Well, it's that time of year again, a time to look back and assess the strengths and weaknesses of your website and set goals for next year. With the ever increasing rise of internet popularity, 2008 will be as important as ever.

Get to Know your Customer

It's time to learn more about who is visiting your site and what they are doing once they arrive. This information is essential for determining how well your website is performing. Installing Google Analytics is a great free and simple way to obtain information about your site visitors. Google Analytics provides information on:

-How many visitors came to your site

-The amount of time your visitors spent on the site

-Number of pages viewed

-Bounce rate(aka how many people left your site immediately after they arrive)

Optimize your Site for Search Engine Consumption

Your sites ability to be found on today's popular search engines such as Google and Yahoo is of the upmost importance. What's the point of having a fabulous website, if no one can find it? There are many ways to improve your sites search engine optimization, a few of these are:

-The addition of content rich minipages

-Appropriate use of alt, H1, and title tags

-Focus on primary keyword sets

-Syndication of an RSS feed to your domain(back linking)

Keep your Content Up to Date

Continually update your sites content. Fresh and relevant content will keep your customers interested and coming back for more. If your site includes outdated pictures and information, it doesn't reflect well upon your company's image. Some key areas to watch out for in regards to outdated content are:

-The "About Us" page

-Your contact information

-External or internal page links

-Images

Start Blogging

A good way to include new and relevant content is by implementing a blog. A blog provides a great medium for introducing fresh content, and will also increase your sites search engine rankings by creating quality back links. A blog is also a good way to position you or your company as an authority in a specific field or industry niche.

Consult a Professional

One of the best ways to improve your websites productivity is to hire a professional. If you're unsure about where to start improving your site or if you have a great deal of questions, hiring a professional may be well worth your investment.