FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

What Qwest, Verizon & City Search Don’t Want You To Know
These giants are extorting thousands of dollars from businesses nationwide, and it’s perfectly legal.

PORTLAND, OR – September 10, 2001 – For some time now, Qwest, Verizon and City Search have been deceiving and overcharging businesses for their web development services. First, these behemoths are misinforming business owners by stating that by having their website listed in Qwest, Verizon or City Search’s local directories that the business will see substantial traffic to their website. Second, these money hungry companies are leading these same businesses to believe that one must spend hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars in order to have a website on the Internet. These notions are absolutely false.

According to Forrester Research, 73.4% of consumers use search engines as the preferred method of finding new websites and information online. This is opposite of what Qwest, Verizon or City Search would lead businesses to believe. As well, another industry leading research firm, Jupiter Media, states that the top three search engine sites used by web surfers to find new sites and information on the Internet are AOL, Yahoo and MSN. As well, Nielsen/NetRatings Inc. states that current web traffic patterns show the top three “web properties” as of July 2001 were AOL, Yahoo and MSN. These giants accounted for over 34% of total traffic to the Internet’s top 25 websites. City Search’s traffic combined with that of Ticket Master only accounted for a measly 1.9% of total traffic to the top 25 Internet websites. As well, users visiting AOL, Yahoo and MSN spent an average of one hour and 42 minutes online, while visitors to City Search and Ticket Master only spent an average of 22 minutes online. Qwest and Verizon did not even make it to the Internet’s top 25 websites for the month of July.

Misleading businesses on how to get their website visited on the Internet is not the only flaw in the web development services of Qwest, Verizon and City Search. These companies are also misleading businesses into believing that one must pay hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars to initially have a website built and placed on the Internet. This too, is a fallacy. Qwest, Verizon and City Search are charging huge fees for websites that appear to be nothing more than a standard website template with the business’s information <INSERTED HERE>. The majority of Qwest, Verizon and City Search websites lack the search engine optimization techniques used to get websites high placement in the top search engines such as Yahoo, AOL and MSN. These search engine optimization techniques are an industry standard that should be included in all websites. Qwest, Verizon and City Search obviously do not inform most business clients that there is a large difference between having a website, and marketing that website to easily be found by search engines and the majority of Internet users.

However, there does appear to be a company headquartered in Portland, Oregon that is striving to combat the misconceptions that Qwest, Verizon and City Search have so prolifically spread nationwide.

According to Jason Runyan, Marketing and Sales Manager of NETurf.com, Inc., “Combating these misconceptions is extremely difficult as companies such as City Search have already spread the word nationwide that it will cost businesses hundreds or thousands to have a decent, informational website on the Internet. This just isn’t true, and we have the clients to vouch for it.” Mr. Runyan states that the problem lies with breaking through the initial barrier business owners and decision makers put up when it comes to asking if the business has a website. Mr. Runyan goes on to explain that most business owners tell him that they want a website, but they just can’t afford the hundreds that “they know” it will cost. When NETurf.com’s sales representatives call on a client and tell them that they can be on the Internet with a professional, custom website, including the domain name (www.yourbusiness.com), monthly maintenance, search engine submission and optimization, and web hosting with unlimited traffic for as little as $30 a month with no start-up fees, hidden charges, and an agreement that is simply month-to-month, they just don’t believe it.

However, since NETurf’s inception nearly two years ago, the company is finally beginning to break through the price and quality misconception barriers. Presently, NETurf has clients from Seattle to Portland to San Jose to Las Vegas, and is looking to expand nationally. NETurf.com is presently looking to sign a television talk show host, who as of October 1st, will be premiering on FOX Broadcasting Networks nationally. Mr. Runyan goes on to say that he hopes that this national exposure will allow NETurf.com to bring the word to businesses nation-wide that a website does not need to cost a fortune, and is affordable for even the smallest business.

To learn more about NETurf.com, visit them on the web at http://www.neturf.com or call them toll-free at 866-4-NETurf (866-463-8873). To view NETurf’s online portfolio, go to http://portfolio.neturf.com.

Contact: Dedrick K. Espenas
Everything, Inc.
6789 Larson Ave., Ste. 101
West Linn, OR 97068
Voice (503) 742-0306
Toll-Free (877) 530-6192
Fax 503-961-9869
dedrick@everything-inc.com
http://www.everything-inc.com