Chances are you have a website for your business. There’s even a good chance it looks professional and says some important things about what you can do for

your customers. But if a lot of time has gone by since the launch, you may want to reassess how it’s performing as a marketing tool.

Consider these adjustments, additions and strategies designed to get your website working harder.

Please Some Of The People All Of The Time. If you try and appeal to every type of visitor who might come to your site you’ll project a generic, scattershot image.

That’s not a good strategy for engagement. Take the time to determine who your core customers and most frequent users are and concentrate on creating the best

experience for them.

Tell Them Why. If you want people to do something on your website, don’t leave them wondering why. Tell them what they will get out of it. Saying “Sign up for our

newsletter” isn’t enough. Instead, encourage them to “Sign up for our newsletter to receive exclusive tips, ideas and specials.”

Make Content King In Word And Image. The one-two punch of words and pictures working together is what makes website content provoke, persuade and inspire.

If you’re selling products on your site, pair their photos with motivating, benefits-driven descriptions. If you sell services, show and tell the problem-solving, peace-

of-mind value of choosing your business as the provider.

Keep The Calls To Action Coming. Giving visitors to your site specific next steps is one of the keys to increasing conversion rates. Want them to call for a

consultation? Don’t just write “Free Consultation.” Write “Call us today at (555) 555-5555 to set up your free, no-obligation consultation.” Having a sale? Include a

link to the products you’re featuring with a message such as “Click Here To View Our 30-50% Off Specials.”

Include Social Media Buttons. Social media has turned the Internet into one big conversation … and your prospects and customers are part of it. By creating social

platforms of your own you can increase your business exposure and get messages out to a wider community of prospects. If you’ve built up a good social presence,

promoting your pages on your website will give your company and customers more time to mingle – and open the door to bonds that bring brand trust and sales.

Add a Customer Review Page. Making your website a showcase for your hard-earned reputation takes on greater credibility when you add a customer review

page. Set up through your webmaster or website hosting service, such a page gives your customers a convenient tool to share their personal opinions about you on

popular sites like Angie’s List, Facebook, Yahoo, Yelp, Google+ and the Better Business Bureau. It’s the springboard to building a pool of reviews that will make

who you are and what you offer come alive for an expanded audience of prospects.

Websites that work hard long after they’re launched are usually the result of periodic updating and enhancing. If you want to make the most of this business-critical

marketing tool, take a fresh look, find what clicks and what clunks, and recalibrate your pages to keep customers coming, browsing and buying.