As the user base continues to grow we can expect to see other developments, such as increased bandwidth - which in turn will mean that users will look for more sophisticated content.

When it comes to the Internet there are no fixed rules; as business owners it is a good idea to not turn your back on the Net or become complacent with your current strategies unless you are willing to risk being left behind in the newest waves of technology.

Access and Usage Two thirds of Canadian adults have access to the Internet. Of these, over two thirds connect weekly. Weekly web users connected an average of 11 times per week, a slight decrease over last quarter.

Heavy Internet users continue to have a very attractive market profile (young, high socio-economic status). Male Internet usage (weekly) continues to exceed that of women.

Internet Behaviour Almost three-quarters of Canadian adults with Internet access feel that the web helps them to learn about new ideas and trends. Going to specific sites of interest, searching for specific information and e-mailing remain the top three most popular Internet activities. Visiting and searching for product/service and work/business related sites are the top two reasons for accessing the Internet.

For more information on statistics - visit www.comquest.ca

What are the benefits of a web site?
It reaches people from around the world, including those in your local community. It gives customers access to your products and services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

More and more people use the internet everyday to research products/services, looking for the best deal. So if your competitor is online, then you should be there also.

Do I need a domain?
There are plenty of reasons to have a domain name instead of a long address provided through your internet provider. A domain name gives instant recognition and it is easier to locate and remember. It is something customer's will recognize and associate with your company.

Here are some important reasons why your should purchase your domain now instead of waiting:

• Competitors - if your competitors buy your domain name, they have the advantage of using it to drive traffic to their web site. Getting your name back isn't easy and could cost legally.

• Email - your email should have your company name attached to it (info@your-company.com). Once your have an email with your domain attached to it, you'll never need to worry about changing printed materials again, even if you do change internet service providers.

• Advertising - if you are going to spend money on advertising your web site, you want to push your name not your internet service providers.

Are all domains the same?
It's a dot com world, so if possible always purchase a dot com. Country domains make for great secondary doorways and as a way to protect yourself from someone trying to confuse future customers.

The name should describe your business or be the business name. Try to avoid dashes in the domain name. People are trained to type what they hear without the dashes or any spaces.

Should my web site be designed professionally?
Professional web designers have the background knowledge to get you noticed and customers coming back. They know how search engines ranking works, how to promote your site and the proper design technique needed to be functional.

Do counters work?
You see many sites that have ("you are visitor #....). These counters are not necessarily accurate. Every time a viewer at your site hits the reload/refresh button on their browser, the counter goes up. In other words, the same view could account for many clicks.

A tracking system is much more accurate. It will let you know how many independent visitors the site had and how many were reloads. Other information includes such things are keywords used, browser type and search engines used.

This type of information can be very valuable when deciding where to spend your advertising dollars online.

For more information, please contact our office.

Should I do link exchanges?
Links exchanges have advantages, you could compare it to placing your business card on other business stands. Make sure the links are related to your business but does not take away from your service. Also, try to design the page so that the links to not leave your site.