The Internet has received a great deal of attention in the media and many companies have set up an Internet presence. Companies are quickly moving to use the Internet as a way of segmenting markets and doing something that ordinary promotional media cannot: reaching consumers across the country and around the world interactively and on demand --all at a reasonable cost. The potential applications of the Internet are being expanded every day and companies that are the first to exploit these opportunities will have a tremendous advantage over their more traditionally oriented competitors. .
Even though the Internet's popularity is growing rapidly among businesses, there is still a great deal of confusion about the Internet and what it has to offer the business world. The Internet is a network of computer networks. It is made up of well over two-and-a-half million host computers and is growing at the rate of over two million new users each month. But beyond this, the Internet is a new and highly efficient way of accessing, organizing and sharing information. Connecting to the Internet and the World Wide Web can be relatively inexpensive, depending on the access provider and the type of access. A dedicated Internet connection makes a business a permanent part of the Internet on a full-time basis. This type of access is usually provided for a flat rate well within the reach of most large- and medium-sized businesses. Even smaller businesses may find a dedicated Internet connection to be a valuable investment because it provides fast and inexpensive access to a large number of their customers. In some areas, businesses may reduce the cost of going online by leasing the use of a dedicated line from a local access provider for their World Wide Web site. Some providers now make this service available with a dial-up connection. .
The World Wide Web can be used as a promotional tool in several ways.