When working to boost the effectiveness of any online marketing initiative, it's vital to continually tweak the campaign. This involves many issues somewhat removed from the website itself, such as keyword selection and bidding strategies for paid search. It is also imperative to zero in on the site itself and find ways to make it better from a conversion perspective.

There is a very limited window of opportunity to capture someone's attention once they arrive at a website. Below are several strategies for improving website performance for business-to-business and business-to-consumers sites.

1. Invite the prospect to reach out to you – multiple times – throughout the site. A visitor should never have to search for phone numbers or email addresses. Give them an incentive to share their contact information with you (like a newsletter sign-up or a meaningful discount). Even if they don't become an immediate customer, you will be better-positioned when they are ready to make a purchasing decision. One way to justify the investment associated with paid search marketing is the long-term benefit of compiling a database of individuals who arrived on your site via a search that they actually initiated.

2. Text for the sake of text can cloud your message. Revisit the website copy and make sure it appropriately aligns with your objectives. Remember, product/program features are good but benefits are better. This is straight out Selling 101, but these basic lessons are sometimes lost online. A "brochure" site is fine, but there must be a compelling message conveyed along the way.

3. Evaluate the graphics on the site. Do the images paint the picture that you are seeking to create for a prospect? Pictures or images don't have to be expensive to be effective. Figure out the degree to which the images on the site further a cause.

4. Whenever possible, incorporate client lists, case studies and testimonials into the website. Although people feel much more comfortable purchasing online than they did a few years ago, it doesn't mean they will chose to buy something from you. Do a better job of establishing credibility and client successes and there is a greater likelihood of securing a new customer.

5. Check out competitors' sites and assess the user experience there. Put yourself in the shoes of prospective customers and figure out where they feel most comfortable. Look for sites that have a more polished, benefits-driven approach. Don't copy your competitors, but learn from the way they present themselves. Incorporate all the best ideas from those sites.

When an individual clicks onto your site, they are hoping you will be able to provide them with the information they are seeking. In most instances, they are receptive to performing some kind of action step as well. Whether that occurs or they hit the back button (and try their luck with the next site on the search result list), they will be largely guided by the user experience they encounter.