Internet Explorer 8 (IE8), released in March 2009, is the latest Web browser from Microsoft. At this point, many people already have received an automatic update from Microsoft. With new security features, "accelerators" meant to save you time and faster performance, this sounds like a good thing.

The only problem is that this brand new Web browser causes a lot of old Web sites to break. Web developers have long coded around Microsoft's quirky browser settings. The newest version is a lot less quirky - a good thing, long-term - but this means all that special code may backfire. Microsoft knows this, which is why they added a compatibility button. They tell you to use this if a Web site isn't "lined up right." Parts of your Web site may be misaligned or overlap or entire sections could be hidden. Interactive features like drop-down menus may not work properly, or text formatting may be wildly inconsistent.

The problem is that you have no control over whether people use this compatibility button for your company's site. Besides, do you really want a prospect's first impression to be that your site is so old, you have to use a compatibility setting to make it display properly?

The bottom line ¦ if you haven't checked out your Web site in IE8, you need to do so right away. Be sure to test out anything interactive, and take a look at each page. Check it out with Windows Vista and Windows XP, as our Web site tests have found sites sometimes display differently depending on which version of Windows you are running.

If everything looks good, thank your developer for building a "standards compliant site" that is holding up well as technology evolves.

For the rest of you: This probably means your site is a few years old, and there may be other ways your site is showing its age. Here are some of the changes in Web technology over the past few years. Maybe it's time for something new?

Honey, I shrunk

the Web site

Monitors have grown in size dramatically over the last decade, and Web sites have grown to take advantage of the increase in screen real estate. A few years ago, most developers built Web sites that were 600 to 750 pixels wide (and even narrower in the years prior to that); today, a 900 pixel-wide site is common, and some are even wider. Any time you see a really skinny site, it's a sign that site was built years ago.

You may notice some sites are stretchy, automatically widening to fill your screen size. This is also a trend from a few years ago that fizzled out after widescreen monitors turned paragraphs of text into odd-looking single lines stretched across a page. It turned out that a little stretchiness was slick, but too much was hard to read and didn't look so hot. High-end sites such as Amazon, Yahoo! and eBay stretch a bit but not infinitely. The rest are built to a set or "fixed" width in the 850 to 1000 pixel range.

You oughta be

in pictures

A Web site that has no movement whatsoever is another mark of an older or inexpensive site. A few years ago, Flash (that cool technology that does fade-in/fade-out picture effects so well) was the mark of a high-end site. Today, video is so prevalent that the touch of movement Flash brings is almost a necessity. Static sites that lack motion seem dull because we are accustomed to more.

Whether you use video or Flash, be sure it has a purpose that is aligned with your Web site goals. If you slap in a generic Flash animation for the sake of having it, it will feel slapped in instead of being tightly integrated with your site and your Web strategy. A picture is worth 1,000 words; well-executed video or Flash can be worth even more, so make the most of this flexible technology.

Keeping it fresh

With a number of excellent content management systems available, there's no excuse for having outdated information on your site. Content management is built behind the scenes of your Web site to allow changes, usually to the main section of each page. Features vary, but the overall purpose is to empower you to maintain your site yourself, capturing news and changes to your business.

It will take some extra time to install this on your site when it's built, but if you plan to make changes regularly, which you should, it's worth the extra investment.

It's all about

who knows you

With social media sites continuing to boom, a well-executed social networking strategy can drive substantial traffic to your site. Not up to speed? Hire a Web-savvy college intern. A good strategy will take into account your target market and where they live online. Keep the message informative, useful and authentic. Spamming social media sites will only hurt you.

Will you marry me?

How do you engage your visitors? The "brochure" Web site is still a popular choice for small businesses, but all it does is tell visitors what you do. Visitors expect more. This can be simple, like a newsfeed, regular blog postings or an e-newsletter, or it can be more sophisticated, with features such as Webinars, online assessments or calculators, customer portals and polls.

The challenge is two-fold: All these features cost more to create, and they take a substantial investment of time to keep fresh. That brochure Web site may be simple, but it was basically "set it and forget it." Now, the bar is raised.

And that's not all

Consider location awareness to show your visitor stores closest to them automatically. Go mobile with an iPhone application, or app. Integrate your business systems with your Web site to accept online payments or create a customer portal. The sky's the limit. If your Web site is broken today, celebrate! This is an opportunity to move into the future with a new site that engages your customers and brings you new business.

Wendy Gauntt is president of CIO Services LLC, a technology consulting company that specializes in small business solutions. Visit her Web site at www.cioservicesllc.com for more information, ideas and free resources. Copyright © 2009 CIO Services LLC