An independent audit of your web portal can turn up a host of problems and opportunities — and many people are finding an outside audit is one of the best investments they can make in their online marketing and information systems.

An audit should give you answers to a number of critical questions:

o   Does my site “work” on all or most browser versions and all computers?

o   Is my site optimized for maximum search engine exposure?

o   Does the site invite interaction with users and repeat visits that further the cause?

o   Am I gathering and using useful information about visitors and my site?

o   Am I breaking usability rules and thus frustrating or losing visitors?

o   Is my site optimized for maximum download time?

o   If the site is integrated with other media (such as direct mail) does that integration work for me or against me?

o   Just as one would not ask an accounting department to audit its own work, it is imprudent to ask your web designer to conduct an audit. Luckily, there are a number of well-regarded consultants who offer audits or usability studies with Jakob Nielsen probably being the best known of these.