Your Contact Page Is Probably Losing You Customers.

Most local business websites treat the contact page as an afterthought. It's usually the last page built, gets the least attention, and ends up being nothing more than a lonely form floating in a sea of white space. Name, email, message, submit. Job done.

Except it's not done. That bare-bones approach is quietly costing you enquiries.

Think about it from your customer's perspective. They've browsed your site, liked what they've seen, and now they're ready to get in touch. They land on your contact page and find... a form. No phone number prominently displayed. No indication of when they might hear back. No reassurance that a real person is on the other end. Just a form that disappears their message into the void.

Some people will fill it in anyway. But plenty won't. They'll hit the back button and try the next business on Google instead.

Give people options, not obstacles

Not everyone wants to fill in a form. Some people prefer to pick up the phone. Others would rather send a WhatsApp message or fire off a quick email. Younger customers might want to reach you through social media. Older customers often don't trust forms at all.

Your contact page should cater to all of them. Display your phone number prominently, and make it clickable so mobile users can tap to call. Include your email address as a proper mailto link. If you use WhatsApp for business, add a direct link to start a chat. List your social media profiles if you actually respond to messages there (and only if you do).

The form can still be there for people who prefer it. But it shouldn't be the only way to reach you.

Tell them what happens next

One of the biggest reasons people abandon contact forms is uncertainty. They don't know if their message will actually reach anyone, how long they'll wait for a response, or whether they'll get a response at all.

Fix this by setting clear expectations. Add a simple line underneath your form: "We typically respond within 24 hours during working days." Or "I'll get back to you within one business day, usually sooner." Whatever your actual response time is, state it.

If you have specific working hours, mention them. "I'm available Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm" tells the customer exactly where they stand. It also explains why they might not hear back immediately if they contact you at 9pm on a Saturday.

Show them you're a real person (or real people)

A contact page with nothing but a form feels impersonal and slightly suspicious. Is there actually someone at this business? Where are they based? Can they be trusted?

Combat this by adding some human elements. Include a photo of yourself or your team. Add your business address, even if you don't have a physical shop front. Mention the areas you cover if you're a service business. A brief line like "Based in Sheffield, covering South Yorkshire" or "Serving customers across Bristol and Bath" adds credibility and helps local customers feel they're dealing with someone nearby.

If you have reviews or testimonials, consider adding one or two to your contact page. Someone who's on the fence about getting in touch might be nudged over the line by seeing that other customers had a good experience.

Make it mobile-friendly (properly)

More than half of your website visitors are probably on their phones. Yet many contact pages are awkward to use on mobile devices. Forms with tiny fields. Phone numbers you can't tap to call. Addresses that don't link to maps.

Check your contact page on your own phone. Can you easily tap the phone number to call? Is the form simple to fill in without zooming? Does your address link to Google Maps so people can get directions? These small details make a big difference when someone's trying to contact you while standing outside a job site or sitting in their van.

Your one thing to do this week

Pull up your contact page on your mobile phone right now. Try to use it as if you were a potential customer. Call your own number using the link (or notice that you can't because it's not clickable). Fill in the form. See how the experience feels.

Then add at least one more way for people to reach you. A prominent phone number if you only have a form. A WhatsApp link if you use it. An email address as a backup. Give your customers options, and more of them will take you up on the offer.

Thanks for reading,
Ollie

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