Winning on the Web

To test the quality of your site's navigation, consider emailing some of your trusted customers and asking them to navigate your site and rate its efficiency. Sending your site to friends and peers outside the industry and having them similarly test and rate your site is also a good option. Their experience will be approximate to new customers visiting your site for the first time, so if they cannot navigate your site easily, you know something is wrong.

3. Keep it simple

A simple site design has many benefits, from faster load times to better navigation across browsers and devices. Avoid complexities like animation, pop-ups and audio. Such additions will not only slow your site down, but also interfere with users navigating your site—something to be avoided at all costs.

4. Use site copy to its fullest

Any time users have clicked through to a detail page on your site—say, a page for a specific product or an "about us" section—they should be reading copy as informative and marketing-friendly as possible. Make sure your detail pages are loaded with all the detailed copy a reader would want, and also have the marketing angle you desire. Having the details of your products explained well is certainly a good start, but you should also be mindful that every click-through on your website is another marketing touch for prospects and clients. Put your website copy to work for that purpose, and make sure it fulfills some marketing goals as well—be it distinguishing your products from your competitors, promoting any sales or specials you might have, or just staying consistent with your company voice.

5. Have big, inviting images

"A picture is worth a thousand words" is no less true on the Internet. Use photos to their fullest potential on your site. Have big, crisp photos of your products, a prominently placed and large image of your company logo somewhere, and clear, easy-to-read navigation buttons. Additionally, avoid cheesy stock art photos. Today's online consumers, especially print buyers who work in marketing themselves, will easily spot these and think less of your company for using them. A picture may be worth a thousand words, but none of them are worth anything if they tell a boring story everyone has heard before.