questions in five seconds, people leave:

1. What do you do
2. Who do you help
3. Why should the visitor trust you

Keep your headline clear.
Keep your call to action simple.
Keep your value obvious.

Headline testing + clarity tools:

• CoSchedule Headline Analyzer: https://coschedule.com/headline-analyzer

• Sharethrough Headline Grader: https://headline.sharethrough.com

User behavior insight tool:

• Hotjar (free plan): https://hotjar.com

This is one of the simplest website fixes because it only requires rewriting, not redesigning.

Stage 3: Clean Up Your Navigation Menu

A messy menu confuses customers.
A clean menu creates focus and direction.

Remove:

• Duplicate pages
• Hidden subpages
• Outdated services
• Overly clever names

Add:

• Clear service categories
• Easy access to contact pages
• Direct links to your core offers
• A visible call to action button

Tools to test navigation usability:

• UserBob (low cost user testing): https://userbob.com

• Optimal Workshop – Treejack: https://www.optimalworkshop.com/treejack/

(Optional but helpful for UX clarity.)

Simple website fixes like this reduce friction and help visitors get where they need to go.

Stage 4: Speed Up Your Website

Visitors do not wait anymore.
If your site loads slower than three seconds, you lose leads.

Improve speed by:

• Compressing images
• Removing unused plugins
• Hosting videos on YouTube instead of your server
• Using optimized caching
• Cleaning up oversized sliders
• Updating your theme

Run your site through a speed test and check the biggest issues.

Speed testing tools:

• GTmetrix: https://gtmetrix.com

• Google PageSpeed Insights: https://pagespeed.web.dev

Check hosting performance:

• Uptime Robot (free uptime monitor): https://uptimerobot.com

Speed is one of the easiest simple website fixes because small changes lead to big gains.

Stage 5: Add Clear Contact Options

People should not have to hunt for your contact information.

Check:

• Is your phone number visible on every page
• Is your contact button visible in the header
• Does your form work correctly
• Is your email address easy to find
• Is your Google Business Profile linked

Tools to test your forms:

• MailTester (email validation): https://mailtester.com

• Form Submit Tester: https://formspree.io/test-form

A surprising number of websites lose customers simply because contact links are broken or hidden.

Stage 6: Improve Your Trust Signals

Customers look for proof before they work with you.

Add:

• Customer reviews
• Before and after photos
• Case studies
• Certifications
• Industry memberships
• Awards
• Guarantees

Tools to collect reviews easier:

• Google Review Link Generator: https://supple.com.au/tools/google-review-link-generator/

• Trustpilot Free Business Account: https://trustpilot.com

Showcase reviews on your site:

• Elfsight Free Review Widget: https://elfsight.com/google-reviews-widget/

Trust signals reduce doubt.
Doubt kills conversions.

Stage 7: Fix Broken Links and Old Pages

Broken pages, missing images, or outdated information make your business look abandoned.

Check:

• Contact forms
• Phone numbers
• Email addresses
• Dead buttons
• Old services
• Missing images
• Incorrect pricing

Free tools that scan your website for broken links:

• Dr. Link Check: https://www.drlinkcheck.com

• W3C Link Checker: https://validator.w3.org/checklink

This is one of the easiest simple website fixes because it just requires clicking around your own site and cleaning up anything that looks off.

Stage 8: Add or Improve Calls to Action

Most websites do not convert because they never tell visitors what to do next.

Examples:

• Request a quote
• Book a call
• Get pricing
• View services
• Start a project
• Contact our team

Do not make visitors guess.
Clear direction increases engagement.

Stage 9: Refresh Your About Page

Customers want to know:

• Why you started
• What makes you different
• Who is behind the business
• What your values are

Story development tools:

• Wayback Machine (to review old versions): https://web.archive.org

• AnswerThePublic (customer questions): https://answerthepublic.com

These help you understand what customers want to know.

A refreshed About page can build emotional trust and connection.
This is one of the most underrated simple website fixes because it helps customers feel comfortable choosing you over a competitor.

Stage 10: Update Your Footer

Your footer should not be a junk drawer. Clean it up before the new year.

Include:

• Accurate contact info
• Business hours
• Service areas
• Links to core pages
• Social media links
• Privacy policy
• Terms
• Accessibility link

Footer auditing tool:

• Accessibility checker: https://wave.webaim.org

Footer issues are often accessibility related, so WAVE helps catch contrast, missing ARIA labels, etc.

A clean footer tells customers your brand is well managed and up to date.

Final Thoughts

Now that we are all back from Thanksgiving and easing into the final stretch of the year, these simple website fixes can give your business a major lift without spending weeks in redesign mode. Small changes lead to big improvement, and customers notice when your website feels polished, fast, trustworthy, and easy to navigate.