Businesses with outdated websites are some of the best leads you can find. The owner already believes in having a site, and probably already pays for one. You're not selling the idea of a website, just a better one.
The trick is spotting the problems quickly and being able to name them specifically. "Your site's old" gets you nowhere. "Your phone number isn't tappable and the text is tiny on a phone" gets a conversation.
Here's what to look for. Most of it you can check in under a minute on your phone.
Check it on your phone first
Most people searching for a local business are on their phones, so start there. Pull the site up on your own phone and just use it for thirty seconds like a customer would. A lot of the problems below jump out immediately.
1. No padlock (no https)
Look at the address bar. Modern browsers show a padlock or similar icon for secure sites, and some show "Not secure" for sites without https.
Why it matters: some customers see that warning and leave. It also makes the business look neglected.
2. Not built for phones
The clearest sign: the page loads looking like a tiny version of a desktop site, and you have to pinch and zoom to read anything. Menus overflow off the side, buttons are too small to tap, text runs off the screen.
This is one of the most common problems on older small business sites and one of the most persuasive to point out, because the owner can see it on their own phone in two seconds.
3. The phone number isn't tappable
On a phone, tap the business's phone number. Does it offer to call? If not, a customer has to memorize the number or copy it, which is exactly the moment people give up and call the next business on the list.
For trades especially, this one matters a lot.
4. Old copyright year
Scroll to the bottom. If the footer says "© [a year from a long time ago]," the site probably hasn't been touched since then. It's a small detail, but customers notice it and it makes the business look closed or careless.
5. Slow to load
If you're staring at a blank screen for several seconds on decent signal, so are their customers. Common causes are huge uncompressed photos, old plugins, and cheap hosting. A heavy page is especially rough on phones.
6. Broken images or Flash
Gray boxes, little broken-image icons, or a message saying you need a plugin to view content. Flash hasn't worked in browsers for years, so any site still relying on it has big holes in it.
7. Menus, prices or forms as PDFs
Restaurants are famous for this. Tap "Menu" and a PDF downloads. On a phone, that means pinching and zooming around a tiny file. Same goes for price lists, service lists or forms someone has to print out.
8. Wrong or missing information
Compare the site with the Google listing. Different hours? Old phone number? Services they don't offer anymore? A staff member who left years ago? Wrong info costs the business real customers and is easy to point out.
9. The browser tab just says "Home"
Look at the tab title. If it says "Home," "Untitled," or "Welcome," the page title was never set up. That title is often what shows in Google search results, so the business is missing a free chance to say who they are and where.
10. No clear "what we do and where"
Land on the home page and ask: within three seconds, can you tell what this business does and what area it serves? If the top of the page is a giant logo, a slogan, or a slideshow, the answer is often no.
11. Broken contact form
Open the contact page and look: does the form load properly, are the fields readable on a phone, is there a submit button that isn't cut off? Don't send fake messages to test it; just look. A form that's visibly broken, or a contact page that errors out, is quietly losing customers the owner never hears from.
12. "Under construction" or placeholder text
"Coming soon," "Lorem ipsum," "Page under construction," or template text that was never replaced. Some of these have been "coming soon" for a very long time.
Use the Website Checkup to put it in writing
Checking by eye works, but it's useful to have something specific and neutral to point to. The free Website Checkup grades any website on mobile speed, page weight, https, whether it's set up for phones, tap-to-call links, the title and description, and an outdated copyright year. It explains each result in plain English, including what the business is likely losing because of it.
It's handy in two ways: quickly sorting a list of leads by how bad their sites are, and having specific, non-insulting problems to mention on a call.
Which outdated sites are worth calling
Not every imperfect site is a lead. Prioritize:
- Sites with several of the problems above, especially not mobile friendly and no tap-to-call
- Businesses that are clearly active (recent reviews, current hours) despite the old site
- Trades and storefronts where customers search and call
Lower priority:
- Sites that are a little dated but work fine on phones
- Chains and franchises (corporate controls the website)
- Sites that were obviously redone recently, even if you'd design them differently
How to bring it up without insulting anyone
The owner might have built the site themselves, paid a relative, or spent real money on it years ago. Be specific and neutral, and focus on customers rather than taste.
Instead of:
Your website looks really old.
Try:
I pulled your site up on my phone and noticed a couple things. The text is pretty small, and when I tapped your number it didn't let me call. A lot of people searching on their phones would just move on to the next one. I put together an updated version, can I send it to you?
You're pointing at concrete problems that cost them customers, not judging their taste. The cold calling script has a full version for outdated sites.
When you build the replacement, make sure it fixes every issue you mentioned. The checklist of what to include covers the basics.
Rover puts businesses with outdated sites (and no site at all) near the top of your list, builds each one a preview, and writes the call script for that business, so you're not starting your call with "your website's old."
Common questions
How can I tell if a website is mobile friendly?
Open it on your phone. If you have to pinch and zoom to read the text, buttons are too small to tap, or content runs off the side of the screen, it isn't. You can also run it through the free Website Checkup, which checks whether the page is set up for phones.
What makes a website look outdated?
The most common giveaways are tiny text on phones, no padlock in the address bar, an old copyright year, PDF menus, broken images, and wrong hours or phone numbers. Design style matters less than whether it works for a customer on a phone.
Is it rude to tell a business their website is outdated?
It can be if you just call it old or ugly. Focus on specific, practical problems and how they affect customers, like the phone number not being tappable. Most owners appreciate hearing it when it's framed around getting more calls.
How often should a small business update its website?
Basic info like hours, services and photos should be updated whenever it changes. A full redesign is usually only needed when the site stops working well on phones, looks clearly abandoned, or no longer matches the business.
Keep reading
- How to Find Businesses Without a WebsiteSeven practical ways to find local businesses with no website, plus how to double-check each lead and which ones are worth calling first.
- What to Include in a Small Business WebsiteA section-by-section checklist for a local small business website, from the top of the home page down to the footer, plus what to leave out.
- Cold Calling Script for Selling WebsitesA word-for-word cold calling script for selling websites to local businesses, with versions for gatekeepers, busy owners, outdated sites and "how much?"
- How to Sell Websites to DentistsDental offices are a harder website sale. Here's who to target, how to reach the office manager, what to fix on outdated sites, and what to charge.