The weeks leading into Thanksgiving and December holidays are always busy for local shops. In Sarasota, that means more people out looking for last-minute gifts, family outings, and service appointments before the season hits full stride. It’s the kind of foot traffic that can make or break the last quarter of the year, especially when people are making quick decisions with their phones in hand.
This is the window when online visibility matters most. Everything people see, your hours, your location, how fast your site loads, what pops up in search, helps them decide whether or not to visit you. A good setup creates that boost right when people are paying closer attention. As a Sarasota SEO company, we look for ways to clean up common issues before they cost traffic or trust. Here are a few of the fixes we often see, especially as the holidays get closer.
Missing or Outdated Business Info
One of the most common and frustrating things shoppers run into is information that’s just plain wrong. It might be old hours, broken contact forms, or links that lead nowhere. And once something feels off, most people won’t come back to double-check, they’ll just keep moving and pick someone else.
• Your Google Business Profile should match your website, social media, and anything else people might find
• Phone numbers, addresses, and business hours need to be updated across the board before traffic spikes
• If something changes during the month, like closing early for a special event, post it early and post it everywhere
Aligning your listings helps people trust what they see. When they’re confident about when and where to find you, they’re more likely to stop by.
Our Sarasota SEO company at PERC performs website audits and Google Business Profile updates for clients, so critical contact information and business listings are always accurate ahead of the busy season.
Local businesses also sometimes forget about smaller places where their details show up, like review sites, maps apps, and community directories. Even if you update your main website, those extra spots can stay outdated unless you check on them too. We recommend making a list of everywhere your business is listed and running through each one before the holidays, double-checking hours, phone numbers, spelling, and any details that could confuse someone who wants to visit.
Slow Website Load Times
Speed isn’t just about ease, it’s about first impressions. With all the extra holiday searches happening in places like Tampa and Sarasota, people expect a site to load quickly. If it takes more than a few seconds, they often leave before it even finishes, especially when they’re rushing between errands or comparing shops on their lunch break.
• Homepages and landing pages should load fully within just a few seconds
• Large images, clunky code, or outdated plugins can drag performance down without you realizing
• A Sarasota SEO company can run quick checks to flag problems and suggest ways to clean things up
Good first impressions help people see your website as trustworthy. And in fast-moving weeks like these, you might only get that one chance to make it work.
We use industry-standard testing and optimization tools to keep Sarasota business sites running quickly on all devices, so your customers never wait or click away.
Sometimes it’s easy to forget that even small issues can slow a site down. Things like video backgrounds, pop-ups, or too many widgets can all add to the time it takes for your page to be ready. Even if everything looks fine while you’re logged in, visitors might experience lag, especially if they’re on older phones or spotty Wi-Fi while out shopping.
Clearing out heavy images, trimming down unnecessary plugins, and making sure updates don’t pile up all help your site stay fast. It’s a simple check that can have a big impact when visitors are choosing between your business and a competitor just down the street. We find that quick tune-ups before the holiday rush can keep things running smoothly through New Year’s, without last-minute panic.
Poor Mobile Experience
Holiday shoppers don’t just sit at their computers, they’re out in the world, using phones to figure out what’s nearby. If your website only works well on a desktop, you’re likely missing people who check during errands, road trips, or while sitting in traffic.
• Tiny fonts and hard-to-click menus cause people to give up fast
• Contact info should be easy to tap, and store hours should be easy to spot
• Images and layout should adjust smoothly to fit all screen sizes
People aren’t being picky. They just want to make their decisions quickly and without frustration. A site that plays nice on mobile lets them do just that.
All PERC web projects are built mobile-first, so Sarasota businesses are ready for customer searches from any device during peak shopping seasons.
One simple way to test your own site is by pretending you’re a new customer trying to find something quickly, using only your phone. If you run into trouble or need to pinch and zoom on every page, it’s likely that others are having the same issues. Getting real feedback from family or friends can help you catch small problems before a busy day hits.
We look for ways to simplify menus, make buttons bigger, and rearrange layouts so nothing gets lost. When images, contact info, and service links work just as well on a phone as they do on a computer, customers are a lot more likely to keep moving toward your business.
Missing Holiday Search Terms and Page Updates
When was the last time you mentioned anything about the holidays on your site? Even something simple like “holiday hours” or “seasonal specials” can flag to search engines and customers that your page is current and worth clicking.
• Add relevant terms like holidays, gifts, events, and specials to your headers and posts
• Make sure your homepage or main services reflect seasonal needs or offers
• Page titles and descriptions matter, since they’re what show up in search results first
This isn’t about doing a full redesign. It’s about tailoring what’s already there so it matches what people are actually searching for right now.
Small touches like adding “holiday deals” to a headline or posting a simple note about extended hours can really let customers know that you’re ready for them. Search engines like Google also pay attention to fresh updates and often reward businesses that keep their pages active and up to date, especially around popular shopping times. When pages sit unchanged for months, it’s easy to get pushed down in search results, something no business wants when the season heats up.
Going through your most-visited pages and adding just a few lines about holiday services, shipping deadlines, or special events is a quick way to show up on more lists as people search for what’s happening in Sarasota this month. Even after the holidays, keeping your site fresh with new posts sets you up for ongoing success.
Ready When It Matters Most
When everything is working smoothly, your info is current, your site is fast, and customers can find what they’re looking for, it lowers stress on both sides. There’s nothing worse than scrambling to fix something right in the middle of peak season. Catching these things in November gives you a head start and helps you focus on the people walking through the door, not the problems online.
More search activity in Sarasota means more chances to get noticed and chosen. So if there are fixes to make, this is the right stretch to catch them. With just a few adjustments, your site can start working harder before December kicks into full gear.
Want your Sarasota business to stand out during the busy season? Quick online updates like posting current hours or speeding up your website can help customers find you fast. As a Sarasota SEO company, we make sure your site runs smoothly before things get hectic, so local shoppers never miss what you offer. At PERC, we keep your online presence working for you, even when you’re focused on your business. Reach out today and let’s get your digital storefront ready.
