Automobiles. Airplanes. Television. Rock 'n' roll. The Internet. Hopefully, you caught the thread that runs through all these cultural phenomena. At some point in the early days of their development, some pundit predicted their imminent demise, insisting that they'd never make it.

Well, next time you're listening to the Stones in your car on the way to the airport after checking the Weather Channel's latest report, consider how integral the Internet will be in your life (if it isn't already).

The Internet, if you've been away for a while and haven't noticed, is quietly planting strong roots all over our society. Most businesses realize that they need a presence of some kind on the Internet, even if they're not quite sure why. Your Uncle Lester probably has a personal home page with pictures of him and his dog on vacation. And every time someone like Peter Jennings asks viewers to read more about a story on the ABC Web site, the Internet gains mainstream credibility.

It's a law of nature that where the people go, the marketers go. As a result, a reliable indicator of the Internet's growth is the money spent on Web advertising. And those numbers are very surprising, according to an article in The April 13th, 1998, issue of Internet World magazine.

In 1996, marketers spent $267 million advertising on the Web.

In 1997, marketers spent $900 million advertising on the Web.

Don't bother with the calculators. Online ad revenue more than tripled over one year.

Combine that with the fact recently cited in the country's newspapers that traffic on the Internet doubles every 100 days, and it's clear that this new medium isn't going the way of horses and buggy whips.

At @marillo Globe-News Online, we are witness every month to the explosive growth of the Internet in the Panhandle area. In February 1998 our site received 609,870 page views. Exactly a year ago, the total was just 94,000 page views.

The point implicit here is one you've no doubt already heard: The Internet is the future. But the truth is that the Internet is now. It's no longer a novelty or a toy; it's an immediate source of limitless information for the consumer, and a vast expanse of effective marketing opportunities for business. Right here, right now.

And the trend will continue. In the very near future, the Internet will be as easily accessible as a television program. You want to know the movie times, how your stock is doing or whether that sweater comes in blue? Consult your computer, which will be connected 24 hours a day to the Internet, just like your TV is connected to cable.

When the Internet is as easy and quick to use as a TV set or telephone, it will have established itself indelibly as a part of all our lives. And that day is just around the proverbial corner. But don't take that as a prosphesy of doom. Take it for what it is: good news representing a wonderful opportunity.

The times, they definitely are a-changin'. And remember who wrote those words - Mr. Dylan's still around winning Grammys, even after he went electric.

There are two worlds: the real world, where you have house payments and back pains and whining kids, and the online world, where everyone is beautiful and well-proportioned and the neighborhood hardware store can look as big as Builder's Square.

When promoting your Web site, it is important to remember both worlds. Consider the fact that most normal people spend 90% of their time in the offline world, and you can see the importance of telling people about your site through more traditional means.

Register a Personal URL

The most important step in offline promotion is acquiring your own URL or, as some people know it, domain name.

Remember the early days of the Web. You'd see people's Web address from time to time, and it would be some unruly morass of letters like

http://www.hobokenonline.com/userspages/~somethinsomethin/bobshouseofboots.html

As ugly as that is, it's still better than what it represents. Each Web site has a numerical address like 195.201.162.1. Through domain names, we can give sites a more intuitive address that has many obvious benefits.

First of all, it's easy to remember. If your business name is House of Enchiladas, and you tell someone over the phone that they can read all about you at houseofenchiladas.com, it's going to stick with them.

Second, a personalized domain name is easy to print, and less prone to mistakes. Your domain name should be everywhere, and a short, to-the-point name will serve you well.

Third, it allows people to visit your site simply by guessing. If you want to visit the Amarillo Globe-News Online (please do!), our address is amarillonet.com. But we have also registered amarilloglobenews.com, because we realize that as people become more experienced with the Web, they know that quite often a business' name is its Web address.

Fourth, having a personal domain name increases your chances of getting listed on directories like Yahoo!. With a personal domain name, you're viewed as more serious about your Web site; the assumption is that your site will be of higher quality than one with a longer name.

And finally, a personal domain name just looks really cool. It tells the world that you know what you're doing, and that you're not a newbie.

How Do You Get One?

Getting a domain name is easy. You can do it yourself, but it's better to have an Internet Service Provider or Web consultant do it, for one reason: before you can have a domain name, you have to have access to a name server that will host the domain name.

In other words, you can't just buy a domain name without having any place to put it. That's not to say that your Web site has to be ready to go before you can have a domain name; it just means that you have to have a name server to put it on, and there aren't many people with a name server sitting around in their garage.

It is important to register a domain name for your business as soon as possible, even if you don't yet have a Web site. Unless you're quite sure that your business name is so unique that nobody would ever want it, you might find that the name you want is taken by the time you get around to registering it.

You can basically have any name that isn't taken, but names are being snatched up every day. Also, there are no rules regarding corporate name and trademarks. Someone can take your business' name as their Web address, and all you can hope to do is buy it from them...and people aren't always nice in situations like that. It's smart to plan now.

Justin Shumaker works in the New Media department of the Amarillo Globe-News. He can be reached at 345-3467 or online at amarillonet.com via the Internet.

Last Month, Revisited

Allow me to clarify a point I made last month about page counters. I stated that page counters often detract from a site's design and may otherwise affect your site's image: if the number is small, your site looks unpopular, and if it's huge, you may look disingenuous.

Nonetheless, it is extremely important for you to monitor your site's traffic. A solution is to make sure the host of your Web site provides you with regular traffic reports. They'll be more detailed and accurate. And if you still feel you need a counter, place a small, text-based counter inconspicuously on the page.

Next month, I'll talk more about domain names, including cost and how to choose an appropriate address. Also, I'll discuss more ways of promoting your Web site offline.

In my last column I placed you squarely on the edge of your seat with a promise: "Next month," I said, "I will give you simple details on how to run a successful e-mailing list."

It's been 30 long days, and you look uncomfortable sitting there like that, so let's get to it.

If you remember, I reminded you last month of the importance of having a Web site worth visiting to ensure online success. If it is an empty digital sales pitch worth visiting only once, your online venture will return void.

The best way to attract traffic is to provide useful content that changes regularly. An easy way to accomplish this is by sharing your knowledge in your field with your Web site visitors.

Every week or so, you can tap your experience and skills with a fresh online article. Customize the following example to fit your business: "Big [your name here]'s Weekly [your area of expertise here] Rantings".

Because you are an expert, you can expect that many will want to read "Big Jim's Rototiller Rantings."

With weekly content and a potential audience in hand, your next step is to find a method of delivery. An electronic mailing list can do wonders.

An e-mail list is voluntary, so you don't anger people with "spam." It's instant, so you can reach people when you want. And it's an enticement to visit your site, making it successful.

To set up an e-mail list, you'll need the following: a Web site; some spare time; and the Microsoft Outlook Express e-mail program.

Now, I'm not connected with Microsoft, if you don't count my Uncle Bill. But I have found that Outlook Express has features that make e-mail list maintenance easy. Your favorite e-mail application may do the things I detail here. If so, go for it.

Place conspicuously on your Web site an announcement telling visitors what your e-mail list is (a regular feast of relevant information), what they'll get from being a member (knowledge, tips, perhaps discounts or prizes) and what you won't do with their e-mail address (sell it or trade it).

Provide a link to your e-mail address that those interested can click on. If you maintain your own site, you can add this code into the e-mail link to give the e-mail a specific subject:

This little code means that when someone clicks on the link and sends you an e-mail, it will have this exact subject: "Subscribe Me to Your List!"

In Outlook Express, click on the icon in the left column that says "Contacts." Click next on the "Mailing List" icon. This creates an untitled mailing list as a subfolder of your "Contacts" folder. Name it "Weekly Mailing List Recipients" or something equally descriptive.

Now, when you receive an e-mail from people who clicked on the mailing list subscription link, you'll know it by the subject of the e-mail ("Subscribe Me to Your List!"). You can then manually add their name to your mailing list.

You can also use the Outlook Express "Mail Rules" function so that whenever you receive such an e-mail, the sender's address will automatically be added to the mailing list. For a brief tutorial on this, look here:

http://www.amarillonet.com/tutorials/mailinglist.html

Once you've compiled a mailing list, you need only click once on the list icon, then click "Mail to:." Fill the e-mail body with your wisdom, click "Send Now," and you have successfully e-mailed your thoughts and advice.

Some tips once you're up and running:

• Don't put an entire article in each mailing. Include enough to interest people, then provide a link to your site where they can find the rest. This will bring traffic to your site, where you can offer them much more.
  
• Provide instructions in each mailing detailing how people can unsubscribe from your list.
  
• Offer a reason - discounts, prizes and exclusive offers - for people to join the list other than regular information.
  
• Keep your e-mails in plain text. Many of today's programs let you customize your e-mail with graphics, backgrounds and color. That may be swell for sending the Christmas letter to Aunt Ruth, but many people don't have the time or the latest software to view these fancy documents. Save the graphics and colors for your site.
  
• Encourage recipients to e-mail you with questions or suggestions. An e-mail list is a form of community, and the more you encourage interaction, the more likely you are to build customer relationships which will benefit you and your faithful followers.
  

There is no shortage of warnings on the Internet. Take a quick gander at your e-mail, and you'll see:

WARNING! Hackers are hunkered down in dark basements with sophisticated equipment intercepting your credit card numbers like so many unsuspecting salmon swimming upstream.

WARNING! The "Happy Fun Times" virus is spreading across the Internet. The "Happy Fun Times" virus will eat your hard drive, your pants and your dog. Beware the "Happy Fun Times" Virus.

WARNING! Slobovian Nationalists are invading the country to steal your kidneys!

Warnings like this often prey on Internet users' distrust of their own technological and societal knowledge; "If it's in my e-mail box, it must be true," they say.

Well, let us set the record straight.

Security on the Internet has progressed to the point that it is very, very difficult for someone to steal your personal information, if you are using a secure browser on a secure site. How do you know if you're secure? Look in the lower left corner of your browser. Is the little padlock closed? If so, you're alright.

At this point in the development of the Internet, the rule of thumb with online transactions is this: if you know and trust the people behind the Web site, buy all you want and don't worry. In other words, Barnes & Noble's Web site is most likely as secure as Fort Knox. Bill's Book Barn in Walla Walla, Wash.? Probably not a good bet.

As far as viruses go, you cannot get a virus on your hard drive simply by reading an e-mail. Here are the facts, straight from the alt.comp.virus list of frequently asked questions:

"Any file virus can be transmitted as an E-mail attachment. However, the virus code has to be executed before it actually infects."

In other words, you have to run the file that's attached before the bad stuff can happen. So if you get an e-mail claiming to have infected your computer, don't panic. Just delete any e-mails with attachments from someone you don't know.

And all the talk about kidney stealers? That, along with the Neiman-Marcus cookie recipe and the chain letter about the little girl whose dying wish is to receive e-mail from you, is just not true. They're "urban legends", the ghost stories of the late '90s.

Want some fun? Take a look at

http://urbanlegends.miningco.com/

You can read about the kidney stealers, the baby spiders, the virus hoaxes and whether or not Bill Gates is the devil.

Despite all my words of comfort, wise Internet users shouldn't let their guard down totally. There are some warnings you should heed ... such as this one.

There is a cadre of nefarious types out there who are lying in wait to steal your money when you attempt to register a domain name, that all-important designation by which people access your Web site.

Currently, there is one company that has exclusive authority to grant you a domain name. It's called Network Solutions, and its Web site is at:

http://www.internic.net.

But some wise guys, perhaps students of human nature, have set up a Web site at

http://www.internic.com.

They claim to "take all the hassle out of the domain name registration puzzle" - all for a healthy fee on top of what InterNIC charges.

The problem with that is that the InterNIC registration process isn't really that much of a hassle. Also, despite their legalese disclaimer, the folks at internic.com are obviously hoping to intercept those who don't know better and extract a profit from their lack of knowledge. And in our book, that's plain wrong.

So what are today's lessons? Go to internic.net to register domain names. Avoid internic.com. Don't believe everything you see in your inbox.

OK. Let's say you're a forward-thinking individual. You've decided that simply having a Web site isn't enough, and you're ready to put that site to work by promoting it. "Visitors through promotion" has become your mantra, and you're committed to putting your Web address in front of anyone who'll look.

Before the flood of traffic comes calling, take a look around your Web site. Is it ready for company?

You should concern yourself with two issues when preparing your Web site for visitors. The first is content, and the second is the presentation of that content.

Have content

First, a word about content: HAVE SOME. Try to make your Web site more useful than just being an online brochure. Make your Web site a place people will want to revisit.

Give people a quick how-to if you're a service-oriented business. Offer a tip or factoid. Do something to lend the appearance of giving, not just selling.

In general, Web users love free stuff, even if it's just information, and they hate the hard sell. It will benefit you to have a charitable attitude regarding the content your Web site provides.

Organize the site

When you have all your content and information together, make sure it's well-organized. Each page of your Web site should deal with one single broad topic or product or service.

Next, update your site regularly. You will likely lose customers forever if they visit your site on more than one occasion only to find it exactly as it was the last time they were there.

Finally, make sure you take advantage of the two-way nature of the Internet by putting your e-mail address in prominent, preferably static locations throughout your site.

List of annoyances

After looking at countless Web sites, I and my intrepid colleagues have amassed a list of common Web site "features" that are annoyances, not enhancements.

First, beware of blinking text. It is hard to read, its liberal use gives a kind of second-class air to your site, and it can even render illegible some of the normal text that follows.

Second, rid your site of the ubiquitous "Web Site Under Construction" logos. Here's a secret to share with your friends: ALL Web sites are under construction. That's the beauty of the medium.

Third, avoid an over-reliance on common clip art. There are graphics and borders and other little blinking, spinning things that we have seen on (roughly) 157 different Web sites, and they look equally poor on each site.

And that brings me to my fourth annoyance: page counters. Unless you have a sentimental attachment to your counter, you should consider losing it. Why? First, counters rarely coordinate with the design of a Web site, adding to a site's disjointed feel; second, they're just another graphic to load (all those kilobytes add up quickly); third, they often don't work; and fourth, who cares?

Your site has now been scrubbed to a shine and you're ready for company.

If you're a regular reader of this column (thanks, mom!), you know that one of my mottos, other than "Never let a monkey drive you home," is this: If you want people to visit your Web site, make sure there's something there worth visiting.

The best way to ensure that your site has a purpose is by providing content. Actually, considering that a picture of you and your cat visiting the Grand Tetons could strictly be considered "content", let me revise that. You need to provide valuable, practical content.

Here at the Amarillo Globe-News Online, we don't have a content problem. Our need for content is satisfied by the fact that every day, people in Amarillo do things, legal or not, that other people want to know about. A reporter writes it, we put it online, and just like that, we have valuable content that draws people.

But do you, Mr./Mrs./Ms. Businessperson, have content that will keep people coming back? Does your site change regularly, or has it been the same since the first Clinton administration? Are you providing people with valuable info, or a big digital sales pitch?

If you're in business, it's likely that you know something. Maybe you know exactly which peppers make chile rellenos a divine experience. Maybe you know how to find the best mortgage rate. Maybe you know the right time to plant marigolds.

The point is, you're an expert in your field. You can draw upon your knowledge to give your site's visitors something of use. Perhaps you can benefit from this information sharing, as well.

So let's say you know enough about your field that you could put together a weekly column of tips, advice, how-to's or simple thoughts. Now, how do you get people to read it?

A great way is to start an e-mail list. Somewhere on your site, you can have a way for people to sign up to receive your pearls of wisdom in their inbox. Because visitors are choosing to place their name on your list, you will not run the risk of being labeled a "spammer." It is also a good idea to assure people that their e-mail address will not be sold, traded, or used for any purpose other than your weekly mailings.

So someone comes to your site and sees a link that says "Click here to receive 'Big Jim's Weekly Rototiller Rantings' via e-mail." They click, they sign up. Each week (or whatever regular interval you choose), they receive your e-mail newsletter detailing the finer points of rototiller technology and methods.

So what goes in this weekly e-mailing? You can include a complete column, or you can put a sizeable introduction with a link to your site for the full story. This will drive traffic to your site, and once people are there, you can present them with more information.

You can also include brief marketing messages, such as sales, new products, and other items relating to your business. Another good idea is to solicit questions from readers that you can answer in the next e-mail.

If you do it right, an e-mail newsletter will benefit you by reminding people of your site, and reinforcing your image as an expert.

Since they requested your mailing, you'll be talking to people who are likely to be receptive to your message. Before long, an e-mail list such as this will build up relationships with readers who may become lifelong customers. You're giving away a little information with the chance for a big return.

Does all this sound good? Putting it together is easier than you might think. Next month, I will give you simple details on what software you need (hint: it's free and you probably already have it) and what skills you need (hint: they're free and you may already have them) to run a successful e-mail list.

The headlines hit the stands in early July: "Search engines lag behind." "Search engines fail to keep up with Internet." "Search engines stink like last week's goulash."

To the Internet user, this was second-hand news.

If you have tried the Internet lately, you may suspect that the "needle in a haystack" proverb seems preferable.

Scientists at the NEC Research Institute got paid to mess around on their computers and they discovered what we already figured:

• The World Wide Web contains (as of this writing) 800 million pages.
• The most complete search engine, Northern Light, indexes only about one-sixth of what's out there.
• The three largest search sites (Yahoo, Excite and Lycos) ranked at the bottom of the list for percentage of coverage. Do you "Yahoo!"? If so, it's with only 7.4 percent of the available Web pages.
• The top 11 search engines chronicle only 42 percent of the Web.
• Popular pages become more so, while new pages have more difficulty in being recognized.

Getting a new site or a modified existing site recognized by search engines can take six months or more.

So, why cannot search engines improve?

There are a few theories, but most likely is that the Internet is growing too fast for technology to keep pace. Experts say maybe in 10 or 20 years growth will slow, technology will catch up and we'll be OK. Of course, in 10 or 20 years, we may all have search engine chips implanted in our cerebrums, rendering the point moot.

Another valid explanation is that search engine companies have lost interest in completeness. The name of the online game today is portals, all-in-one sites where you can find news, stock quotes, jokes, recipes, Icelandic novels, and, oh yeah, you can do searches, too.

With their resources pointed more and more toward being übersites, it's no surprise that search engines are being left in the dust, like the Coyote when the Roadrunner (in this metaphor, the rapid growth of the Internet) turns on the afterburners. Beep, beep indeed.

So there's the bad news. Now, what does it mean to you, Mr. or Ms. OnlineBusinessperson?

First, it validates the saw that you can't rely on one communication form to get people to your Web site.

It may seem like a cliché, but it's still true. To succeed you can't hide your Web site. The big trumpet we've relied on has been muted, or proven to be a cheap toy bugle. Whichever metaphor you choose, it remains that you can't rely solely on search engines.

Even more vital, your Web site should be part of your larger marketing plan. Placing your URL everywhere you place your phone number is a good rule for starters.

Those in traditional advertising may say your URL wastes advertising space. If your site isn't worth visiting, they may have a point. But if your site is content-driven, advertising should be a given.

In essence, the search engine study tells us that your business is likely to be have an unlisted Internet number. Even if it is listed, you're subject to another trend: Savvy users eschew search engines and visit favorite sites. Often, they'll type your business name, www.yourbusinessname.com, and expect to find the site. If not, they may just give up.

Based on these ideas, you don't want to spend too much putting your name in a directory that's harder to get into than a country club.

Your energy should go toward placing your URL in the minds of your market so it's there when they need it.

This all seems like a big downer, right? Well, the study's bright spot is that pornography makes up only 1.5 percent of the Web's content. If the best search engine only catalogs one-sixth of what's out there, then the math shows that search engines will only give us .25 percent porn. Maybe the Internet's a nicer place than we've been told.

Just don't expect to find anything on it.

Ask any Web designer worth his weight in pixels and he or she will tell you that the overriding principle in Web design as of June 1999 should be speed. The people want what they want now. Don't make them wait.

There's a history to this attitude, but don't be surprised if it changes fairly soon.

If you're a fairly perceptive Web user, you may have noticed an ever-evolving trajectory in Web design that has gone something like this:

In the old days (oh, gosh, the early 90's), the Web was text-based. Geeks fired up Lynx and went link-crazy. The backgrounds were gray, the links were blue, and everyone rested well in blissful ignorance of what was to come.

After a while, the Web exploded in an acute fit of image-craziness. With the advent of Mosaic and Netscape, images became the stars of the Web, with text acting in a supporting role. (Paradoxically, this directly contradicted the ability of the equipment at the time-most folks had 14.4 modems, and yet Web page download times were increasing with unbridled enthusiasm.)

And along with the pictures, the more sophisticated and financially endowed Web sites went on a technology rampage, adding animation and sound and plug-in-requiring content by the truckload, never asking themselves if people wanted all this flash.

Then, the backlash came.

As people like your Aunt Edna jumped on the Web by the thousands, they became less patient with the waiting time. The geeks understood that this much data wasn't meant to travel through existing phone lines; however, Aunt Edna's frame of reference was TV and radio, where you don't have to wait 30 minutes for an episode of Matlock to download. You turn it on, it's there.

Back when Web pages consisted primarily of pictures of people's cats and lists of their favorite rock bands, this was okay. You're not out to earn anyone's business when your Web site contains pages and pages of amateur poetry.

But when you're using a Web site to make money, as even Aunt Edna is now doing with her crocheted Kleenex cozies, the user's experience holds great importance. And what was the user's main complaint? "It's too slow!"

So the battle cry, bolstered by market research, went forth: "Faster! Faster! If our users have to wait more than 5.78 seconds for our page to load, all is lost!"

And that brings us to where we are today.

Amateur pages still look like they did a few years ago, with horrid backgrounds and huge pictures and insipid "Under Construction" clip art.

But have you taken a look at the major search engines lately? How about the more popular online stores, like Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble? What you'll notice is that they all load quite quickly. But you may also observe a strange sense of ... sameness.

In today's realm of faster-is-better Web sites, we have reduced pages to the least common denominator, taking away all that is deemed extraneous, and therefore all that serves to identify.

Take a look at most major Web sites today, and you'll find that images have been reduced or removed, and in their place, colored tables and text are being used to sell a product or deliver a message. They're fast, sure, but do they excite? Do they set their company apart? Do they have personality?

Now, please don't misunderstand. I'd be a fool to say that speed doesn't matter. It does.

But I do believe that we will soon see another shift in Web design trends-a shift backwards or forwards, depending on your point of view. I predict (and this is on no way a bold prediction) that you'll notice a return to the use of graphics and additional technology (like Macromedia's Flash) on Web sites, and emphasis will be shifted from speed to completeness and quality of content. Why?

The first reason is advancing technology. With cable modems, DSL and the like, wait time is slowly dwindling as the Internet user's main complaint.

The second reason is that companies will begin to see that if they offer something users really want, users will wait for it.

As the Darwinian process runs its course, Web sites that don't measure up will fall by the wayside and the ones who can deliver will flourish because they make people happy. They will gain customers based on their reputation and performance, and as the customer's happiness and loyalty rises, so will his tolerance of waiting.

So what's the moral of the story?

Stay on top of the trends if you're in the Internet game for the long haul. Know your users' patience threshold, and for gosh sakes, work hard to provide services or content that people don't mind waiting for.

And finally, in your (altogether justified) exuberance to make your site faster, faster faster, be mindful that you don't engineer the personality right out of it.

"Click here." Familiar with those words? If you are at all familiar with the Web, you should be. Those words adorn the majority of the ubiquitous banner ads that populate the Web like weeds. (Or fragrant flowers, depending upon your point of view.)

Banner ads are the most common form of paid online promotion, and they make up the largest percentage of money spent on online marketing.

In general, banner ads are like small billboards placed in strategic locations within Web sites. They can be of many sizes, and are usually composed of words and graphics. Banner ads also are usually clickable, linked to the Web site that they are advertising.

Among the benefits of banner ads is their immense measurability. When you place a banner ad on a site, upon its completion you will (or should) receive a highly detailed report telling you all about your ad's run.

It will contain information such as how many times your ad was seen (called "ad impressions"), how many times people clicked on your ad (called "click-through's"), where your ad was when it was seen, and the dates and times of your ad's impressions and click-through's.

With all this information, it's easy to quickly, on an almost real-time basis, monitor the success of your campaign. What other medium of advertising offers that?

Another benefit is that you can target your ad to exactly the audience you want. By choosing Web sites which reach your customers, you cut down on waste; you can target even further by having your banner ad scheduled to reach users using certain computer operating systems, certain browsers, or who are visiting from specific regions.

Banner ads are also graphic-based, so you can easily use color, art and animation to emphasize your message.

The biggest drawback to banner advertising is its cost. Given all the free methods of promoting your site, it may seem like banner advertising is not important. However, if you're serious about establishing an online presence, banner advertising is the method that gives you the most control, measurability and, in many cases, results.

Where Should I Place Banner Ads?

The biggest factor in deciding on a Web site to advertise with is traffic. If a site doesn't get any more traffic than yours, paying them money to advertise your site is plain silly.

But traffic isn't enough; a site should have traffic that would be inclined to care about what you have to say. Advertise on sites that are relevant to your business, whether by content or region.

And remember that your business is associated with the site you advertise on, so if your mother wouldn't approve, stay away.

And ask the Web site's representatives some questions, like:

• What are your site's monthly traffic figures? (Be sure you understand the difference between "hits" and "page views".)
• How often will I get reports?
• What is in the reports?
• Will my banner be in one place all the time, or will it rotate around the site?
• Where will the ad be on the page?
• What is your average click-through rate? (Click-through rate is the percentage reached by dividing the number of clicks your ad receives by the number of times it was seen. The average click-through rate on the Web as a whole is from 2-3%. Anything above that is successful. However, keep in mind that even if people don't click on your ad, you have benefitted from them seeing your company's name and Web address. That's called branding, and even if it isn't as measurable as click-through's, it's very valuable.)
• Finally, how much does it cost?

And when considering banner advertising, or any other form of paid online promotion, remember your goals. Do you want traffic? Online orders? Calls? If you know what you expect from your Web site, you'll know how handily your Web advertising is meeting those goals.

There are a few things you can do to make your site more attractive to search engines, both deep (those that automatically index your pages) and standard (also called "directories"; those that arrange sites categorically).

First, make sure all your pages have a good, descriptive title. Search engines usually give the most weight to the words between the page's title tags.

So don't just title it -make it something like Your title should have two of your site's most powerful keywords in it - hence, "enchiladas" and "margaritas".

Second, you should use tags on all your pages. We may be approaching the realm of the computer geek here, so if you're not at all technically inclined, you can leave this up to the folks who do your site.

Tags are part of the HTML code that deep search engines use to determine what your site's all about. If a page doesn't have any tags, search engines usually use the page's first dozen or so words as a representation of that page's content.

There are two kinds of tags: descriptions and keywords.

Your description should be short (150 characters maximum), yet complete, and describe your Web site, not your business. Something like: would work well.

When choosing keywords, try to think like someone who would be searching for your site. Include general and specific words and phrases, and variations on those keywords. Also include common misspellings of your keywords.

You might have the bright idea of including keywords that have nothing to do with your site, like "Lewinsky" and "South Park", thinking it will attract visitors. But even if it does work, once someone gets to your site and sees what it's really about, all you've accomplished is making them angry.

Here's an example of good keywords for Big Bob's Bait Shack:

Important Stuff at Top

The third thing which will prepare your site for search engines is putting your most important content toward the top of the page. Some search engines, like Lycos, give precedence to the words at the top of a page. So if Big Bob was particularly proud of his collection of bass lures, he would put that information at the beginning.

Don't Try to Be Tricky

And now, a warning: don't try any fancy tricks like loading your page with keywords repeated a hundred times. Also, stay away from slick practices like hiding keywords on your page by blending them into the background. Just like most "quick and easy" things, these practices will turn on you.

Search engines, or rather the people behind them, are not stupid. They know the same tricks you do, and they have tuned their processes to ignore shady derring-do. Some will even disqualify your site if they catch you being a ne'er-do-well.

Another thing to remember is this: whatever you're doing to stack the cards in your favor isn't exactly a secret. Anyone anytime can easily view your site's source code, and you'll be exposed for the unethical rapscallion you are. So play fair.

Internet advertising pricing is still in its infancy, but, in general, one of three methods is commonly used.

Last month, in this very column, I discussed online banner advertising. If you were out of the country, here's a brief recap: banner advertising can be highly targeted, it allows for a variety of creative expression, it brings traffic directly to your site and you can determine at any minute how successful the campaign is.

But there's another big question. It's the question that makes the world go round.

How much does it cost?

There are a few different models for Web advertising pricing. But first, some generalities. The bigger the site's profile and popularity, the more you'll pay. Also, if you target specific pages or users within a site, you'll probably pay more than if you run an ad all over the site.

When you advertise on a Web site, you're going to pay in one of three ways: flat time-based fee, cost per thousand impressions, or cost-per-click. There are all sorts of other payment schemes shaping up out there, but for now, these are the most common.

And, because of the relative infancy of online advertising and the lack of hard and fast rules, most sites are still very flexible in their negotiations.

Flat Fee

A time-based fee is just that: you pay a flat fee to advertise for a period of time, and your ad runs until time's up. There isn't a guaranteed number of impressions or click-throughs; the only guarantee is that the ad will run as long as they say it will, and what happens will happen.

One example of flat-fee pricing is a site sponsorship, where you are the sole sponsor of a site or a page within a site. This guarantees you exclusivity, but may be more costly since the site is giving a bit of their site to you and you alone.

Cost-Per-Thousand Impressions

With this method, you decide up front how many times you want your ad to be seen, in multiples of 1,000. Sites charge you a fee per thousand impressions, and your ad runs until it has been seen the number of times you ordered.

Cost-per-thouand impressions varies widely, but the average cost is around $30; this cost will be higher for targeted pages.

Cost-Per-Click

The most results-oriented pricing method is cost-per-click, where you pay only when people click on your ad. In general, you can expect to pay $1 to $2 per click. This is great for advertisers, since they pay only when their ad gets results by receiving a click. It's not so great for the site you're advertising on, since they have to deliver your ad until it is clicked on the number of times you ordered.

If you can get a site to sell you ads on a cost-per-click basis, do it. It's perhaps the most waste-free and efficient way to advertise - in any medium. Can you imagine placing a TV ad and saying, "How about if I just pay for each person that calls from this ad?"

Advertising on the Internet, while just a piece of the marketing puzzle, allows for this and other benefits unheard of in other media.