As a small business, it's important to realize that you need a web marketing strategy in place to develop online sales on a consistent basis. With over 100 million websites in existence today, you can't put up a site and expect the traffic to come.

Spend some time on your site, and look at it through your prospects eyes. What are your visitors looking for?

Think about what you look for in a website when you're out searching online. The key to making a great website is to put your own impressions behind you. Ignore what you know about your business. Instead, concentrate on what your visitors would want to know about your business. In many cases these two items are distinctly different.

To help you get started, let's take a look at common website optimization techniques that will help you get your website noticed. Use these five Dos and Don'ts as guidelines.

1. Do use headlines. Headlines help engage the reader, and assist them in making their way through your site. Headlines are meant to provide something of interest to the reader, and motivate them to want to read on - and ultimately move to the next step. Bold your headlines to make them stand out above your regular text, and consider increasing the size of the font.

2. Don't assume your visitor will take action today. Nine out of ten website owners miss connecting with potential customers because they try and make the sale today. Instead, offer something of value to your visitor in return for capturing their email address. Plan on creating a long-term relationship with a prospect instead of creating instant sales.

3. Do use testimonials from a variety of sources. Include a variety of real-life customers, well-known people in your industry, authors, and other important business people in your community. People connect when they know other people have trusted your company, and have purchased your products and services. Sprinkle testimonials throughout your site instead of creating a special page.

4. Don't ignore who your customer is. Every audience expects a different functionality. A group of 20-something males with careers in computer programming will have different expectations than 40-something soccer moms. Build to capture the heart of your audience.

5. Do test your material. The "build once" concept works fine for a brochure, but a website is meant to be updated regularly. Keep track of your numbers, and try adding new functions to your website at least several times per month. The more you learn about what works and what doesn't, the easier it is to develop new material for your website.

Author Resource:-> Lori Osterberg is a successful author, trainer, presenter and consultant. She helps small businesses develop successful online marketing strategies, and offers many online services, including web design and optimization. Receive her FREE ezine at http://www.VisionOfSuccess.com

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