You’ve built a coaching business that transforms lives. You have the experience, the frameworks, and the testimonials to prove it. But when potential clients land on your website, they’re clicking away faster than you can say “discovery call.”
The truth? Your website might be undermining all the incredible work you do.
Here’s the thing: most coaching websites make the same preventable mistakes-mistakes that confuse visitors, erode trust, and cost you clients. The good news is that once you know what to look for, these issues are surprisingly straightforward to fix.
Let’s dive into the 20 most common coaching website mistakes (and how to fix them) so your online presence finally matches the caliber of your coaching.
The Foundation Problems
1. Your Unique Value Proposition Is Buried or Missing
The Mistake: Visitors land on your homepage and have to hunt for what you actually do. Your headline is vague (“Transform Your Life!”) or focuses on you instead of your client’s needs.
The Fix: Place a clear, benefit-driven headline at the top of your homepage that answers: “What do you do, and how does it help me?” Think: “I help burned-out executives reclaim 15+ hours per week through strategic time management coaching” instead of “Welcome to Sarah’s Coaching.”
2. No Professional Email Address
The Mistake: You’re using a free email address like yo******@***il.com or @yahoo.com for business communications.
The Fix: Invest in a professional email address using your domain name (yo*@******************ss.com). This single change dramatically increases credibility and shows you’re serious about your business. Google Workspace starts at just $6/month and keeps everything simple.
3. DIY Logo That Screams “I Made This in 5 Minutes”
The Mistake: Your logo looks hastily thrown together, uses clip art, or doesn’t match your brand at all.
The Fix: A professional logo doesn’t need to break the bank. Platforms like Fiverr offer affordable design services, or you can use Canva with a strategic eye. The key is ensuring your logo looks polished and aligns with the professional experience you provide.
4. Inconsistent or Overwhelming Color Palette
The Mistake: Your site uses six different colors that clash, or every section is a different bright hue that gives visitors a headache.
The Fix: Stick to a maximum of 4 brand colors-typically one primary color, one secondary color, one accent color, and one neutral. Use them consistently across your entire site. This creates visual harmony and strengthens brand recognition.
The Content & Messaging Mistakes
5. Your About Page Is All About You (Instead of Them)
The Mistake: Your About page reads like a resume-listing your credentials and certifications without connecting to your client’s pain points or desired transformation.
The Fix: Restructure your About page to lead with empathy. Start with the problem you solve, share your “why” (your personal journey or mission), then weave in credentials as proof that you can deliver. Make it about the transformation you facilitate, not just your qualifications.
6. Services Pages That List Features, Not Outcomes
The Mistake: Your services page says “12-week group coaching program” or “60-minute sessions” without explaining what clients will actually achieve.
The Fix: Lead with the transformation. Instead of “12-week group coaching program,” try “12-Week Business Clarity Intensive: Go from overwhelmed solopreneur to confident CEO with a clear 90-day action plan.” Focus on the outcome, then list what’s included.
Complete Website & Marketing Framework for Coaches and Consultants
7. No Social Proof or Testimonials
The Mistake: Your website has zero client testimonials, case studies, or success stories. Visitors have no evidence that your coaching actually works.
The Fix: Add at least 3-5 strong testimonials throughout your site-especially on your homepage and services pages. Include specific results when possible (“Sarah helped me land 3 new clients in 6 weeks”). Video testimonials are gold if you can get them.
8. Confusing or Competing Calls-to-Action
The Mistake: Every page has 5 different buttons-“Book a Call,” “Download My Guide,” “Join My Email List,” “Follow on Instagram,” “Watch My Video.” Visitors don’t know what to do first, so they do nothing.
The Fix: Choose 1-2 primary actions per page. On your homepage, focus on getting people to either book a discovery call or join your email list. Make the buttons stand out visually and use action-oriented language.
The User Experience Nightmares
9. Slow Loading Speed
The Mistake: Your site takes 8+ seconds to load because you’re using massive unoptimized images or a bloated theme.
The Fix: Optimize all images before uploading (compress them using tools like TinyPNG), choose a lightweight theme, and consider upgrading to quality hosting. Site speed directly impacts both user experience and SEO rankings. Aim for under 3 seconds.
10. Not Mobile-Friendly
The Mistake: Your site looks great on your laptop but is completely broken or difficult to navigate on phones-and over 60% of web traffic is mobile.
The Fix: Ensure your website uses responsive design that automatically adjusts to any screen size. Test your site on multiple devices. Check that buttons are easy to tap, text is readable without zooming, and navigation works smoothly on mobile.
11. Broken Links and 404 Errors
The Mistake: Visitors click on links that lead nowhere, creating frustration and destroying trust.
The Fix: Regularly audit your website for broken links using tools like Broken Link Checker or Screaming Frog. Fix or redirect any broken links immediately. This is basic maintenance that many coaches overlook.
12. Confusing Navigation
The Mistake: Your menu has 12 items, nested dropdowns, and unclear labels like “Resources” or “Offerings” instead of straightforward language.
The Fix: Keep your main navigation simple-typically 5-7 menu items maximum: Home, About, Services, Blog (or Resources), Contact. Use clear, descriptive labels. If you have multiple programs, consider grouping them under “Work With Me” or “Programs.”
The Conversion Killers
13. No Clear Path to Work With You
The Mistake: You mention coaching somewhere on your site, but there’s no obvious way to inquire, book, or get started.
The Fix: Make it ridiculously easy to take the next step. Include a prominent “Book a Discovery Call” button on every page. Create a dedicated “Work With Me” or “Let’s Talk” page that explains your process and includes a scheduling link or contact form.
14. Missing or Weak Contact Page
The Mistake: Your contact page only has a form, no additional context, or worse-just an email address with no form at all.
The Fix: Create a compelling contact page that invites connection. Include a short paragraph about what visitors can expect when they reach out, a user-friendly contact form, your business email, and any relevant social media links. Set clear expectations about response time.
15. No Lead Magnet or Free Resource
The Mistake: The only option you offer is “hire me now.” There’s nothing for people who aren’t ready to commit yet.
The Fix: Create at least one valuable free resource that demonstrates your expertise and captures email addresses. This could be a PDF guide, checklist, mini-course, webinar, or assessment. Place opt-in opportunities strategically throughout your site.
16. Pop-ups That Attack on Mobile
The Mistake: Your pop-up appears immediately on mobile devices, covering the entire screen and making it nearly impossible to close or navigate your site.
The Fix: Disable aggressive pop-ups on mobile or use exit-intent technology instead. If you must use mobile pop-ups, ensure they’re easy to close and don’t appear until after visitors have been on your site for at least 15-30 seconds.
The Trust & Credibility Issues
17. Outdated Copyright Date or Content
The Mistake: Your footer says “© 2019” or your last blog post is from 3 years ago. This screams “abandoned website” and makes visitors wonder if you’re still in business.
The Fix: Update your copyright year annually (or use dynamic code to auto-update it). Keep your blog or resources section current with at least quarterly updates. If you’re not actively blogging, remove dates from posts or archive old content.
18. Stock Photos That Look Like Stock Photos
The Mistake: Your site is filled with obviously fake, overly staged stock images of people in business suits shaking hands or staring at laptops with impossibly white teeth.
The Fix: Use authentic photos-especially of yourself. Personal photos create connection, even if they’re not professionally shot. If you must use stock photos, choose ones that look natural and candid. Better yet, invest in one professional photo shoot for your brand.
19. No Clear Privacy Policy or Legal Pages
The Mistake: You’re collecting email addresses and running a business website without proper legal protection-no privacy policy, terms of service, or disclaimer.
The Fix: Add essential legal pages to your website footer. At minimum, you need a Privacy Policy (especially if you’re collecting any data) and Terms of Service. Many coaches also include a disclaimer about coaching results. Consider using legal templates or consulting an attorney.
The SEO & Discovery Problems
20. Zero SEO Optimization
The Mistake: Your page titles are all “Home” or “About,” you have no meta descriptions, image alt tags are empty, and you’ve never thought about keywords.
The Fix: Implement basic on-page SEO for every page: write descriptive page titles that include relevant keywords, create compelling meta descriptions (150-160 characters), add alt text to all images, and structure your content with proper headings. This helps potential clients actually find you through search engines.
Your Next Steps: From Mistakes to Momentum
Now that you know the 20 most common coaching website mistakes, it’s time to audit your own site. Here’s how to get started:
- Do a honest review – Go through this list and check off which mistakes apply to your website
- Prioritize the quick wins – Start with the easiest fixes that will have the biggest impact (like your value proposition, professional email, and clear CTAs)
- Create a timeline – You don’t have to fix everything at once. Break it into manageable chunks over the next 2-3 months
- Get the complete roadmap – Download my free The Ultimate Digital Strategy for Coaches and Consultants guide for a step-by-step framework to build a client-attracting website
Remember: your website should be your hardest-working marketing asset. Every mistake you fix brings you one step closer to a site that actually converts visitors into clients.
Ready to build a website that matches your expertise? Let’s talk about how we can create a strategic, conversion-focused online presence for your coaching business.
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