Bell Atlantic Creates Web Sites for Small Businesses
New Web@Once(SM) Service Clears Hurdles for Jumping Onto Internet
MIDDLETON, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 30, 1999-- Small and medium-sized businesses that cannot afford the time or money to create and maintain a Web site are in for some good news.
Bell Atlantic today announced the availability of its new Web@Once(SM) Personalized Site Creation Service, designed to help many small and medium-sized businesses get over the two hurdles--time and money--which have prevented them from fully realizing the benefits of the World Wide Web.
''We have two words for these businesses: easy and affordable. That's what Web@Once is all about,'' said Mike Souder, vice president of Bell Atlantic Electronic Commerce Services. ''Companies no longer need to learn Web site design or spend the money to hire someone to build and maintain a Web site.''
Bell Atlantic's Yellow Pages sales force is selling Web@Once on regularly scheduled Yellow Pages advertising sales calls throughout its region. Web@Once is offered as a separate item at an entry-level price of $115 per month, or in a ''bundled'' package with Bell Atlantic's Yellow Pages advertising with sliding discounts based on spending.
Web@Once gives businesses a five-page Web site complete with text, photos, graphics, a unique Web address, search engine registration, and hosting. There is minimal work involved--a representative interviews the customer about the business and, within days, the new Web site can be up and running. Updates are made by simply calling in changes.
Souder said, ''Over the past two years, our Yellow Pages customers, most of whom are small and medium-sized firms, have told us they want a Web site but cannot afford the cost, which can run to several thousand dollars, to hire a designer to create one. Nor do they have the time to learn how to use off-the-shelf Web authoring software. Web@Once removes these two major obstacles and enables smaller businesses to enjoy the online marketing benefits that larger firms are experiencing.''
Bell Atlantic, the world's largest publisher of shopping directories, employs professional copywriters to write all of the copy for the customer's site. Customers may choose from a variety of page designs and thousands of images from Bell Atlantic's online library or may provide their own images, photos and logos. Full color proofs are provided for final review before launching the site.
In addition, Web@Once customers can drive traffic to their site with an advertising link in BigYellow Bell Atlantic's premier online shopping directory. BigYellow is one of the leading national online Yellow Pages shopping services. Additionally, customers can get access to monthly usage and tracking statistics, decals with the company's new Web address, and six site updates a year. BigYellow(SM), in conjunction with GTE SuperPages(TM), is the exclusive online Yellow Pages service for the 16 million members of the America Online Service, AOL.com, and AOL's Digital City.
Later this year, Bell Atlantic will introduce enhanced electronic commerce products that will enable businesses to establish an ''electronic storefront'' to sell merchandise and services right online.
Note: BigYellow links are not sold through the Bell Atlantic Yellow Pages sales force in New York State due to regulatory requirements.
Bell Atlantic is at the forefront of the new communications and information industry. With more than 42 million telephone access lines and 8.6 million wireless customers worldwide, Bell Atlantic companies are premier providers of advanced wireline voice and data services, market leaders in wireless services and the world's largest publishers of directory information. Bell Atlantic companies are also among the world's largest investors in high-growth global communications markets, with operations and investments in 23 countries.
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