Agencies often invest in a website and then find it hard to get seen. There is rarely a single reason. More often a handful of habits add up. This guide lists the most common ones so that you can review your site calmly and decide what matters.
A note on scope: we do not build websites or run search optimisation. This guide is general information. If you want help deciding where your marketing effort should go, our private marketing consultation gives you a written list of three to five priorities, and nothing in it promises a ranking.
1. Repeating the same text on many pages
When profile pages share the same paragraphs, or when the same biography appears on several sites, search engines have little reason to prefer one version. It also reads as careless to a visitor.
What to do: give each profile its own text, written about that person. If you must reuse a section, such as a booking note, keep it short.
2. Thin pages
A page with a photo, a name and one line gives a search engine and a visitor very little to work with. Thin pages also give you little room to explain what makes the profile different.
What to do: include practical detail: languages, availability, how to enquire, what a booking is like. Describe the experience rather than listing explicit acts, which platforms and search engines may treat unfavourably.
3. Unclear language settings
Mixing languages on one page, or relying on automatic translation, can make a page confusing and may read poorly to native speakers. Search engines publish guidance on how to handle multilingual sites, and the common advice is to keep one language per page and to link language versions to each other.
What to do: have each language version written or checked by a native reader, and make it clear which version is which.
4. Pages that are slow or hard to use on a phone
Many visitors browse on a phone. Large images, slow loading and tiny buttons make visitors leave.
What to do: check the site on a phone, on mobile data. Reduce image sizes, make buttons large enough to tap and make the enquiry route clear.
5. No clear route to an enquiry
A visitor who likes a profile should know what to do next. Sites sometimes hide contact details or offer only a long form.
What to do: place one clear call to action near the top and another at the end of each profile. Keep the form short, and explain what you do with the data.
6. Titles and descriptions that do not describe the page
Page titles and descriptions are the text people see in search results. Missing, duplicated or vague titles make results harder to understand.
What to do: give every page a unique, accurate title and a short description in plain language.
7. Photos without descriptions
Images with file names like “IMG_2041” and no alternative text tell search engines nothing and are inaccessible to people using screen readers.
What to do: name images sensibly and add a short alternative text that describes what the image shows, without including private details.
8. Broken or outdated pages
Old announcements, profiles of people who have left and dead links make a site look neglected.
What to do: review the site monthly. Remove or redirect what is no longer current.
9. Ignoring the rest of your presence
A website is one part of how people find you. Directories, social accounts and word of mouth also bring visitors. If your listings say one thing and your site another, visitors lose trust.
What to do: keep facts consistent everywhere. See your channel mix.
10. Expecting guarantees
No one can guarantee a position in search results, and promises of quick rankings should make you cautious.
What to do: treat search visibility as a gradual process, keep records and be sceptical of anyone who promises results.
A one-afternoon review
- Each profile has its own text.
- Each page says something useful beyond a name and photo.
- Language versions are clear and checked by native readers.
- Pages load acceptably on a phone.
- Every profile has a clear route to an enquiry.
- Titles and descriptions are unique and accurate.
- Images have sensible names and short descriptions.
- Old or broken pages are removed or redirected.
- Facts match your listings and social accounts.
Where to go from here
Use the checklist to find the two or three issues that matter most, and tackle them one at a time. For a view of your whole marketing picture, book a private consultation. Related reading: finding the search terms your clients use and what your website needs to support your marketing.
