If your small business is like most, you’ve had a Web site up and running for some time now. Is it doing all it can to represent your interests in cyberspace? If not, or if you’re just looking to give it a lift, perhaps it’s time to do some troubleshooting. For example, is your site easy to navigate? Are you regularly monitoring performance? Can customers find the information they need easily, and conduct transactions securely, on the site? Read on for some pointers that can help make your Web site a winner.

Layout. Frustrating your visitors with a confusing layout is not a recipe for e-commerce success. Few things drive customers away faster than not being able to find what they're looking for or running into a "Page Not Found" error. So plan on examining your site frequently, making sure that it’s easy and intuitive to find the products and services you offer online. (Also check to see that all internal and external links are working properly.) A good site map can help here, acting as a virtual table of contents for your site. The map should contain links to all content areas (which will throw a lifeline to visitors who may have lost their bearings). And be sure to modify your site map to reflect any new content. Speaking of new content, keep in mind that other Web sites may link to your pages. If your pages change, those links may cease to function, costing you incoming traffic and potentially annoying allied Web sites. If you move or remove content on your site, alert Web site managers so that they can keep their links functioning and up to date.

Navigation. One of the most important aspects of making your Web site easy to navigate is consistency. Once visitors have familiarized themselves with the navigation on your home page, subsequent pages should be similarly designed. Whatever style you choose, the appearance and location should be consistent page to page. Some suggestions for creating efficient navigation: Provide a link to your home page on each page of the site. If your pages are long, include navigation at the top and bottom of the pages so that when readers are done scrolling, they can easily go to their next page of choice. Place "back" buttons on each page. If you are presenting a series of related information, such as an article or manual broken up across several pages, provide a "next" and "last" link at the bottom of each page so the user can browse easily within the material.

Performance. You need to be assiduous about monitoring performance to ensure that, at any given time, your site is available to visitors and that your pages load quickly. There are plenty of ways to measure the performance of a site, and an increasing number of low-cost (or free) tools that can help. In particular, you want to be confident that your site is accessible; that your server (or servers) is responding properly to page requests; and that pages appear without delay. The key metrics here are downtime, response time, and download time.

Gauge the customer experience. Small businesses have specific challenges when it comes to customer service. After all, you probably don’t have the resources to provide a fully staffed call center or 24-hour support. You can overcome this challenge by proactively using the online medium. A thorough FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) page can answer basic questions that might otherwise result in a time-consuming phone call or email request. Provide real-time availability information, so customers know if a product is in stock before they’ve gone through the ordering process. A significant challenge of online shopping is the shopper's inability to see a product firsthand. Your site can bridge this gap by providing detailed product descriptions, including specs, requirements, and high-quality images where appropriate. (But remember, too many images on a page, or images that are too large, can bog down performance.)

Email is a quick and cost-effective method of communicating with your customers about their order. Confirmations put the customer at ease that their order was received and is being processed. To save time using email, you can create a general confirmation letter that is sent to all customers, personalizing it with their name. Provide a link to your customer service contact information in a prominent location so visitors don't have to go hunting for it. Otherwise, they might go to another site that offers them the help they feel they deserve. Provide quick turnaround on requests. If someone has a problem, address it quickly. The Web is an instantaneous environment, and many consumers deem it unacceptable to have to wait more than 24 hours for an answer to a customer service request.

Security. As you know, the Internet has witnessed more than its share of credit card fraud, identity theft, spoofing, hacking, and other forms of tampering with legitimate information. The result is that many Web users are in a deep state of distrust when it comes to supplying personal information or making business transactions on the Internet.

Digital certificates are used by many Web sites as a step toward accomplishing the goal of increased online safety and trust. Digital certificates are electronic files issued by a third-party certificate authority. They are tamper-proof and cannot be forged. Digital certificates are designed to accomplish two things: authenticate the holder and protect data in transit. You can purchase the digital certificate from a third-party certificate authority and place a seal on your site so that users know it is a secure site that offers encryption and safeguards their information. The registration and installation process for digital certificates is quick and easy, offering both you and your users peace of mind without costing a great deal of time, money, or resources. Go play in traffic. There are plenty of easy-to-use and affordable tools available online that let you monitor traffic on your site. You can view site traffic summaries, learn where traffic originates, and uncover traffic patterns. This is information you can use to your advantage – by, for example, improving the design and marketing of your Web site!

Conclusion A periodic “checkup” of your Web site is always a good idea. It helps you ascertain what’s in working order and what can be improved. Remember, too, that maintaining your site is an ongoing process, and one of its goals is to prevent any customer from ever getting lost or derailed. Staying vigilant, after all, is one of the best ways to ensure that your Web site is a winner. --reprinted from Symantec