Determine why.....

Take a look at each web sites meta tags in view source function in your browser. You can view source code of any open web site in your browser by selecting "Source" in "View" function of Internet Explorer or "Page Source" in "View" function of Netscape.

Examine keywords, description, and title that your competitor is using in their meta tags and see how your own meta tags compare (you do use meta tags don't you??).

Do you need to fine tune your meta tags in order to increase your chances of ranking higher with search engines, then do so. This activity alone will bring your more targeted traffic.

How does your web sites sales copy compare to your competitors. Chances are that your larger competitors are using benefit rich sales copy. Fine tune your web site sales copy to address how your product or service will be about helping your customer get what they want and need.

How about design of your competitors web site? You can learn more about what is more attractive and compelling to your customer by comparing your web design to that of your competitors. For example... is your web site easy to navigate? Do you have a consistent focus on one or two products/services? Do you have a web site that is cluttered with gyrating banners for unrelated products/services?

Does your competitors web site offer more online payment options than you do? Are they easier to use? Do they send an automatic thank you with each order?

What about customer service? Does your competitor follow up with their customers to determine their level of satisfaction? Do they offer real time online customer support?

What about price? Where is your pricing compared to your competitor?

How about added value? Does your competitor offer more to customer with purchase of their product/service? For example, a guarantee, a bonus, or a trial version.

How much advertising does your competitor do and where? To find this out, simply search Internet using your competitors web site name, or product name to find out where else they are linked to.

***Keep in mind above suggestions do not suggest or encourage copying any web site, web site copy, or HTML code from your competitor's web site. There are copyright laws that protect us all from this kind of activity. You can use information obtained from your Internet searches for ideas on how to improve your own web site only.

This is no different from how bricks & mortar businesses gather their market research information about their competitors when they send employees out to "Shop" their competitors stores and buy their services and products.... glaring difference is that Internet Marketers can gather all information they need from a larger number of competitors in a fraction of time it would take offline business to do so.

This is a wonderful time to be in business on Internet, and if you have not taken time to do your market research, then stop everything you are doing to promote your business and focus on accomplishing three steps above.

By doing so... you will gain customers and gain on your competitors in market share.

Good Luck Online.

* More and more merchants are integrating their physical store locations and their Websites, so that two aren't separate selling points for company, but rather work together to make profits. These kinds of systems lead to more sales and greater customer satisfaction.

* Innovative businesses are combining power of Internet with ease and popularity of television to create new interactive media. With these systems, a person who is watching TV can use a wireless mouse to find out more about a product that he or she sees, including how much it costs and closest place to buy it, all based upon viewer's individual information and location.

These examples help show that future of Internet is going to be based upon innovative ways that it is combined with media with which we are already familiar. As business "entrepreneurs," we should keep a close eye on these kinds of developments, so that we don't get left behind.