What people want online is a question guerrillas ask themselves a
lot. Whether it's for fun or work or something else, understanding
a consumer's motives once he or she logs on is a necessity. But the
experts don't seem to agree on what people want.

Some folks see the web as a vast, new field for advertising messages,
assuming that while people may want to do something else, if we can
entice them with flash, we can sort of trick them into paying
attention to our products and services.

Guess what. That's not gonna happen.

Other folks seem to subscribe to the notion that people online are
looking for entertainment on the Internet, and therefore they 
construct messages aimed at persuading while playing. And, in other
cases, the time-honored direct-response model wins out: Grab people
when you can, get 'em to take an action, and then market, market,
market. The answer may be that the consumer has and wants a lot
more control than we give him/her credit for.

Today, webmeisters are in control. Sort of. In a perfect cyberworld,
people will be in control. Sort of.

Two recent studies shed light upon this dilemma. One was conducted
by Zatso. The other was conducted by the Pew Research Center. Zatso
and Pew. (Those guys didn't spend much time reading
"how-to-name-your-company" books, I guess.) Still, both of their
studies illuminated the answer as to what people want to do online.

The answer, as most answers, is very utilitarian: People want to
accomplish something online. They're not aimless surfers hoping to
discover a cybertreasure. Instead, the average Net user turns out
 to be a goal-oriented person interested in finding information
and communicating with others -- in doing something he or she
set out to do.

Look at the Zatso study. "A View of the 21st Century News Consumer"
looked at people's news reading habits on the web. It revealed that
reading and getting news was the most popular online activity after
email. The guerrilla thinks, "That means email is number one. How
might I capitalize on that?"

One out of three respondents reported that they read news online
every day, with their interests expanding geographically -- local
news was of the most interest, U.S. news the least.

Personalization was seen as a benefit, too. Seventy-five percent of
respondents said that they wanted news on demand and nearly two out
of three wanted personalized news. The subjects surveyed liked the
idea that they, not some media outlet, controlled the news they saw.
They feel they're better equipped to select what they want to see
than a professional editor. Again, control seems to be the issue.
Again, guerrillas think of ways to market by putting the prospect
in control.

The Pew Research Center study revealed that regular net users were
more connected with their friends and family than those who didn't
use the Internet on a regular basis.

Almost two-thirds of the 3,500 respondents said they felt that
email brought them closer to family and friends -- significant when
combined with the fact that 91% of them used email on a regular
basis. That's 91%. It took VCRs 25 years to achieve such market
penetration.

What did people in this study seem to be doing online when they
weren't doing email? Half were going online regularly to purchase
products and services, and nearly 75 percent were going online to
search for information about their hobbies or purchases they were
planning to make. Sixty-four percent of respondents visited travel
sites, and 62 percent visited weather-related sites. Over half did
educational research, and 54 percent were hunting for data about
health and medicine.

A surprising 47 percent regularly visited government web sites,
and 38 percent researched job opportunities. Instant messaging was
used by 45 percent of these users, and a third of them played games
online. Even with all the hype in the media, only 12 percent said
they traded stocks online.

What does this mean to e-marketers? It means that if you're
constructing a site for goal-oriented consumers, you'd better
make sure you can help facilitate their seeking. Rather than focus
on entertainment, flash, and useless splash screens, the most
effective sites are those that help people get the information
they want when they need it. Straightforward data, information that
invites comparison, and straight talk are going to win the day.

A client buddy of mine showed me his website which heralds his
retail location and attempts to sell nothing online. He said
it has been the biggest moneymaker in the history of his 35-year-old
company. Then he apologized for its lack of glitter and special
effects. He asked how his site could be so successful even though
it lacked anything to add razzmatazz and dipsydazzle.

Now, you know the answer.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Tired of wasting money on Internet marketing courses? Introducing the
first step-by-step, day-by-day plan that almost anyone can follow to
make money online in 33 days or less…100% guaranteed!
Click here now or go tohttp://www.33daystoonlineprofits.com/?19487

--------------------------------------------------------------------

How can we help you today? 

1. Need a website designed? 

We realise running a small business takes up most of your time, so we
will make getting your website up and running as easy as possible.

If you find it all too overwhelming, don't worry you are not alone.
We understand  how scary the whole process can be and promise to help
you along the way.  In reality, we manage most of the steps for you -
with your input, of course.
Click Here to Get Started or visit: http://www.web4business.com.au

Did you know a 3 page website costs only A$149?

2. Looking for ways to promote your business?

The ultimate business tools and marketing resources, specifically
tailored for small and home-based business owners, will provide you
with hundreds of new ideas on how to improve your business.  Below is
just a preview:

- Internet Marketing Goldmine
- FREE Email Courses
- Instant Sales Letters
- Instant Marketing Toolbox
- Million Dollar Emails
- Copywriting Seminar in a Box
- Hypnotic Writer's Swipe File
- Guaranteed Customers for Life
- Psychological Triggers
- Trash Proof News Releases
- Ezine Adrenaline
- WebsiteWizard
- 24 Techniques for Closing the Sale
- Create Advertising that Sells

Click Here for a complete list of Business Tools or go to:
http://www.web4business.com.au/PromotionalTools.htm