Why Most Website Redesigns Are a Total Waste of Money
I’m going to be blunt: most small business owners in Brisbane are being taken for a ride by web designers.
You spend $5,000, $10,000, or even $20,000 on a shiny new website. You’re told it looks "modern," "clean," and "professional." But three months after it launches, your phone hasn't rung any more than it did before. In fact, sometimes the calls actually drop off.
At Local Marketing Group, we see this constantly. A business owner comes to us frustrated because they’ve just paid for a "beautiful" site that doesn't do the one thing it’s supposed to do: make money.
If you are thinking about redesigning your website, or you’ve just launched one and you’re wondering why the leads haven't dried up, this is for you. We’re going to look at the real-world mistakes that kill your profit, and I’ll show you exactly how to fix them so your website actually works for your business.
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Mistake 1: Winning Beauty Pageants Instead of Winning Customers
I recently sat down with a landscaper in Carindale. He’d just spent $8,000 on a website that looked like a piece of art. It had huge, high-resolution photos that faded in and out, fancy animations where text slid across the screen, and a very "minimalist" menu.
It was gorgeous. It was also a disaster.
Why? Because when a homeowner in Brisbane is looking for someone to fix their retaining wall after a summer storm, they don't want an art gallery. They want to know three things: 1. Do you do retaining walls? 2. Are you near me? 3. How do I call you?
By making the site "pretty," the designer had hidden the phone number and made the services hard to find. The business owner was winning design awards but losing five-figure jobs every single week.
The Fix: Focus on the "So What?"
Your website is a sales tool, not a hobby. Every pixel on that screen should be working to move a visitor closer to picking up the phone. If a design element doesn't help a customer understand what you do or how to hire you, get rid of it.We often find that when we turn website visitors into customers, the "uglier," simpler site often wins because it doesn't get in the way of the sale.
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Mistake 2: The "Where’s Wally?" Phone Number Game
This is my biggest pet peeve. I see it on 8 out of 10 Brisbane trade and service websites.
You land on the home page, and you have to scroll all the way to the bottom, or click a "Contact Us" page, just to find a phone number. Or worse, the number is an image that you can't click on from your phone.
Think about your own life. If you’re standing in your kitchen with water spraying out of a burst pipe, are you going to spend two minutes hunting for a plumber’s contact details? No. You’re going to hit the "back" button and click the next guy on Google.
The Case of the Invisible Electrician
We worked with an electrician in North Lakes who was spending $2,000 a month on Google ads but only getting two calls a week. When we looked at his site, the phone number was tiny, grey text on a white background at the very bottom of the page.We made one change: we put a big, bright button with his phone number at the top of every single page. It stayed there even when you scrolled down.
The result? His enquiries tripled in 48 hours without spending an extra cent on ads. If people can't find you, they can't pay you. You need to stop losing customers simply because they can't figure out how to call you.
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Mistake 3: Choosing the Wrong Foundation
Most business owners leave the technical stuff to the "expert." This is a mistake.
If a designer builds your site on a platform that is too complicated for you to use, or one that charges you every time you want to change a word, you are being held hostage. We see many businesses wasting money on platforms that are either way too expensive for what they need or so restrictive they can't grow.
I’ve seen small cafes in West End talked into custom-coded websites that cost $15,000. It’s total overkill. You need a site where you can jump in, change your opening hours, or update a price in five minutes without having to call a developer and wait three days for a bill.
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Mistake 4: Talking About Yourself Instead of Your Customer
Go to your website right now and count how many times you use the words "We," "I," "Us," or "Our Company."
Now count how many times you use the word "You" or talk about the customer's problem.
Most websites read like a boring resume. "We were established in 1994... we have a fleet of 5 trucks... we pride ourselves on excellence."
Newsflash: Your customers don't care about you. They care about their own problems.
Instead of saying "We have 20 years of plumbing experience," try "Get your hot water back on today with Brisbane’s fastest plumbers." See the difference? One is about your history; the other is about their cold shower.
The "What’s In It For Me?" Test
Every headline on your site should pass the "So what?" test. - "We use high-quality paint." (So what?) - "Your house will look brand new for 10+ years without peeling or fading." (Now that’s a reason to buy.)---
Mistake 5: Ignoring the "Mum Test" on Mobile Phones
In Brisbane, over 70% of local service searches happen on a mobile phone while someone is on the go.
I see designers show off their work on big, beautiful 27-inch iMac screens in their air-conditioned offices. It looks great there. But then a customer tries to open it on an iPhone while they’re standing in a hardware store aisle, and the text is too small to read, the buttons are too close together to click, and the site takes 10 seconds to load.
If your website doesn't work perfectly on a phone, you might as well not have one.
The Real-World Test
Open your website on your phone. Try to click your phone number with your thumb. If you accidentally click something else, or if you have to zoom in to see the number, your website is broken. Fix it. Google will actually penalise you and hide you from search results if your mobile experience is rubbish.---
Mistake 6: Using "Stock" Photos That Look Fake
You know the ones. The perfectly groomed people in hard hats who have never seen a day of manual labour in their lives, shaking hands in a sterile office that looks like it’s in Seattle, not Stafford.
Brisbane people have a very high "BS meter." When they see those fake stock photos, they immediately trust you less. They want to see your team, your trucks, and the actual work you did in suburbs they recognise.
The Power of Authenticity
A pool builder we know in Gumdale replaced his professional stock photos with raw, unedited photos he took on his iPhone of finished pools. Even though the lighting wasn't "perfect," his conversion jumped. Why? Because people could see he was a real local bloke doing real work.---
Mistake 7: No Clear "Next Step"
Imagine walking into a shop, looking around, and finding no counter and no staff. You’d eventually just walk out, right?
That’s what happens when your website doesn't have a clear "Call to Action."
Don't assume people know what to do. You have to tell them. - "Call now for a free quote" - "Book your inspection online" - "Download our price list"
Every page should lead to one single goal. If you give people five different things to do, they’ll do nothing. Give them one clear path to becoming a customer.
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How Much Should a Good Website Cost?
This is the question everyone asks. In the Brisbane market, here is the honest truth:
The "Cheap" Option ($500 - $1,500): Usually from a freelancer or an overseas agency. You get what you pay for. It’ll be a template, it’ll likely be slow, and you’ll spend more time fixing it than it’s worth. Avoid this if you’re serious about growth. The "Sweet Spot" ($3,000 - $7,000): This is where most local small businesses should be. This gets you a professionally designed site that is built to turn visitors into customers, works on phones, and is easy for you to manage.
- The "Agency" Price ($10,000+): Unless you are a large company with complex needs (like an e-commerce store with thousands of products), you probably don't need to spend this much. Often, you're just paying for the agency's fancy office in Milton.
How Long Until You See Results?
A website redesign isn't magic. If you launch a new site today, you won't necessarily see a flood of calls tomorrow unless you are already sending traffic to it (through ads or existing search rankings).
However, if you have an existing site that gets 500 visitors a month and 5 calls, a proper redesign focused on results (not just looks) should be able to turn those same 500 visitors into 15 or 20 calls almost immediately.
What Should You Do First?
If you’re unhappy with your current website, don't just call a "designer." Call someone who understands business.
1. Check your numbers: Do you know how many people visit your site and how many actually call you? If not, get that set up first. 2. Look at your competitors: Find the guy who is killing it in your industry. Don't copy his design, but look at how easy he makes it to contact him. 3. Audit your own site: Use your phone. Can you find your number in 2 seconds? Does the site load fast? Is it clear what you do?
Stop Wasting Money and Start Getting Results
At the end of the day, your website should be your best employee. It should work 24/7, never take a sick day, and constantly bring in new business. If it’s not doing that, it’s a liability, not an asset.
Most "web designers" are artists. They care about fonts and colours. At Local Marketing Group, we are business people. We care about your bank account. We build websites for Brisbane businesses that are designed to do one thing: get you more customers.
Ready to stop losing money on a website that doesn't work?
Contact Local Marketing Group today and let’s talk about how to turn your website into a lead-generating machine. We’ll give you a straight-up, honest assessment of what you actually need to grow your business.