Guide lists Web traders

Companies that have Web sites and want to publicise their Internet presence may be interested in a new service from directory firm Thomson.

Last week Thomson announced that it would issue 300,000 printed copies of its WebFinder directory of Web sites. The firm said it would release the directories in December, but only in the London area, because this territory has a high proportion of Internet users. However, an online version will cover the rest of the country.

The directory will be delivered to homes and businesses and will provide 5,000 addresses of firms offering products and services. Thomson will also launch an online version of WebFinder to cover all areas of the UK. The company said that its directory would make it easier to find sites because its own database of UK locations and businesses would be searched, removing irrelevant returns.

Companies wishing to be included in the WebFinder directories can choose between two packages, Classic or Premium. Businesses selecting the Classic package will be placed in both the offline and online directory. They can choose full-page advertisements or pay for higher rankings in lists.

Online there are more options. Thomson said one of its editors would visit the site and provide an unbiased description of the services a company offers, as well as collating the kinds of relevant words that make a site more easily identifiable when users are searching the directory.

The Premium package gives priority positioning in the online version, but this placing depends on how much businesses are willing to pay per click. Thomson said that firms would pay a fee, starting at five pence per click, every time a potential customer accessed information about them in the online directory. Companies will also have to bid in an online auction to be associated with certain words or phrases.

The package initially includes the first year's management fee, with £100 worth of credits in the Click Through Account.

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