In most cases - NO!  Most of the stuff found on the Internet is useless, because the hype turned the Internet into a hot emotional issue.  The hype created an unjustified complex of “being left behind”.  When they think only emotionally, people get their priorities mixed up.  In most businesses, decisions made by an improvised “Internet Committee” are given to the company’s computer guru - who usually knows about the technology involved, but who is not a communications expert.     

The first advice for someone who contemplates a new web site is to FORGET ABOUT THE INTERNET.  No, I don’t mean “don’t use it”.  What I mean is:  during the "idea stage", forget about the technology!  Ask yourself if the stuff that you want to show on-line is interesting enough - so if it was a magazine or a small book instead of a web site people would actually pay money to read it!  

The Internet is just another way to distribute information.  If you are looking in the dictionary for an "Internet definition", you are on the wrong track.   Exactly like a printing machine, the Internet is actually what YOU will make of it.  You shouldn’t expect people to visit your web site just because it sits out there, available to whoever bumps into it.  You should make it relevant enough so your clients will go on line for the particular purpose of visiting your site.  See the difference?  If you can make your site important enough so people actually recommend it to each other as a major reference, then you have a winner!    

Next we’ll just list a few advantages of the Internet, and a few key rules about promoting your website.