Things Web Developers Don’t Want You to Know (That You Can Do Yourself for Free)

When you think about improving your website, you might imagine it’s something only a web developer can do. And sure, if you need a new feature, a complex integration, or a complete redesign, you’ll probably need help. But here’s the truth: a lot of the improvements that make the biggest difference don’t require coding skills or expensive tools.

Web developers don’t always shout about this, because, well… if you knew how much you could do yourself, you might not hire them as often. But I’m going to let you in on a little secret: there are plenty of simple, free things you can do right now to make your site faster, friendlier, and more effective.

Let’s go through them step by step.

1. Fix Your Content (It Costs Nothing but Time)

Your website’s words matter more than its design. A beautifully built site won’t work if the content is confusing, boring, or vague. The good news? You can fix this yourself.

Here’s what to do:

• Rewrite your main headlines. Every page should have a clear headline that tells people exactly what they’ll get. Instead of “Welcome to Our Website”, say “Affordable Plumbing Services in Birmingham – Available 24/7”. One is generic, the other is specific, local, and reassuring.
• Simplify your sentences. If you find yourself writing long, complicated paragraphs, break them up. People online scan quickly. Shorter sentences and bullet points are your friend.
• Answer common questions. Think about what your customers always ask you. Delivery times? Prices? Availability? Write those questions and answers down. Adding a simple FAQ section can both help your visitors and boost your chances of appearing in Google search results (Google loves FAQs).

👉 Result: Your visitors immediately understand what you do, why it matters to them, and what to do next.

2. Resize and Optimise Your Images

Images are one of the main reasons websites are slow. The problem is that most people upload them straight from a camera or phone — which means they’re massive. A single image can be bigger than the rest of your entire page combined.

Here’s how to fix it:

• Resize before uploading. A full-screen photo doesn’t need to be 4000 pixels wide. For most sites, 1200–1600 pixels is more than enough.
• Compress the file. Use a free online tool like Squoosh or TinyPNG. You upload your image, the tool shrinks it without losing visible quality, and you download the smaller version.
• Use WebP format. This is a newer image type that cuts file sizes in half compared to JPEG or PNG. Tools like Squoosh let you save directly as WebP.
• Add alt text. This is a short description you add when uploading an image (in WordPress there’s a box for it). It helps blind visitors using screen readers, and also helps Google understand your content.

👉 Result: Faster pages, better rankings, and a site that works for more people.

3. Do the Easy SEO Wins

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) might sound technical, but the basics are simple and make a huge difference.

• Titles and meta descriptions. Every page should have a unique title (around 60 characters) and a short description (about 150 characters). For example:
  • Title: “Emergency Locksmith in Manchester – 24/7 Call Out”
  • Description: “Fast, reliable locksmith services in Manchester. Call now for emergencies, lock repairs, and installations.”
• Headings. Use headings properly, not just bold text. Your main page heading should be an H1. Sub-headings should be H2 or H3. Search engines use these to understand your content.
• Internal links. Got a blog post about home security? Link it to your locksmith services page. Internal linking helps both Google and your visitors discover more of your content.

👉 Result: Google understands your website better, so you’re more likely to appear in search results.

4. Speed Up Your Website

Nobody likes a slow website. Studies show people leave if a page takes more than 3 seconds to load. The best part? You don’t need to hire anyone to make big improvements.

• Install a caching plugin. If you use WordPress, plugins like LiteSpeed Cache (if your hosting supports it) or WP Super Cache are free and can make your site load much faster. They work by storing a ready-made version of your page so it doesn’t have to reload everything from scratch each time.
• Turn off unnecessary plugins. Every extra plugin adds weight. Go through your list and disable the ones you don’t use.
• Use Cloudflare’s free plan. Cloudflare is a content delivery network (CDN). That means it makes copies of your site around the world, so visitors always load it from the nearest server. It also adds security protections. Best part? The basic version is free.

👉 Result: A site that loads quicker, keeps visitors engaged, and even performs better in Google rankings.

5. Improve Usability and Readability

A common mistake is thinking your website needs fancy effects or design tricks. In reality, what most people want is a site that’s easy to read and easy to use.

• Use bigger text. If your text looks small on your phone, increase it. Aim for at least 16px as a minimum.
• Add space. Crowded text is hard to read. Add more space between lines and paragraphs.
• Simplify your menus. Too many menu items confuse visitors. Stick to the essentials: Home, About, Services, Blog, Contact.
• Make buttons obvious. A “Submit” button is boring and vague. Try “Get a Quote” or “Book a Call”. Make sure buttons stand out with a colour that contrasts with your background.

👉 Result: Visitors find what they need faster, stay longer, and are more likely to take action.

6. Build Trust Using What You Already Have

Trust is everything online. You might be the best at what you do, but if your site doesn’t show it, people will hesitate.

• Add testimonials. Dig out positive customer emails or messages and put them on your site. Even a screenshot feels authentic.
• Show your work. If you’re a tradesperson, upload before-and-after photos. If you’re a designer, showcase projects.
• Update your About page. People want to see the human behind the business. Share a photo, explain why you do what you do, and keep it personal.

👉 Result: Visitors feel more comfortable trusting you with their money.

7. Protect Your Site with Free Security

Think hackers only target big companies? Wrong. Small sites are easier targets because they’re often neglected. Luckily, securing your site is simple.

• Update everything. WordPress, themes, plugins — keep them up to date. It’s usually one click.
• Install a free security plugin. Wordfence and iThemes Security both have free versions that block common attacks.
• Back up your site. Use a plugin like UpdraftPlus. It lets you schedule backups and store them in Google Drive or Dropbox. If something goes wrong, you can restore with a click.

👉 Result: Less chance of waking up to a hacked or broken website.

8. Use Free Analytics to Make Smarter Choices

Guessing what works on your site is like running a shop blindfolded. The good news: you don’t have to guess.

• Google Analytics 4 shows you how many people visit, what devices they use, and which pages they look at most.
• Google Search Console tells you what search terms bring people to your site, and if there are problems with your pages.
• Hotjar (free plan) gives you heatmaps, so you can see where people click and how far they scroll.

👉 Result: You stop guessing and start making decisions based on real data.

9. Test Your Site on Mobile

Over half of all web traffic is mobile, yet many site owners only check their sites on a laptop. This is a huge mistake.

Try this:

• Open your website on your phone.
• Can you read the text without zooming in?
• Are buttons and links easy to tap with your thumb?
• Does the menu open and close smoothly?

If the answer to any of these is “no”, your visitors are probably leaving frustrated.

👉 Result: A smoother experience for the majority of your users.

10. Keep It Fresh

Google and your visitors like to see activity. A website that hasn’t been updated for years looks abandoned.

• Add a new blog post once a month.
• Refresh your homepage with seasonal offers or news.
• Update old content with new information.

Even small changes show that your site (and your business) is alive and active.

👉 Result: Better Google rankings and a site that feels current.

Final Thoughts

Web developers often make websites sound more complicated than they are. That’s partly true — some jobs really do need a pro. But for the majority of improvements, you don’t need coding knowledge or a big budget.

If you:

• Fix your content
• Optimise your images
• Do the SEO basics
• Improve speed and usability
• Build trust with testimonials
• Protect your site with free tools
• Use analytics
• Check mobile friendliness
• And keep things fresh

…you’ll already be ahead of most of your competitors. And you’ll have done it all without spending a single penny.

The secret? Don’t try to do it all at once. Pick one improvement each week. In a few months, your website will be faster, stronger, and more effective — and you’ll have done it all yourself.