As the temperature drops across the UK – hovering around a chilly 2°C – it is natural to want to bundle up and hibernate. But while the high streets might be quieter during the cold snaps, the digital world never sleeps. In fact, when the weather turns icy, more of your customers are staying indoors and scrolling on their phones, looking for local services, cosy cafes, or retail therapy.
If you are a small business owner—whether you run a beauty salon, a dog grooming service, or a local coffee shop – you likely don’t have hours to spend creating new things for your website. Here are 5 simple, low-cost (or free) ways to warm up your website’s performance and get more customers through the door, all without needing a degree in computer science.
1. Claim and Polish Your Google Business Profile
Before a customer even clicks on your website, they likely see your “digital shopfront” on Google Maps. For a local business, your Google Business Profile is arguably more important than your homepage.
What to do first: Search for your business on Google. If you haven’t claimed it, do so immediately (it’s free).
How to improve it: Ensure your opening hours are 100% accurate. If you close early on Tuesdays, say so. Upload fresh photos of your shop floor, your team, or your best-selling winter dish. A profile with recent activity ranks higher and builds immediate trust.
2. The “Smartphone Test”
You might view your website on a laptop in your back office, but your customers are viewing it on a small screen while waiting for the bus in the freezing cold. If they have to pinch and zoom to read your menu or find your phone number, they will leave.
What to do first: Pull up your website on your mobile phone right now. Pretend you are a stranger. Can you find your phone number in 5 seconds? Is the text large enough to read without squinting?
How to improve it: If it’s hard to use, simplify your navigation menu. Remove clutter. Ensure your phone number is clickable so customers can ring you with one tap.
3. Localise Your Language
If you run a gardening service in Pembrokeshire, your website shouldn’t just say “We offer Gardening Services.” It needs to speak to your specific location to help Google match you with local searchers.
What to do first: Read through your homepage text.
How to improve it: Add your town and county names naturally into your headings and descriptions. Change “Best Coffee in Town” to “Best Artisan Coffee in Pembroke Dock.” It tells Google exactly where you are, helping you appear in those vital “near me” searches.
4. Tame Your Images to Speed Up Loading
Nothing freezes a customer’s interest faster than a slow website. Often, the culprit is large photos taken directly from a high-quality smartphone camera and uploaded without editing. These huge files clog up the internet connection.
What to do first: Make your image files smaller before uploading them.
How to improve it: You don’t need Photoshop. Use free online tools like Squoosh – simply drag and drop your photo into the tool, download the “lighter” version, and upload that one to your website. It looks the same to the human eye but loads much faster.
5. Ask for Reviews (and Reply to Them!)
Trust is the currency of the web. A potential customer comparing two hair salons will almost always pick the one with recent, positive reviews.
What to do first: Don’t just wait for reviews to happen.
How to improve it: When you have a happy customer in your shop or finish a job, simply ask: “Would you mind leaving us a quick Google review?” It costs nothing. When they do leave a review, reply to it! A simple “Thank you, see you next time!” shows Google—and future customers—that you are active and appreciative.
Need a Helping Hand?
Running a business is hard enough without worrying about the technical stuff. If you want to ensure your website is heating up your sales rather than leaving you in the cold, professional help is closer than you think.
Get in touch with Modern Print & Design by calling 01646 682676 today. Alternatively, you can email the team at theboys@modernprint.co.uk to discuss how to get your business growing.
