The time has long passed when having just any old website — one that never changes or improves — passes muster with buyers.

Today, your website is the primary way potential clients and customers will find out about your business. How well it looks, works and communicates your business or product message can mean the difference between making a sale and losing out to a competitor.

With the New Year here, maybe it’s time to take a fresh look at your website, and make sure it’s presenting your company in the best, most effective light possible.

Sometimes you can make simple, basic changes to increase the chance that once a reader finds you’re page, they’ll stick around. The longer you can hold someone’s interest, the the more apt they are to buy!

Did you know it takes about 10 seconds for a person to decide to stay on or leave a site? Make sure your site design isn’t driving people away.

This article, 5 Ways to Build a Better Website, offers some practical advice for upping your readability factor. You might be surprised to find, that the snazziest websites aren’t always the best.

In fact, the article advises against use Flash programs or Splash pages on a website. Studies have shown a site can lose up to one-fourth of potential readers who encounter a splash page, the article explains.

Inc. Magazine has listed a very comprehensive guide if you’re looking to do a more top-to-bottom review of your website. In Building a Better Website, the guide walks you through analytics monitoring, finding the perfect web host, increasing sales, blogging, customer service tips and more.

Take a look through these articles and you’re website will be in top shape in no time.

Here’s to a prosperous New Year!