Can a customer reach you in 10 seconds? Lead capture checks
When someone wants to buy, can they reach you in 10 seconds? 14 checks · 16% of the overall score.
Traffic is worthless if the visitor cannot act. A customer on a phone at 7pm wants to tap a number, send a text, book a slot or start a chat — and they will do it with whichever business makes it easiest. This chapter scores the website as a conversion surface rather than a brochure.
We read the homepage and contact page for phone numbers, whether they are wrapped in tel: links, whether an SMS option exists, whether a chat widget or scheduler is installed, whether there is a form, and whether hours and address are published.
The 14 checks
| Check | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| Phone number visible | Half of local searches end in a phone call; the number must be findable in seconds. |
| Phone is tap-to-call | A tel: link turns a number into a one-tap call on mobile. |
| Phone in header / above the fold | Numbers below the fold are missed by most mobile visitors. |
| Textable number / SMS option | Many customers, especially under 40, prefer to text than call. |
| Web chat | A chat widget captures visitors who would never fill in a form. |
| Contact / quote form | A form is the after-hours channel and a lead you can follow up. |
| Contact page | Visitors look for /contact by habit; it should exist and resolve. |
| Online booking / scheduling | Self-serve booking removes the back-and-forth that loses appointments. |
| Clear call to action | Every page should tell the visitor what to do next. |
| Business hours published | Unknown hours mean unknown whether to bother calling. |
| Email address published | Some customers and most partners still start with email. |
| Email list capture | A newsletter signup turns one visit into a relationship. |
| Online payments / commerce | Where relevant, letting people pay online closes the loop. |
| Form spam protection | Unprotected forms fill your inbox with junk and hide real enquiries. |
Most common fixes
- Put the phone number in the header on every page and wrap it in a tel: link.
- Add an SMS option (sms: link or a text-enabled business line) next to the phone number.
- Install a chat or scheduling widget — even a free tier captures leads you are currently losing.
- Publish hours and address in the footer and in LocalBusiness schema.
Questions
What is a textable business number?
A business phone line that can receive SMS. Most VoIP and call-tracking providers offer it; landlines cannot. Advertising “call or text” consistently increases enquiries from mobile visitors.
Do I need web chat for a small business?
Not always, but it captures a segment that will never call or fill in a form. Free tiers exist; the important part is that someone actually answers.