JimWorld Gazette Issue #73 02/23/1999

JimWorld Gazette - Issue #73 - February 23, 1999

New At JimWorld
What Is An Affiliate Program?
How To Market Inexpensively And Reap Big Rewards
Shooting Yourself In The Foot
The Perils Of Yahoo! Cloning
Do We Need Intermediaries On The Net?
What Will Your Web Site Look Like In The 21st Century?
Who Controls Your Computer?
Get Linked
Snippets

Link to this issue of the Gazette as http://gazetteworld.com/go/to.cgi?l=g73

NEW AT JimWorld

Helpware Directory
http://helpwaresites.com
A milestone reached... The Helpware Directory has passed the 2,000 member mark. And the submissions keep coming in every day from new members.

200+ Webmaster Tools and Resources
http://toolsforthe.net/
The aging list of webmaster resources has been put out to pasture. It served well but got a little long in the tooth.

In its place is a new directory of JimTools that is ready to go to work. I have loaded it with 200 of my favorite resources on the web and will continue adding the other categories until I have transferred all of my bookmarks into the database. Or you can submit any that I missed.

I installed the system using Hyperseek <http://hyperseek.com/> and it couldn't have been easier to install and configure. Now when sites are submitted I don't have to go modify the HTML code for the directory page. I just approve it to have it added immediately.

When I want to verify that all of the sites are still working I just have Hyperseek go out and do it for me. Just takes a few minutes.

If you are tired of trying to maintain link pages on your site, why not step up to the easier way? It sure makes my job easier.

1000 Places To Submit Your Site
http://the1000.com/
Likewise, the list of 1000 places to submit your site has lived long enough. Time to turn over the work to the younger generation.

To that end comes The500. A Hyperseek (Yep. Another one.) directory of the best 1000 places to submit your site for a free listing.

I will be working this coming week to load the database and retire the old listing pages one at a time. The new directory is open for submissions right now.

If you want to pitch in, or if you administer a directory that accepts submissions, or administer a directory of directories, stop by and submit your site. Maybe it'll turn out to be the 5,000 Best Places. With Hyperseek, size really doesn't matter. Please don't submit Free For All pages. That will be done elsewhere soon.

FFA2 Free For All Page
http://jimworld.com/ffa2/links.html

I have set up and begun promoting a second Free For All page. It will not be available to any of the automatic submitters, so your listing should stay there a lot longer.

With the completion in the next two weeks of the above directories, I will have pretty well caught up with the backlog of site work and we can return to a more frequent, and more reliable, publication of the Gazette. I look forward to that, even though I have really enjoyed reworking the site.

WHAT IS AN AFFILIATE PROGRAM?

An on-line merchant (e.g. Amazon.com) pays a Web site owner for generating sales from his or her site. The Web site can be connected back to the merchant's site either through a banner or text link. The merchant pays the Web site owner commissions either as a flat fee or as a percentage of the transaction.

Sites that sell physical products (books, flowers, and so forth) typically have affiliate or associate programs that pay affiliates when their goods are purchased.

Sites that have subscription models (ISPs, on-line communities, etc.) typically have bounty programs that pay affiliates a flat fee when someone they refer joins their service.

Some sites require a product or service to be purchased for the commission to be paid. Others require only that a registration form be filled out.

>> How much money can a webmaster make with affiliate programs?

A recent survey of affiliates by Refer-it.com indicated that webmasters earned anywhere from $0 to $3,000, with a median of $50. Some had joined only one program, while others had joined over ten. It is important to note that many web site owners join affiliate programs not only to generate incremental revenue, but also to include value-added content to their site. For example, some sites add news or stock banners.

>> Wouldn't I make more money selling banner advertising on my site?

You might, but it could be hard to get the attention of advertisers or ad networks (such as DoubleClick or 24/7). Most advertising agencies will not look at a site with fewer than 500,000 impressions a month.

Affiliate programs enable site owners to benefit from the traffic they currently have. Affiliate programs are attractive to merchants because can create, in essence, one advertising contract that pays only on performance (i.e., clickthrough, lead, or sale).

For those interested in using their existing impressions to gain banner advertising credits on other sites, banner exchange networks such as HyperBanner.net offer an alternative to revenue-sharing programs. You don't get paid, but you will receive "free" advertising for your site.

>> How much traffic do I need to make money with affiliate programs?

That's a tough question. The answer depends on the quality of the traffic that you're getting and the types of programs you've joined. For example, if you're getting a lot of teenagers visiting and are offering a high-end financial product, you're probably not going to make a lot of money. You need to test out the products on your visitors. Over time you'll learn what it takes to get a conversion. Some sites may have 10% conversion rates for a product while others may have .1%. In general, the more targeted your traffic, the better your affiliate programs will do.

One way to help boost affiliate sales is to send out an e-mail newsletter to your visitors providing links to your affiliate sites. The "push" capability of e-mail can be far superior to the "pull" technology of Web pages.

>> What are the best affiliate programs?

Listed below are examples of some great affiliate programs; great programs are defined by the generosity of their commission, the quality of their product or service, and the depth of their affiliate tools:

-- One & Only Internet Personals
-- Beyond.com -- formerly software.net
-- Music Boulevard
-- Reel.com
-- Amazon.com
-- Internet Travel Network
-- iSyndicate
-- WebCards
-- ElectronicNewsstand.com

Refer-it.com releases a Top Ten List every month:
http://www.refer-it.com/main.cfm?screen=info/topten

>> How do I join an affiliate program?

The first step is to find the merchants with whom you want to affiliate. You can either visit the merchant's site directly to find their affiliate sign-up page, or you can visit a directory that gives you a complete listing of revenue-sharing programs. Two of the best directories are Refer-it.com http://www.refer-it.com and Associate Programs http://www.associateprograms.com

Most affiliate programs provide an on-line application form. Don't be surprised if you are asked for your Social Security number or your Taxpayer Identification number -- the company will need this information in order to properly report the income you earn. Some affiliate programs do not allow adult sites to join, while others may require a minimum level of traffic. In most cases, however, your application is automatically approved and you will be sent an e-mail with instructions on how to add banners, logos, and/or a text link to begin earning money. Some programs may even offer links to individual products or product categories, rather than to their home page.

The better affiliate programs have the ability to report sales, either via an email when a sale is made, a monthly commission summary, or real-time on-line statistics. Before joining a program, be sure to note the payment terms -- many programs will not cut a commission check unless the balance owed to you is more than $50.

>> I don't live in the U.S. Will companies still pay me?

Some companies may not accept international affiliates into their program. They will usually state this on the application form.

>> Should I promote an affiliate program in my signature?

A text link in your signature is a great way to promote affiliate programs you have joined. Be sure to include the entire url so you will get credit for any sales generated from this link.

Here is a good example of how to promote an affiliate program in your signature:
-- Barbara Bemelmans
-- President
-- Madeline

Click here to buy the Madeline book!

>> Can I make a living just from affiliate programs?

Most sites use affiliate commissions to cover some of the costs involved in hosting a web site. It is not unheard of for some sites to generate thousands of dollars from revenue-sharing programs. However, these sites all have a strong concept and solid business model which generate revenue from other sources such as banner ads and/or subscriptions.

>> Tips to Succeed

Putting banners up all over your site will not generate the amount of revenue you are expecting from affiliate programs. You should promote offers that are attractive to your audience and for which you can offer a personal testimonial. You should also utilize any affiliate tools available to you.

HOW TO MARKET INEXPENSIVELY AND REAP BIG REWARDS

Sooner, rather than later, your marketing technique is going to make or break your home business. The odds for a business to still be around within a year of starting are very low. The blame can usually be pointed at the owner who hasn't figured out the trick to getting customers in a quick and cheap way.

If your in business for yourself, you have probably noticed you don't have the same marketing budget as Coca Cola or Proctor & Gamble. However, we need to get the word out about our businesses too. We just have to do it with a few less million dollars.

Usually the first thing that pops into the mind of a new self-employed person is, "I have to place an ad." But in reality that is the last thing you need to be doing. First off, did you know that a person has to see your ad six times in the same publications before they even think of using your business. Now if that is a monthly publication, I'm telling you it will take you six months till a person actually thinks about picking up the phone to call you. Now that isn't good news. Especially if you would like to get customers a bit sooner than that. So what's a home business mom to do?

Almost every self-employed mom I talk to says most of their business comes from one simple source -- word of mouth. It comes from that one happy customer who liked what they did for them and started to spread the word. What would make you want to shop somewhere? A friend telling you about a great service or product, or a ad in the paper telling you the same thing?

Here are a few suggestions on getting the word out about your business in the quickest and cheapest way.

Send out a press release, and not just when you open your business. You need to tell the world if you've added some new service or product or if you're business is involved in a charity event. Be sure you give the release a human slant. Don't just talk about how wonderful your business is, talk about what your business can do for your future customers.
Join Organizations. Chamber of Commerce, women in business organizations, and any type of organization your target market belongs to.
Put your service or product for sale in a charity auction.
As soon as you start your business write every single person you know a postcard announcing your new business venture. Although they may not need your business, they just may tell someone who does.
Ask for referrals from other happy customers. Cold calling will never be the same again if you use this approach.

For additional information on this topic I would highly recommend the books, Guerrilla Marketing, by Jay Conrad Levinson and Do It Yourself Publicity, by David F. Ramacitti

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Liz Folger is Work-at-Home Mom Expert and author of, "The Stay-at-Home Mom's Guide To Making Money" available at your favorite bookstore or by calling, 800-632-8676. Liz has also created a resource site for work-at-home moms at: http://www.bizymoms.com. Don't forget to sign-up for the free e-newsletter.

SHOOTING YOURSELF IN THE FOOT

We've all been hearing a steady barrage of reports heralding the death of banner advertising click-throughs. Plummeting click through results have hit the banner exchanges especially hard.

Most of the reports and articles lay the blame at the feet of 'Banner Overload' meaning that we just see too much advertising on the Web and no longer respond to what we see.

While that may be part of the answer to falling results, I have seen many examples of what may be an even contributor to the issue.

Cheating. Blatant cheating.

I have seen a steady increase in the number of sites that are blatantly cheating on their banner exchange memberships, but the one that gets the spotlight today makes it work on many levels, so this is their 15 minutes.

1st Global Directory at http://www.123link.com/main/1stglobal.html has been around for a long time. They have put a significant amount of effort into developing their database of web sites. In order to be listed you must link back to their site from a prominent position on your site.

So far, nothing wrong. Requiring a link? Nothing wrong with that.

Nice clean looking page layout. Page isn't too long and seems to fit on one screen.

But why is there a long scroll bar on the right side of my browser?

Why? Because these folks have put their 3 banner exchange banners so far below their site's content that nobody would ever see them. Miles of blank lines before you ever see the banners.

And guess what? They do exactly the same thing on every page of their site that I visited.

Lots of banner credits to display their advertising on other sites, and absolutely no risk that anybody would see banners on their own site and leave for some other site.

Wonder how long these folks would keep a site listed in their database that put the required link someplace that nobody would ever see it? Not long I'd be willing to bet cash money on.

Now to be fair, I must tell you that they do have one banner right at the top of their pages. That gesture is watered down a bit by the fact that the banner is an attempt to sell banner advertising on their site. $5.00 per thousand. Not a bad price... unless your banner winds up a hundred lines below the end of the page it's displayed on.

Sure makes me want to write them a check and trust them to treat me fairly. Not.

Of course they would exclaim that they 'would never do that to a customer.' Why not? They are doing it to other sites when they cheat through their banner exchanges. The webmasters that are being cheated out of their banner credits probably put the banner somewhere on their site that people could actually see it. How silly of them. Why not just cheat and get nothing but benefits?

Because if you do and I find you, I'm gonna tell 100,000+ people all about you. That's one reason.

The other reason? Because it is stupid. Cheaters eventually get caught and you can never get all of your good name back. That's why.

If I were the administrators of SmartClicks, LinkExchange or the Commonwealth Network, I'd probably go cancel their accounts as soon as I finished reading this. If not sooner.

If 1st Global would just put several hundred invisible keywords below the banners, they could achieve true Scumbagdom.

THE PERILS OF YAHOO CLONING

Almost 3 years ago, I decided that it would be fun and challenging to setup a web site submission directory. The Web was a relatively new medium and I approached the task with a hobbyist's enthusiasm and a novice's ignorance. I named my fledgling site, Jayde Online Directory, the "Jayde" taken from a company name that I had previously registered.

TIP #1 - if possible, pick a site name that begins with a letter near the beginning of the alphabet and one that people can easily pronounce and understand. I still grind my teeth every time someone refers to Jayde as "Jaydee" versus "Jade".

Site promotion back then was fairly straightforward - fewer places to register, it was still possible to get into Yahoo and search engine ranking and spamming were barely recognized concepts. Jayde entered the game early on and as a consequence was fortunate to be listed in Yahoo, the Web Step Top 100 and other important site submission and announcement lists.

Today, site promotion is more important than ever and, depending on your perspective, is either rapidly evolving into a complex science or into a fertile field for scamming webmasters. New web directories need to be promoted like any other site but, unlike most web sites, are faced with several issues unique to this particular Web niche.

Web directory sites require a solid foundation.

TIP #2 - pick your hosting service with care. Five megs of free web space won't cut it. A directory with 50,000 plus site listings takes up a lot of space on a server. Factor in search and database software and 250 MB may be insufficient. The truth is that many web hosting services operate on the law of averages. The prices advertised are often low because the hosting service is betting they can sign up a 1,000 small sites and offset what they may lose on a few large sites. Push that law of averages with mushrooming bandwidth usage and you can quickly find yourself scrambling for a new service to host your site.

In the past 3 years, Jayde has been forced to re-locate half a dozen times.

TIP #3 - If you plan to operate your directory as a business, go the dedicated server or co-location route right off the hop. Large directory sites are not popular on shared servers.

Another problem unique to directory sites is that they require specialized software for storing and searching site listings. Software that works with 50, 000 site listings may prove to be inadequate for 100,000, and as the size of a directory grows, so do software related problems. Jayde is currently nearing a million site listings and the story of software obstacles faced and overcome in reaching that figure would make a great TV mini-series.

TIP #4 - the success or failure of a searchable directory often rests on the speed and power of the installed software. Directory growth often outstrips the ability of the software to handle it. If it takes 2 to 3 minutes for your visitors to obtain search output results, count on losing those visitors. Since traffic on the Web is directly related to revenue, the conclusion is obvious.

For the latest and greatest information on search software, visit Search Engine Watch. Danny Sullivan's site is still one of the best resources on the Web for webmasters investigating software alternatives.

http://searchenginewatch.internet.com/resources/software.html

TIP #5 - choose your server operating system carefully. Linux and NT are growing in market share and popularity but until recently the most powerful search and database software was not available for either. Top of the line search software ranges from a low of $2,000 to $20,000 plus. If you plan to be the next Yahoo, keep those figures in mind...they may dim your enthusiasm.

Jayde Online has faced and overcome a number of hurdles in the past 3 years, some technical and some financial. Are we where we want to be? Not quite yet, but today, the directory pinnacle where Yahoo resides appears somewhat more attainable.

Thanks to Jim Wilson for suggesting this article. In appreciation, Jayde has setting up a special site submission page for Gazette subscribers to make sure you get the special attention you deserve. Look for it in the next issue of the Gazette.

Visit: http://www.jayde.com/

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Mel Strocen is the founder and co-owner of Jayde Online Directory <http://www.jayde.com> and several other web sites and newsletters. He has written numerous shareware and web site reviews as well as articles for several internet publications. Mel can be reached at: mailto:info@jayde.com

DO WE NEED INTERMEDIARIES ON THE NET?

While reviewing Consumer Digest Online for a Learning Fountain award, I began to wonder whether we need intermediaries online between producers and consumers. The conventional wisdom says we do not. It's easy for manufacturers to sell directly to consumers. We even have a fancy word for it: "disintermediation".

I wondered nevertheless. Why do we have intermediaries, such as wholesalers, warehousers and vendors? To help in the distribution of products. The manufacturer deals with a few intermediaries, who in turn work with more vendors, who then sell to a great number of consumers. How does the Internet change things? It makes it very easy for a manufacturer to sell directly to the final consumer. Many of us buy computers and software this way. No middleman. (Middleperson?)

Could this be so? Is the situation this simple? Perhaps we do not fully realize the revolutionary character of the change the Internet is producing. We keep talking about products, and the distribution of products. This was the forte of the Industrial Society, which no longer exists. Today, we are in the Learning Society, whose primary concern is services. How do you distribute services? Can you even think in such terms?

Consumer Digest Online sparked my thinking. It seems that the problem of distribution of products is being replaced with the problem of matching services. In the first case, products are distributed from manufacturer through intermediaries to consumers. In the second case, services are matched to the client (not consumer) through intermediaries to the service provider. Because of product complexity, service intermediaries are needed for products as well.

Think of what this means. It's a drastic change. In the old days, the manufacturer was the kingpin, because he produced the product. Today, the client is in the power seat, because he needs the service. A service, unlike a product, can not be supplied without thoroughly understanding the needs of the client. You and I may have what appears to be the same problem, but we approach it very differently. In essence, we have different problems. You need a slightly different service than I do.

The client is king. He decides the services he needs, and the rest of us scurry about to help him or her, either as a service provider or as an intermediary.

Consumer Digest Online, is in a sense, a service intermediary. Before buying anything on line, you visit it to find an appropriate product, compare its features and price with others, and gather other information to help make a good decision. Then you jump to the web site you choose and make the purchase. There are many other sites that help you make wise purchases.

The service intermediary is in its infancy. Just think of the many different types of consultants there are. Think further how their various services can be better matched to individuals. We have here myriads of opportunities.

Intermediaries are not dead. They are changing form. They are becoming service intermediaries. They are oriented to the client, not the service provider. Whether you are selling products or delivering services, the service intermediary is in your future. Consider this when developing your business strategy.

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Paul "the soarING" Siegel is an Internet consultant and a trainer on Vision and Business Strategy. He is the moderator of a new mailing list, called LearningFOUNT, which is devoted to a discussion of Vision and Business Strategy. To subscribe, just send a blank email to: mailto:subscribe@learningfountain.com. Or visit Learning Fountains, at http://www.learningfountain.com. Live your vision,

WHAT WILL YOUR WEB SITE LOOK LIKE IN THE 21st CENTURY?

Here's how you can take advantage of powerful trends that will influence online business in the months ahead.

It is a truism that Internet business reinvents itself every four months. Businesses have to constantly scout the horizon to stay up with changes and insure the progress of their firm. What fast moving trends will influence your online biz in the months ahead? Much faster modems and a changing Internet audience will be tops.

The Net Will Become More Like TV.

When @Home bought Excite.com recently for almost $7 billion I had to stop and think about our future. @Home's cable modems let Internet surfers download your web site 33 times faster than those with a fast 56K modem. That allows web sites to feature smooth flowing video, making a web page look more like a TV show.

Excite immediately announced there will be a different version of their site for people on super-fast cable modems. The banner ads on this site will look more like TV ads.

Millions More Come to the Net With Different Expectations.

Early in 1999 Nielsen, the famous TV ratings company, released a new survey showing almost half of Americans are surfing the Internet each week. Compare those huge numbers to the much more exclusive 17% that was on the Net little more than a year ago.

The big new Internet audience has different expectations. They want speed and convenience. They won't wait for big graphics to slowly load. They see dead links and missing pages as a sign the business doesn't care about them. A 404 error is like going into a store where the clerk ignores you.

This big new crowd of Internet users also demands a very clear ordering system. They want to know where their order is through every step of the ordering process. They also get frustrated and click away if your order process contains too many steps or pages. You may have to revise your site toward a more sophisticated system. Powerful web page and order system creation tools make this as easy a few mouse clicks.

The latest generation of software tools make it even easier to sell/show your products on the web. One example is eShowcase. Eshowcase allows anyone to quickly create a professional online "catalog" - complete with photos, and descriptions. The ability to create your own online catalog, in just minutes, opens up tremendous possibilities for businesses like auto dealerships (who sell up to 20% of their autos from the Internet), art galleries, antique stores, collectors, jewelers, pet stores, and any business that shows products with descriptions and photos.

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Carol Wadell offers eShowcase Product Listing software. It is a full featured tool ideal for instantly creating sites for companies with a constantly changing product base. You can see a demo of eShowcase at http://www.WorkshopInc.com/eshowcase.htm. or email workshop@intrex.net

WHO CONTROLS YOUR COMPUTER?

Sound like a rhetorical question? Why, I control my computer of course! Yes, but now the question is - you and who else? Well, nobody! I use a password to log onto my machine, I use the latest anti-virus software, I use a password protected screen saver - who else could possibly access my machine?

A few days ago I sent an urgent warning to all our in-house mail list concerning what is, most probably, the greatest threat Windows 95/98/NT users face today. When Jim received a copy of the warning he immediately called me to see if what I discussed could possibly be true - and if so, would I please do this short article for the Gazette to warn as many people as possible. If you use Windows 95/98/NT and connect to the Internet - even behind a firewall or proxy server or through a dial-up connection - your personal/business files and computer use may be at risk!

NetBus, Back Orifice, and Master's Paradise are among a new type of "hacker's" software programs available that, once installed on your machine, give ANYONE running the control module to those programs absolute, complete, God-like access and control over your machine whenever it is connected to the Internet. Besides being able to perpetrate little "tricks" such as opening and closing your CD-ROM tray, controlling your mouse and such - these programs also allow the perpetrator to have complete and full access to all your hard drives (they can view, download, upload and delete files at will), they can monitor and log every keyboard stroke you enter (such as account numbers, passwords, etc), they can record verbal conversations taking place near a multi-media machine - the list goes on - but you probably get the point.

The worst part is that some of these programs may already be installed on your machine. In essence, they are small servers that launch with Windows and are transparent (they don't show up as a running task) and many are not detected by some of the leading anti-virus software. They are being distributed in many of the little *.exe games that some people send around to friends. They can be attached to any existing program and when that program is run, they install themselves.

One or more of these programs will even Email the perpetrator when it is installed on your system and subsequently every time you connect to the internet (providing the perpetrator with your current IP address if you use a dial-up connection).

This is very scary stuff. I would not have believed the degree of access and control these types of programs provide over a "host" computer if I had not tested them on my own set of test machines. And, since these programs can control ports and create their own Internet sockets - a firewall does not guarantee protection.

I can not emphasize enough the danger of these programs and the ease at which they can be covertly installed on a machine. This should be taken very seriously by not only individual users - but also by companies who may think they are protected by their firewall and virus detection procedures. All it takes is about 2 seconds for a disgruntled employee to turn off any virus software and install one of these programs. From that point forward, the machine belongs to them - regardless of protection measures.

If you want to read more about these particular threats, I have included some links to a couple of mainstream news articles that have recently appeared on the Net - but obviously did not do the job of getting the word out. Hopefully, this article will help. The most important thing to do at this point is protect yourself.

To assist in this, I have located several programs designed to detect and eliminate NetBus and Back Orifice. If you go to <http://softwaresolutions.net/netbuster.htm> or <http://softwaresolutions.nu/netbuster.htm> you will find free files to combat the above programs. Additionally, since the very latest build of one of the most popular anti-virus software failed to detect NetBus being installed on my test machines - I also did some research into anti-virus software and have some very good news in that arena also.

My anti-virus research turned up a recent independent research firm's test on the top 10 major anti-virus software products and companies. Their test clearly pointed to a company I had never heard of but quickly checked out. It turns out this company was the first to detect and react to the NetBus/Back Orifice threat, and the first to detect a Microsoft Office 2000 virus. Their virus profiles are updated daily - that's daily- with automatic downloads, not monthly. Also, their software works on the Winsock or TCP/IP level - thereby detecting Email or Internet transmitted viruses before they even reach your hard drive. The article that pointed me to this product that has since replaced the "other" one we were using can be found at <http://biz.yahoo.com/bw/990217/ca_panda_s_1.html> or you can go directly to the company's site at <http://www.pandasoftware.com>.

For more information on the Net Bus/Back Orifice threat, you can go to Panda Software or InfoWorld.

Due to the nature of the above threats to computer security - this may be a very good issue of the Gazette to share with your own mailing lists.

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T.J. Walker support@softwaresolutions.net>
SoftwareSolutions.Net <http://softwaresolutions.net>
Offering an Affiliate Program on 10+ of our best selling products!!

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I asked TJ to write the above article for us when we were discussing the problem that he had experienced. I further asked him to substantiate it with mainstream media to set it apart from Urban Myths. He did a great job. Thanks TJ. Love your new affiliate program.

GET LINKED

EarthCam
http://www.earthcam.net/

Got a Web Cam on-line? Get it listed in this excellent directory and release the exhibitionist in you.

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It's Here
http://its-here.virtualave.net

A nice big directory where you can submit your site. For those that have tried submitting before, they have moved to a new server that seems to be much more reliable.

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International Small Business Association
http://www.isbai.net

Add you small business site to this directory.

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FirstPoint Advertisements
http://www.fpads.com/

A significant new classified ad site launched today. They have many new features such as assigning each free ad its own URL so that you can distribute and promote the address. Certainly worth posting an ad to. The price sure is right.

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Surfer's Choice
http://surferschoiceawards.com

Wally's site has always been one of my favorite stomping grounds. Now they have a new domain name and a killer new look. Stop by and see what can be done by a team, none of whom have any other life than the Web. Submit your site while you are there. Their awards are really worth having.

SNIPPETS

WordLab
http://www.wordlab.com/

Need a few great words? Maybe a pun or two? WordLab will serve up enough off-beat ideas to get you going in the write direction. Wordsmithing becomes a bit easier with their help. Maybe I'll finally have a place to use Promotioneering, Spamologist, and my personal favorite: Websterbating. Given that I haven't even gotten around to using these words from my list, what will I ever do with the new ones I found at WordLab? Synapse Gridlock, Netoriety, Paradigm Shaft, Indexation, Half-witticism and LA-botomy.

Spice up your web site by replacing 'Click Here For Help' with 'Yelp For Help' or 'FAQ' with 'Knowledgeology' or 'Post To Our Forum' to 'Zip Up Your Rants'

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RevNet Free Guide
http://www.revnet.com/html/guide.html

Get a free copy of the 'The Guide to Managing Your Email Communications' from
RevNet, the hands down experts on maintaining mailing lists. They maintain the
Gazette list for us so I can attest to their expertise. This guide will help you
set up just about any type of emial program you need.

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FreeFind
http://www.freefind.com/

Want to make your site fully searchable with no expense, no effort and no CGI bin access required? Then FreeFind might be for you. Easy to set up and easy to use. They make their money by displaying ads on the search results pages, which isn't a big price to pay for the service. Check it out.

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MacKiDo
http://www.mackido.com/

Looking for some moral support and technology to support your Mac addiction? This site should satisfy even the most addicted. Sure made me feel better.

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John Buckman, president of Lyris Technologies, has just released a research paper that your web site visitors may find interesting. The paper is a comparative analysis of the four major list servers that dominate the market (Majordomo, ListProc, LISTSERV and Lyris).

You can find "Comparing List Servers" at this URL:
http://www.lyristechnologies.com/compare/comparingls.html

At time when increasing web traffic is crucial to e-commerce, you may find it valuable to have a resource that discusses key features of the most popular list servers.

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Refer-it.com <http://www.refer-it.com> - the leading search engine for revenue sharing programs, and BeFree Corporation <http://www.befree.com> - the leader in affiliate software, are proud to present Affiliate Solutions '99, <http://www.up-set.com/events/as99/> a panel discussion focusing on revenue sharing and affiliate strategies for the online industry. Join them Friday, March 26th for an Executive Education in Affiliate Marketing. The seminar will include speakers from One and Only, Reel.com, Lending Tree, DoubleClick, 24/7, iTraffic, GeoCities, The Square and Lycos, as well as many other leading Internet companies.

The conference is conveniently located at the Harvard Club in New York City. Seating is extremely limited so register today: http://www.up-set.com/events/as99/

Call Cynthia Aylward at: (212) 634-6199 to reserve your tickets. If you have any interest in advanced affiliate networking, this is a must-do.