If you've ever been involved with planning website improvements, you know how hard it can be to decide what action to take. You've heard great potential lies in social media, adding product reviews to your site and search engine optimization (SEO) but which is the best to pursue? Luckily, estimating and measuring performance improvements is easy when you look at the numbers. Today, Big Picture Web brings you a special website planning worksheet that's sure to empower you to correctly select the big ticket items on your next web project.

Website Planning 101

When measuring performance improvements on an individual's or business' website, you can only do three things:

1. Acquire visitors to your site
2. Engage them with your message
3. Convince them to do business with you

That said, the website planning worksheet is a tool that measures performance improvements in these areas. All the math comes baked in. Just enter your website's information, estimate your various improvements and evaluate the relative results. And it's a Google Doc so you can go here to view it and then keep a free copy to use forever and ever.

Measuring Performance Improvements Made Easy

To use the website planning worksheet, you'll need a few numbers. Plug them into the spreadsheet into only cells with gray backgrounds. Gather your website's averages for monthly traffic, goal conversion and goal value (if you don't have them, again, feel free to read up on setting and measuring online goals). Next, do some research to estimate what the various improvements you've identified will do for your business. Plug these numbers into the website planning worksheet as well. Planning, estimating and measuring performance improvements is the best way to prepare for any efforts towards your website. Let's see a few examples of how this might look.

Website Planning Worksheet Example 1:

A small blog convinces about 2% of average visitors to download a whitepaper on expert content the author has created. The author has just read an exciting usability book like Don't Make Me Think by Steve Krug and wants to do a usability overhaul to improve her conversion rate by perhaps as much as 83%. Plug in the numbers and volia. (click on the image to access your copy of the spreadsheet)

Website Planning Worksheet Example 2:

A medium-sized business has 200,000 visitors a month. Its stakeholders feel the site offers great products and services and want to pursue search engine optimization (SEO) to get more visitors to the site. They know through research peformed on sites like SEOmoz that more of their market will find them, helping them improve their overall revenue. Thank you, website planning worksheet (and SEOmoz).

Website Planning Worksheet Example 3:

A small business begins a rewards loyalty program to increase customer engagement They offer more value to their customer, and in return increase the average order value on their website.

Website Planning, in Summary

So there you have it. Use the website planning worksheet to estimate the potential benefit. Then be sure you're measuring performance improvements as you implement your most promising enhancements. Leave your comments below if you're able to get some use out of the website planning worksheet.

(Note: Website project results will vary on many factors. The Website Planning Worksheet is a tool and a resource but does not guarantee success. Of course, you can always contact me if you want my two cents or assistance on any projects you're working on).