January can start off slow for websites. You might have the traffic, but conversions feel low. People are browsing, but fewer are following through. Something feels off.
Often, a dip in conversions points to small problems building up behind the scenes. A link that no longer works, a form that has stopped sending data, or a headline that doesn’t quite speak to what users care about now. These don’t always stand out right away, but they leave an impression.
If you’re already using conversion rate optimisation services, this time of year offers a good window to step back and look closely. At Wonderful, that kind of review starts with looking at real user behaviour and the points on your site where people hesitate or drop off. Are the journeys people take on your site still holding up? Has anything drifted off course since the holiday rush ended? Use January to catch what’s quietly holding back your results.
Forgotten Pages and Outdated Content
Old content has a way of sticking around. That’s fine in summer. But in January, when users arrive with new goals, leftover holiday clutter stands out fast. It breaks the flow.
Here’s where the trouble usually turns up:
- Holiday-themed banners still active or showing in search can confuse new visitors
- Campaign pages with December offers can leave users wondering if anything’s still valid
- Blog posts or product pages with dates tied to the past year make the site feel out of sync
January ups the pressure to feel current. Users expect clean, honest experiences that reflect the reset they’re making themselves. If your site tells a mixed message, some will click away without even knowing what they’re looking for.
Take a close look at what’s visible to first-time visitors. Search snippets, old links shared socially, even auto-played banners. Remove what no longer fits. Or, if it’s still valuable, make it clear where it stands in the calendar.
Speed, Load Time, and Tech Issues After Updates
Once December ends, many platforms update or reset parts of their system. Maybe your CMS ran an auto-update. Maybe a plugin changed versions. These things can help in the long run, but they sometimes kill key parts of the user experience without notice.
We often see cracks show up in these ways:
- Page load speeds drop, especially on mobile
- Menus open too slowly or don’t respond when tapped
- Interactive parts like modals or tabs stop loading fully
A slow page or broken step doesn’t just annoy. It adds friction where people already have limited patience. No one wants to zoom in and tap three times just to read a headline. If something stalls mid-click, some users won’t try again. They’ll just leave.
Spotting these bugs is harder when the changes are subtle. But January is a perfect moment to run through the basics. Open your site fresh, like a new user. Check the most-used paths on both desktop and mobile. If anything feels stuck, it probably is.
Messages That Don’t Match User Mindset in January
December habits fade fast. What people cared about two weeks ago might not land the same now. January often brings new routines, new goals, and a mood shift toward clean starts.
So if your messaging still leans on holiday tone or urgency, it may not sit well. People might not even register why it feels off, they’ll just hesitate.
Some spots to review:
- Headlines that speak to shopping urgency or year-end deals
- Pop-ups or banners referring to “holiday savings” or “December deadlines”
- Forms or CTAs that still use last year’s language, promises, or tone
This doesn’t mean you have to rewrite everything. But January comes with its own rhythm. Make sure what people see on arrival still speaks to them now. They’ve moved on from December, and your site should too.
A small message shift can change the way a page lands. Swapping out a holiday intro for one that feels forward-looking can unclog a stuck path.
Gaps in the Funnel That Hide Behind “Good Enough”
Not all blocks are obvious. Sometimes, everything looks fine from a distance, but small breaks in the flow slow things down without notice. This is where “almost working” becomes a problem.
Here’s what we’ve seen cause trouble:
- Landing pages that don’t load the right call to action until halfway down the page
- Ad messaging that points to promises not backed up on the page itself
- A form where one field quietly breaks and stops submissions from going through
These small details don’t usually trigger alarms, but they add up. A slight mismatch between what people click and what they land on makes them second-guess. That pause costs you.
This is a good time to turn to conversion rate optimisation services. Our own conversion work brings together analytics, funnel optimisation, split A/B testing, and usability testing, so any weak steps in the path stand out clearly. You might find spaces where users hit a dead end quietly. A misaligned setup that survived all year might not hold up as new user behaviour kicks in.
Even a simple journey should be checked top to bottom. If it used to perform well but now doesn’t, that’s a clue. Something may have changed in the process, or in the user.
Better Conversions Start with Clarity and Timing
Coming into January, most people are looking for clean starts. They’re sorting inboxes, updating tools, planning new projects. Your website should feel like it’s ready for that energy, not stuck back in December.
It doesn’t take a full rebuild. Just honest thinking. Where does the site slow people down, confuse them, or quietly lose their interest? Fixing those spots matters more than stacking on new features.
Even small repairs can shift results. Better copy that matches what users are thinking now. Pages that load fast and point clearly to next steps. A few hours of cleanup now can save you weeks of guessing later.
When your website feels like it’s already looking forward, visitors are more likely to follow. They’re not just clicking, they’re continuing. For many of the UK businesses we support, the goal is to grow B2B leads by improving website performance and making better use of the traffic they already have.
If your site isn’t producing the results you expect this January, now is the time to take smart action. Even a few focused updates can dramatically improve how your users move through your site. With our conversion rate optimisation services, the team at Wonderful can help you uncover what’s holding people back and deliver a smoother, faster experience. Let’s make sure this year starts strong by turning more of your existing traffic into real results.
