When you put together your list of 2012 To Dos, I hope you will include a few items to upgrade your website. Let's face it, our blogs and websites are our first impression in this digital age. If your site is slow and outdated, you are missing out on potential clients. Here are three things to focus on in the new year.

Content Content Content

A steady supply of fresh, interesting content is the lifeblood of any good website or blog. You want to give people a reason to return. The best way to accomplish this is to setup an editorial calendar and plan out your blog posts. Make sure you set a realistic schedule, then stick to it! If January is your slow time of year, then spend a few days creating posts and stash them away to be published in future weeks. The calendar will help keep you on track. It is much easier to write a post when you already have the topic chosen -trust me on this one.

Image Upgrade

This is a big one for photographers. Surely you created some cool images in 2011, right? Then why not put them on your site? Take some time to day to browse through your site and choose the three weakest images. If you just can't decide, ask a friend for their advice. Once you have selected the bottom three, remove them and replace them with three of your favorite images from 2011. Just doing a minor change like this will help to keep your site from collecting cobwebs. You just have to make the time to do it.

Visit Websites

Take some time to visit other photoraphy websites and see what they are doing. If they have a blog, be sure to leave a comment on one of their posts. Often times, the site owner will return the favor and visit your site. It is also one of the best ways of getting your name out there in the community. Just make sure you leave a comment that contributes to the conversation.

If you come across a photographer that you really admire, offer to interview them on your blog. It can be a great learning experience for you and provide interesting content that will bring visitors to your website.

Set Goals

Take some time to review what you did right and wrong last year with your promotion. Decide what you can do better this year and write it down. Post it on your computer or near your desk as a reminder. Remember that a few small changes can add up to a big change, so don't discount the small goals.