How to Find Businesses With Bad or Outdated Websites
A business with a bad website is a different kind of lead from one with no site. It already has something online. It may be old, slow, broken on a phone, or unsafe. The owner might not know, since they rarely look at it from a customer's side.
This guide shows you how to find these businesses and how to check a site in about two minutes. It uses simple checks anyone can run, and it needs no special tools. For the big picture, see our full guide to finding local businesses without a website.
What makes a website "bad"
Bad does not mean ugly. A site is bad when it makes it hard for a customer to trust the business or take the next step. The usual problems are:
- No HTTPS, so the browser shows a warning
- It does not fit a phone screen
- It is very slow
- It has an old copyright year or old news
- Links and forms are broken
- There is no easy way to call or write from the home page
Each one costs the business visitors. That is the point you can make, kindly, to the owner.
Step 1: Build a list of businesses that have a site
Start the same way as for no-website leads.
- Search a trade and a town on Google Maps.
- Open each result and click the Website button.
- Keep the address. Open it in a new tab.
Work through one trade in one town. Twenty sites is a good first batch. If you are looking for businesses with no site at all, see our Google Maps guide.
Step 2: The two-minute check
Run these six checks on every site. Write the result in a spreadsheet as you go.
1. HTTPS
Look at the address bar. If the address starts with "http://" or the browser says "Not secure," there is no security certificate. Visitors see a warning, and many leave.
2. Mobile
Open the site on your phone, or shrink your browser window on a computer. Do you need to pinch and zoom? Is the menu unreadable? Most local searches happen on phones, so this one matters a lot.
3. Copyright year
Scroll to the bottom. If the footer says "Copyright 2013," the site was probably not touched in years. This is a hint, not proof, since some owners just forget to change the year. Treat it as a clue.
4. Speed
Count how long it takes to show something. For a real number, paste the address into Google PageSpeed Insights. It is free and shows how fast the page loads on a phone.
5. Broken things
Click the menu. Do any links lead to an error page? Do pictures fail to load? Does the contact form work? Is the phone number right?
6. A clear next step
Can you call or write from the home page without hunting? A phone number you can tap is the minimum. If you cannot tell what to do next, neither can a customer.
Step 3: Score each site
Give one point for every problem you found. Zero to one is fine. Two or three is worth a closer look. Four or more is a strong lead.
| Score | What it means |
| 0 to 1 | Site is fine. Skip it. |
| 2 to 3 | Some problems. Check the business is busy. |
| 4 to 6 | Strong lead. Put it at the top. |
This is a simple score I made up for hand checking. It is not a standard.
Step 4: Check the business, not only the site
An old site on a closed shop is no use. Look at the Google listing:
- Are there recent reviews?
- Are the hours up to date?
- Are there new photos?
A busy business with a weak site is the best case. Customers are coming in, and the website is the part that is behind. If you want to start from the best-loved ones, see businesses with great reviews but no website, which uses the same idea.
Some pitfalls to avoid
- Judging by taste. A plain site that works is fine. Check for real problems, not style.
- Ignoring site builders. A Wix or Squarespace site can be good. Look at whether it works, not what it was built with.
- Counting a Facebook page as a site. It is not one. Note it separately.
- Being rude. Never say "your site is terrible." Say what you noticed and offer help.
What to say first
Point to one real, checkable thing and keep it kind.
Hi Dan, I looked at your site on my phone and the menu was hard to read. The footer also says 2012. I put together a quick idea of a refresh. Here is the link, no pressure. If it is useful, just reply.
Do not exaggerate. Never say a site is "costing you thousands." You cannot know that. Stick to what you saw. If the owner says no, thank them and stop. For email in the US, follow CAN-SPAM, which asks for a real sender name, a mailing address and an easy way to unsubscribe.
Where SiteRevive fits
This is the work SiteRevive was made for. Checking one site takes about two minutes by hand. Twenty sites takes a long while.
- You pick a trade and a U.S. state, with a city if you like, and ask for 1 to 25 results.
- It uses Google Places to find local businesses and checks each website, scoring it from 0 to 100 on 11 signs of an old website. A higher score means the site needs more help.
- The 11 signs include a site that does not fit a phone, a very slow site on a phone, no HTTPS, old tools, years-old words, missing basics Google looks for, unsafe files, broken menu links, no way to call or write from the home page, and a site stuck at desktop size on a phone. The last sign is no website at this address.
- It makes a short report you can share with the owner.
- It looks for a real contact on the business's own website, and writes a first email. In the classic flow it opens in your Gmail or Outlook. With Run with your AI, your own AI builds a preview site for each business first, then drafts or sends a short note from your own inbox.
What to know before you try it:
- It is for local U.S. businesses only.
- SiteRevive's servers never send email; your own AI sends from your own account, or saves drafts. You can also read each email first and send it from your own Gmail or Outlook.
- A search can return fewer than 25 results, because only businesses that pass its checks are listed. It does not fill the list with guesses.
- In the classic flow it does not build full websites; you use your own AI tool, like Claude or ChatGPT, after the owner says yes. With Run with your AI, your own AI builds a one-page preview site for each business first.
- It does not promise replies or sales. No tool can.
Plans start at $97 a month, billed monthly. You can cancel any time, and there is a 7-day money-back guarantee, no questions asked, on your first month. There is no free trial. Details are on the SiteRevive pricing page.
The manual checks above are free, and they work. SiteRevive just runs them for you in bulk. Pick the way that fits your time.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find businesses with bad websites?
Search a trade and a town on Google Maps, open each Website link, and run six quick checks: HTTPS, mobile fit, copyright year, speed, broken links, and a clear way to call or write. Score each site by how many problems you find.
How can I tell if a website is outdated?
Look for no HTTPS, a layout that breaks on a phone, a copyright year from years ago, slow loading, broken links, and old news or photos. One sign is a hint. Several signs together are a stronger clue.
Is an old copyright year proof the site is not maintained?
No. Some owners forget to change the year while the site is fine. Treat it as a hint and look for other problems before you decide.
What free tools check a website?
Google PageSpeed Insights tests speed on a phone for free. Your own browser shows whether HTTPS is on, and your phone shows whether the layout fits. SiteRevive runs 11 checks for you in bulk, but plans start at $97 a month.
Is it rude to tell a business its website is bad?
It can be if you say it harshly. Point to one real thing you noticed, like a menu that is hard to read on a phone, and offer help. Keep it short, make no big promises, and stop if they say no.
Questions about SiteRevive? Email Ryan at improveddigital@gmail.com.