In this new series of articles I'll be looking at a variety of issues that can impact your web site's ability to convert visitors to buyers. From the content that you need to have on your home page to how to properly prepare contact us and about us style pages, I'll focus on the little things that you can do that can have a major impact on your bottom line.

Many people look at a web site as a separate expense from marketing. This is unfortunate and the reason why many web sites under-perform in their sales potential. The Internet is still very much in its infancy and therefore our view of the web is still developing. It’s been a slow process, but many business owner’s attitudes towards web site development and marketing has begun to evolve.

Unfortunately, far too many businesses still don’t consider web site development as a part of their marketing efforts. They’ll pour thousands of dollars into traditional forms of marketing (which often produce significantly less return on the investment dollar) but fail to properly plan and execute their website or invest in effective online marketing strategies.

As you begin to put time, energy and (likely) significant sums of money into your online presence it is important that you consider your web site as part of your overall marketing plan. Instead of being viewed as just another IT expense, your web site should be considered as a marketing endeavor worthy of being incorporated fully into the marketing budget. Businesses that take this view are setting themselves up to have a long-term presence on the Internet as well as lasting success.

Compiling the Pieces that Build a Full-Service Sales Experience

With the exception of cloned web sites, every web site has its own unique characteristics. When building your site there really is no one-size-fits-all pattern to follow. Your site should be built to fulfill your informational and sales needs, while being effective in getting your target audience to take the desired actions. In order to do this there are basic components that almost every web site should have in place in order to be effective both with the usability and marketing aspects.

Next week we'll look at the essential content that you need on your home page and how it can impact the success of your site.

Discuss this article in the Small Business Ideas forum.