However, once I had a chance to look at the sites, I noticed that all the requests expressed more concern for finding the right key words and meta tags than they did for writing energetic, effective copy that attracts.

My years of experience operating an Internet related business has taught me a lot about making money on the web. What I've discovered is that developing a successful online business requires a lot more than high search engine placement and effective linking. In truth, getting people to your site is only half the battle because even if a site gets a lot of hits it doesn't mean people are going to buy.

Visitors are attracted to something that smacks of confidence, credibility and experience. A site has to say "I have something for you and you don't need to go further." Therefore, what you have to say and how you say it makes all the difference.

With that in mind, the following suggestions and reviews are meant to help create sites that enable a business to be more efficient and attractive. Remember the word 'attract' means to magnetize, pull in and draw towards, which is what your main goal should be when creating a web site.

Review #1.

The following site, http://www.robinsonsantiques.com, is a lovely site offering antiques that will appeal to collectors everywhere. I enjoyed reviewing the site and found many fascinating bits of information that were extremely interesting.

Research clearly indicates that people judge what they see in about 10 to 15 seconds of viewing and sometimes even less when viewing a web site. In my first 10 to 15 seconds reviewing this site, I immediately noticed that some of the content was in need of enhancement.

In order for this particular site to be more effective, my one suggestion would be to polish up the content on the home page in addition to rearranging some of the words so they have more impact. Perhaps the web master would consider shifting some of the content around so that the words make more of an impression. As one example, on the home page the following sentence needs some polish. Since it is an important point, it should flow a bit better.

"All the pictures are links and will take you to an "often oversized" page with prices and availability, at the very bottom of the bottom there is a "next" and "Back" button to take you to the next group of 4." It might be more appealing to the eye and ear if it read as follows:

All pictures on our web site are actual links, which take you to an 'often oversized' page presenting prices and availability. At the very bottom of each picture the word 'Next' appears along with a 'Back' button, which takes you to the following group of pictures.

I would consider some more dynamic content that will attract and keep visitors coming back for more.

Review #2

CaricoHenderson.com is beautifully done and well written. For anyone interested in buying real estate in Costa Rica or learning about the beautiful sights and scenery Costa Rica has to offer, this is the place you want to visit. The site speaks about its product and service in a way that expresses how responsible the web masters feel towards their audience because the words reflect their commitment to their project. They've even gone as far as including bios that tell visitors a bit about the Realtors themselves, something I highly recommend.

When I seek information or products from the web, I initially want the site to appeal to my visual sense, but more importantly, I want to read intelligent content. If the site doesn't provide grammatically appealing and interesting to read content, I leave. At this particular site, I found the content colorful and interesting, which inspired me to look further.

One specific statement I found on the site brings my point home:

"The investment climate in Costa Rica is very positive. The economy is strong and growing. There are virtually no restrictions governing foreign investment and the nation's infrastructure is well developed. Most importantly, the political environment is the most stable in Latin America and in 1989, Costa Rica celebrated its 100th year of democratic rule."

Doesn't that make you want to visit Costa Rica? The professionalism the web masters used in their written material told me a lot about the business as well as the business owner. As I read through the site, I was able to see the scenes and houses not only through pictures but through the words as well. Upon review, I am tempted to visit Costa Rica. I believe that with time the site will do very well as it meets with all of the important criteria required for it to be a success. My criteria for success in addition to visual appeal, is well written, interesting content that provides descriptive, informative material.

The writers were thorough in their explanations leaving little room for visitors to doubt the validity and credibility of the site.

Review #3

Although a site must contain interesting content, most readers don't want to pore over a lot of copy before reaching the main point. When reading it on the net, the data you include should be a quick source of good information. The following site http://robertfritz.org appears to be offering a "get rich quick" opportunity, but there's a bit too much to read on the home page.

As you know, each and every day thousands of new sites appear on the web, making the net a library of knowledge, ideas and products, which means there's a lot of competition. Because there are thousands of sites that offer similar opportunities, a site has to offer something dynamic or different to make people stay. The long and short of it is that putting a site online without a good deal to back it up is a waste of time.

It would be in the interest of this business owner to break up the content by having something very enticing on the front page causing the reader to move on to additional pages.

On subsequent pages more details and information should be provided. I would also suggest some testimonials that demonstrate the plausibility and feasibility of this venture. Instead of just offering the opportunity, show how others have succeeded once signing on.

Review #4

A site doesn't have to contain a lot of words to have great impact. The following site http://diamonddepot.com is easy to read and very attractive to review. It obviously is a site that took lots of time, energy and money to make it this attractive, but what I really appreciate are the brief descriptions of jewelry and the poetic way in which the pieces are described.

Most webmasters place more importance on graphics, layout and the design of a web site, giving a back seat to the written content. I don't mean to imply that importance shouldn't be placed on the graphics because we're all pretty visual, which means the site has to be appealing and attractive. But if you open a beautifully wrapped present and the gift inside is not appealing, it won't matter how pretty the outer package happens to be. A web site will not attract unless the right words are utilized.

Even if the web owners of this site had not been able to invest as much into creating their site, the creators used words that make their product sound very appealing.

I want to end with one important point. If your goal is to have people come back to your site, buy your products or use your services, then take the time to create interesting, grammatically correct and thought provoking content. Keep it brief but captivating. The best suggestion I would make when getting ready to prepare your content is to write about your product or service with passion. If you're not excited about it, your visitors won't be either. When you have something special to offer, make your offering special because words do have impact!