What is the World Wide Web and What Can It Do for Me? The hottest growing part of the Internet that everyone is talking about is the World Wide Web. The World Wide Web (WWW) is a graphical, user-friendly portion of the Internet that has decided upon a standard structure and protocol for graphics, sound, and text files. This enables anyone on the Web to view your Web page regardless of their platform: PC, Mac, workstation, Unix or other. The Web is a great information distribution tool. The information you place on your Web site can be accessed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The Web can save you time and money in information distribution over traditional mail and printing methods. The Web is also the first frontier on the Internet that has actually embraced marketing. Until recently, marketing your services on the Internet was a major taboo. Anyone caught advertising their services through the Internet would have been "flamed." Flamed means you would receive thousands of nasty E-mail messages from disgusted Internet users. This would probably jam your system or even lock up your E-mail box. But now, not only is marketing accepted on the Web, but it is also making the Web the fastest growing portion of the Internet. Over 23 million people now have access to the Internet, and that number is growing by 10% per month! So, if you have a product or service whose typical buyer could be described as upper income, educated, and between the ages of 25 and 35, you should seriously consider marketing your business on the World Wide Web. If you decide to market your business on the Web, there are a few strategies for success to keep in mind: 1. Although marketing is considered acceptable on the Web, your site should still be information-based. Visitors should learn something from your location. It should not be a regurgitation of your sales flyer. The Internet is still populated by information-gatherers. Give them information as a "hook," then follow up with the benefits of using your products or services to implement what they have learned. 2. If your product does not lend itself toward information, then at least entertain them. Some sites offer entertaining stories or gather feedback from visitors that they later post on their site. 3. Make your site as interactive as possible. Gather feedback from your visitors through E-mail, guestbooks and survey forms. Give your visitors the option to click on thumbnail size versions of graphics to see full pictures of your products. 4. Keep your site fresh with new information, stories, contests, or games. Let them know that you will be making these changes periodically so that they will return to find out what's new on your site. Encourage visitors to add your site to their list of "favorite spots" in their web browser so that they will keep coming back for more. 5. Keep in mind that it may take several months before you see an increase in sales due to your Web site. People may need to visit your site several times before they purchase from you. It is a lot like other media advertising. Repetition and consistency are the keys. Now that you know the purpose of the Web, it's time to understand some of the Web jargon. Internet The Internet is a network of thousands of computers scattered across the globe that communicates on a standard protocol with a standard addressing system. Web Browser A Web browser is a software program on your computer that allows you to view information on the World Wide Web. Some popular Web browsers are Spry Mosaic and other Mosaic software. Also, America On-line and Prodigy have their own Web browser software that allows you to navigate the World Wide Web. You must have an Internet provider to use this software such as a local provider or an on-line service like CompuServe, America On-line or Prodigy. Web Page A Web page is typically defined as what can be printed on 8.5"x11" paper. You can add text, graphics, counters, mailto's and guest books to these pages. (See definitions below for more information.) E-mail Electronic mail is a way to send text-based information and files to any computer with an address on the Internet. MailTo A mailto is a line of text placed on your Web page that contains your name and E-mail address. When a visitor clicks on this line of text, their Web browser's E-mail program will automatically open and allow them to send an E- mail message directly to your E-mail address. Note: Some browsers do not support mailto's. Guest Book A guest book is a form that allows a visitor to enter information such as their name, address, E-mail address and comments on the screen and send it directly to your E-mail address. FTP File Transfer Protocol (FTP) is a standard way to send computer files to other computers. For example, most providers allow you to have a library of computer files that visitors can download to their computer. These files can be accessed from your Web page or even directly using FTP software. Upload Upload means to send a computer file from your computer to another computer. Basically, when you upload you are the sender of a computer file. Download Download means to transfer a computer file from another computer to your computer. For example, visitors to your Web page will "download" your files from the file library to their computer. Basically, when you download a file, you are the receiver of that file. Scan Scanning is a process that takes a photograph, graphic, or even text image found on paper and converts it to an electronic computer file. HTML HTML is a standard file format that is used for Web page files. gif and jpg These are two different graphic file formats that are readable by most Web browsers. The gif is more universally read, but the jpg usually gives better quality for color photos. Link A link is a line of text or even a "hot spot" area of a graphic that links to or jumps to another area on the Web when it is clicked. It can jump within your own site or to a completely different site on the Web. Image Map You can create "hot spots" on pictures and graphics so that when a visitor clicks on one of these spots, they automatically jump to another area within your site or on the Web. You can have more than one "hot spot" on each graphic. These hot spots have to be routed or "mapped" to the new location. This file is called an image map. Mall A mall on the World Wide Web is much like a shopping mall in your local town. It is a Web site that allows merchants to set up "shops" within their site. If your Web site is located in a mall, you will benefit from the traffic generated by every other member of the mall. Because malls are hot spots on the Web, you will reach prospective customers that you never would have reached alone. If you decide to place your Web site in a mall, look for one that actively markets their site for you. Also, if you do not know how to code your own Web pages, look for one that offers design services. Hot Spots On the Web http://www.yahoo.com Yahoo is one of the most popular sites on the Web that features an extensive search index that allows you to find exactly what you are looking for on the Web. http://www.stpt.com Starting Point is a great place to start looking around the Web. It also has an extensive search index for finding Web sites. http://www.bizcafe.com This shopping mall with a cafe theme covers such topics as finance, consulting, sports, computers, gifts, travel, business and more. New merchants are always welcome. http://mccannas.com This is the Web site of Laurie McCanna, a graphic designer. Check out her site for a perfect example of how to integrate graphics into your Web site. ------------------------------------------------------------ For more information on how you can have a Web presence for yourself or your company, contact, BizCafe Management Group at 615-892-8985 or e-mail at BizCafe@aol.com. Or visit BizCafe at http://www.bizcafe.com