When you run an online home-based business, your web site is more than simply a company location. It's also your primary source of advertising and marketing. If you've noticed that sales are lagging or if you're simply looking for ideas for a site you're building, the following five tips can help you boost revenue and develop an even more successful web presence.

1) Stress Your UPS

In this case, UPS isn't referring to the delivery company. Instead, it stands for Unique Positioning Statement and it's one of the most important ingredients of your business. Your UPS is basically a statement of what sets you apart from your competition.

Think of it as an answer to the question: Why should I do business with you? You may choose to focus on service, price, or any other special feature of your business that would appeal to customers. Whichever feature you choose should be stressed in all your web site's content. Don't shy away from telling others what sets you apart.

2) Add Interactivity

Consumers are shying away from passive activities where they just sit and watch. Instead, they want to be a part of the action, so you need to give your potential customers several ways to participate at your site.

Possibilities include message boards, polls, chat rooms, and surveys. By adding these types of elements, you are giving visitors more of a reason to stick around, to return, and to recommend your site to their friends.

3) Stress Your Credibility

No one wants to buy a product from someone they don't trust, so building a sense of credibility with your site is crucial to your success. You can accomplish this in a number of ways:

• Adding an "About Us" section
• Providing complete contact information
• Offering a money back guarantee

These methods work for several reasons. An "About Us" section allows visitors to get a picture of who they will be doing business with while the contact information gives them the security of knowing they can reach someone in case there is a problem.

Furthermore, the guarantee expresses your confidence in your product and that confidence is contagious. Testimonials, client lists, and awards are also effective for building credibility.

4) Test Everything

The problem with most unsuccessful business owners is that they jump right in to things without ever taking the time to test their site, their product, their layout, even their links. The result is that too much money is spent on things that do not work.

Any changes you make to your site need to be tested before being adopted permanently. For example, if you change your headline on your home page, compare your sales for the week of the change and the previous week.

If the numbers drop or stay about the same, go back to the drawing board. If the numbers go up, check one more week's sales numbers and if the numbers are still high, you may have a winner.

5) Provide Reasons to Return

While it may only take a visitor to your site once trip to make a purchase, you want to give them reasons to come back. Otherwise, how will they know when you add new products? The key is to continue to update your site, perhaps with articles or news, that may be of interest to your target audience.

If your site becomes one of your visitor's primary resources for the latest information on a subject they are interested in, you can be sure they will bookmark your site and come back frequently.

Also consider having a mailing list. A mailing list will allow visitors to provide you with their email addresses so that you can send them notifications of updates, specials, and changes to the site including ads and marketing materials for new products. These email messages will also provide them with a reason to come back.

When you do business online, your web site takes the place of your sales force. If it's not pulling in the numbers you had hoped for or if you've seen your numbers going down recently, you need to evaluate your site and decide where changes can and should be made.

Content, layout, graphics, even navigation all play a role in the success, or failure, of your site and your company. Don't let a small problem with your web site become the reason you go out of business.