What to Fix on Your Website Before You Spend on Ads

Spoiler: It’s not your targeting.

If you’re in ecommerce, you probably know that being successful is a numbers game. The more website visitors, the more chances of people buying your products... right? 

Well, not if your website isn’t doing its job. 

You’re ready to grow. You’ve got beautiful product photos, solid inventory, maybe even a clever tagline. So you run ads — Facebook, Instagram, Google — and wait for the orders to roll in.

But... crickets.

If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. The truth is, ads won’t compensate for a bad website. Before you pour more money into traffic, let’s make sure your site is actually ready to sell.

This happens more often than you think

I’m no Facebook ads expert, but I do know that first-time founders often see the same scenarios when their branding/website is out-of-whack but they’re trying to grow.

Maybe you know these scenarios:

You’ve spent hours in Meta Ads Manager. You’ve tested three audiences, rewritten your headline twice, and boosted the same post three times this week.
Maybe you’re even getting clicks, but no one’s buying.

Or…

Your Shopify dashboard shows a spike in traffic, but orders haven’t budged. You’re staring at heatmaps, wondering if it’s the wrong emoji in your caption… or just bad luck.

Maybe it’s not the ad — maybe it’s what they’re seeing when they land.

Whether you’re sending people to a landing page or just to your homepage, it’s a waste of time unless your website is an on-brand, conversion-focused shopping machine (yes, my words, not AI).

Your Website = Your Storefront, and it better be pretty

Think of your website like your flagship store. If someone walks into a messy, confusing, or even underwhelming space, they’re walking right back out, no matter how many signs you put up to get them there.

Likewise, ads bring people to your door, but if your digital store isn’t attractive and primed for sales, you’re probably missing out. 

Let’s look at some real conversion numbers.

• Average ecommerce conversion rate: 1–3%
  
  

• Top-performing brands: 4–6%

  
  

• Landing pages from paid ads: often under 1% if not optimized

So if you’re getting 1,000 visitors from ads… That’s maybe 10 sales, unless your site is working smarter.

Now, what’s the cost of those visitors?

• Average cost per click (CPC) on IG or FB: $0.70–$1.50
  
  

• Cost per acquisition (CPA): $20–$50+
  
  

• If your average order value (AOV) is under $40… you’re barely breaking even.

I’m not saying don’t keep spending on ads. Ads are ecommerce fuel. But if you put in that effort to get people to your door, you need to spend equally (or more) to make sure your website turns those visitors into buyers to be successful.

Common Mistakes That Kill Conversions

I’ll map it out real clearly for you here what the common issues are that I see all the time when working with ecommerce brands:

• Visitors land and don’t know where to go next

• A mismatched or outdated homepage feels overwhelming instead of inviting

• Bland or unclear product descriptions lack that spark to create a connection

• Or, pages look good but don’t guide customers where to go next

• No way to reconnect with customers after they leave your site

These are common problems that stop people from missing not only current sales, but future sales opportunities, too! If people can’t connect, they won’t remember you. And if they don’t remember you, they won’t come back. Or tell their friends. And the money you spent on getting them there is a total waste.

What to Focus On Instead

You don’t need fancy features or endless animations. You need focus, clarity, and conversion thinking behind every section on your site. 

Before you invest in ads, make sure your website checks these boxes:

1. Recognizable branding to create an experience from the start

2. Tells what you sell, and who it is for – ideally, first thing on page
   Makes it obvious where to click, shop, or learn more

3. Has great product pages: clear images + compelling descriptions + social proof = confidence to buy

4. Email opt-in: Has an email opt-in (and pop-up!) to keep in touch

5. Mobile-first experience: Your site should be just as strong in someone’s hand as on their desktop

6. A strategic, conversion-focused layout designed to guide, not distract

Ads Are Gasoline. Your Website Is the Engine.

Running ads without a solid website is like pouring fuel into a car with no wheels. You’ll burn through your budget fast and have nothing to show for it.

If you’re preparing to launch, scale, or rebrand, this is your moment to pause and get the foundation right.

I help lifestyle and product-based brands build strategic, beautiful websites that actually convert — with or without ads.

👉 If you’d like a website audit or are ready to refresh your online home, reach out.

Let’s get your brand ready to sell, beautifully.