What The Press Are Saying..

The following publications have featured The Website Marketing BibleTM or one of my other businesses - magnet4web or Seniority.co.uk. Seniority is the UK's leading over 50s website. Magnet4web is the Internet marketing consultancy I operate.

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MediaWeek "Book Review"
BT Openworld "Best of the Web"
Business 2.0 "Silver Surfers Come of Age"
Business News "How to Develop a Winning Website"
Channel 4's Ideas Factory "Rules of Attraction"
CNBC Europe "Media Beat"
ComputerActive "Return of the Silver Surfers"
Daily Mirror "Over-50s Come of Age Online"
Daily Telegraph "50-somethings contribute"
E-Business Review "The Powerful Pound"
Guardian "Silver Surfers - the Next Big Thing"
Guardian "Silver Surfers Thrive"
The Herald "Reality Check"
The Independent "Top 10 Website of the Week"
The Independent "Top Ten Website of the Week"
The Independent "Top Ten Website of the Week"
The Independent "Website of The Day"
Internet Advisor "Silver Surfers' Hot Spot"
The Internet Explained "Silver Surfers"
Internet Made Easy "50 Sites For the Over 50s"
Internet Made Easy "Essential Lifestyle Destination"
Internet Made Easy "New Internet community for over 50s"
Internet Shopper "Cool Sites"
ITN's LBC London Radio Station LIVE Interview
nb Magazine "The E-Business Elite"
PC Advisor "Over 50s Would Rather Live Without TV"
PC Basics "Old News"
PC Guide "Silver Surfers Ditch TV"
Pressbox "Are You Praying For More Visitors To Your Website?"
Press and Journal "Entrepreneurs Set Off for Cambridge"
Press and Journal "Silver Surfers' Site Getting Travel Bug"
Press & Journal "Silver Surfers' Site Wins Praise"
Press and Journal "Website Training"
PR Week "Are Silversurfers an untapped market?"
Reader's Digest "Fast Fact"
Revolution "Over-50s Online"
The Scotsman "Business News Digest"
The Scotsman "Online Marketing Report"
Scottish Enterprise E-Newsletter "Charity Begins at Home"
The Sunday Times "Special Services for Silver Surfers"
The Net "FOCUS:// Silver Surfers"
The Times "Flags Out For 50"
The Times: Inter//face "Battle for the Silver Surfers"
The Times: Inter//face "The Lowdown on Hi-Tech"
Windows Made Easy "The Generation Game"
Yahoo! "Pick of the Week"

"Book Review - The Website Marketing Bible" MediaWeek

"A comprehensive guide to what makes a profitable website. It takes us through the most important areas of website design and functionality, highlighting both good and bad practice. It is mainly focused on using your website to generate business, either direct sales or leads that can be converted offline. The author discusses his four essential areas of web design, giving practical steps to improve each. The book seeks to give an idea about how to build a website that is integrated with their business, has the appropriate visual design, can technically satisfy the business needs and attract the right kind of visitors.

I agree with all the areas he highlights, and his tips should give people an idea of where they've been going wrong so far. He dedicates a significant section of the book to search engines, the key to driving traffic online. He has information about how to improve search engine rankings and some sound advice not to get overly obsessed with these."

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"Best of the Web - Editors Choice" BT Openworld

"It's official! The over-50's love to surf...And there are loads of great sites out there to prove it. The over 50's now make up a considerable and vocal proportion of the online population - with numbers increasing all the time.

So what exactly does the web have to offer the 'silver surfer'? Unsurprisingly enough, our grandparent's generation use, enjoy and benefit from the internet in very similar ways to every other age group. Easy communication, shopping, learning, researching - all figure high on the list of enjoyable and valuable activities.

So with this in mind, we have collated a whole host of resources, which we hope will be of special interest to the senior surfer.

Seniority.co.uk is a community created by and for people aged 50 plus - with the emphasis on making new friends and having fun."

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"Silver Surfers Come of Age" Business 2.0

"Far from being cowering technophobes, certain sectors of the older generation - with pots of money, time and energy to burn - have been among the most eager to embrace the Internet. UK web sites for the Golden Age [include] Seniority.co.uk - an informative, fun and interactive online community created by and for people aged 50 (ish!)."

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"How to Develop a Winning Website", Business News

"Aberdeen-based Internet Consultancy magnet4web (the company behind award winning 50+ Internet community Seniority.co.uk) has launched an initiative to assist businesses in developing their own "Winning Websites".

The firm's one day training workshop "Creating a Winning Website" focuses on realistic, practical advice.

Director Michael Cheney explains: "Delegates learn how to attract more website visitors, generate more sales leads, save money on web development costs and also improve their ranking in search engines. The workshop enables businesses to create a "winning website" - one that attracts targeted traffic and leads to real business benefits".

As an ever-increasing number of companies take to the web in search of new business this initiative will play its part in encouraging firms to unlock the real potential that the Internet offers.

magnet4web has already delivered several workshops to businesses throughout North-east Scotland and is looking to roll the programme out further afield through developing partnerships both north and south of the border. For more visit the website www.magnet4webstrategy.com/winning."

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"Media Beat" CNBC Europe

I was invited to speak on CNBC's Power Lunch about the issue of the rising over 50s demographic and opportunity for advertisers reaching this market. The other invited guest, Editor of SAGA magazine Emma Soames, and myself discussed the rising numbers of the population throughout Europe that are now part of the "silver surfer" online segment. I was given opportunity to mention one of my businesses - Seniority.co.uk Limited - an online community for the over 50s.

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"Rules of Attraction", Channel 4's Ideas Factory

"RULES OF ATTRACTION

Website marketing has come to Aberdeen and it's taking the Granite City, as well as the rest of the world, by storm. Joanne Wilkinson talks to Michael Cheney and finds out how he turns websites into magnetic successes for a living.

Local to global

'We help companies create a website that is magnetic not pathetic', Michael Cheney says confidently. And he has every reason to be confident. His Aberdeen–based website marketing company, magnet4web, is successfully helping national and global businesses to attract visitors to their websites.

Established early in 2000, Michael decided to set up the company after spotting a gap in the new media market. 'More and more businesses are on the web nowadays but people are gradually wising up to the fact that just having a website is no longer enough,' he says. 'So if your business is not doing something to get found, your competitors will be and they'll be getting customers that could be yours.'

Before setting up magnet4web, Michael managed and marketed his own website (www.seniority.co.uk, an online community aimed at the over 50s) that attracted 40,000 visitors per month. He believes that in doing so, he has acquired the skills needed to successfully market other websites; 'Everything we implement and recommend to our customers is based on our own experience. We don't do anything else but website marketing.'

Evaluate to accumulate

Michael believes that magnet4web is different from other website marketing companies because they focus on long–term, merit–based results. As part of this long–term strategy, magnet4web offer website evaluations for their clients. Having provided this service for hundreds of clients, Michael says: 'We take an in–depth look at the website, providing input on why the website isn't performing as you would like it to. We look at things such as user and search engine friendliness, navigation principles, image usage and download times on screen. This, Michael says, measures 'how magnetic the website is.' Having a magnetic website brings in sales and profits.

He believes that 'Many people have become disillusioned with what the internet can actually do for their business.' Magnet4web allows these people to see for themselves how 'New sales leads come in the door as a result of having a website that is being found by the right people.' For Michael, this is a satisfying aspect of his job, 'I also enjoy helping people realise their goals for their business.'

Pipe up

As well as setting up the company, Michael has the active title of Sales and Marketing Director, and this role requires him to 'keep the pipeline full' with new clients and business opportunities. The pipeline at magnet4web seems to be filling up rather quickly, and Michael states that they have numerous projects on the go at any one time. Current projects include a recruitment agency, oil and gas services company, technical training provider and a national architectural business. He expects the young company to expand over the coming months and years due to the fact that they can now provide services globally without the need for face to face meetings.

Michael expects to be able to step out from the business in a few years, but for now he's enjoying his current responsibilities. He loves the flexibility and variation of his job, saying, 'I can work pretty much when I want as long as the work gets done. Meeting new people is also a great bonus as I'm out on the road most days meeting people from all walks of life who are looking to get more business through the web.'

Magnetic targets

But this flexibility doesn't come until after all the hard work of setting up on your own has been done. Michael thinks it's vital that you put in the groundwork. 'Spend as much time as you can researching the viability of your idea/business before you start up. Once you get started, try to devote at least one afternoon a week ON the business rather than IN it. Spend time planning your goals, setting targets and improving the business as an entity.'

Michael's advice to new media entrepreneurs is never to give up on their good ideas. And, of course, 'Get yourself a website that's magnetic and brings you business.' Simple, really."

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"Return of the Silver Surfers" ComputerActive

"We were inundated with letters from some of our more senior readers saying they have grasped the computer world with both hands and are giving it a damn good shake.

Why not browse websites that encourage older people in their use of PCs? Good examples are LaterLife, Seniority.co.uk and HellsGeriatrics."

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"Over-50s Come of Age Online" Daily Mirror

"Five years ago, the only people on the net were young tech-heads. Now their parents and grandparents are catching up. With one third of UK adults aged over 50, it's no surprise that more and more sites are springing up aimed at them.

There's an established online community at www.seniority.co.uk. It relies heavily on the contributions of visitors, so there are lots of anecdotes, ideas and advice from fellow silver surfers.

Send in reviews of your favourite books, music and movies or post messages to the Home & Hobbies section where advice abounds on everything from gardening to DIY. Features include an Agony Uncle who covers tricky topics such as boredom with marriage and alcoholism. And a technical jargon-buster will help make sense of the Web."

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"50-somethings contribute" The Daily Telegraph

"Despite having a rather sober-sounding name, Seniority.co.uk manages to side-step the age issue by saying it's for "people aged 50(ish!)", making the really old feel young and the not-so-old feel quite at home. It features a selection of articles covering motoring, hobbies, health and money, which have mostly been contributed by visitors to the site. Throw in discussions and you're away."

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"The Powerful Pound" E-Business Review

"People aged 50-plus spend more time online than any other age group and generally have more available time and a greater residual income. So why has this fastest growing segment of Internet users not been courted more fiercely?

Seniority.co.uk went live in June 2000 and was one of the first professional websites in the UK to target this market. The function of the site is surprisingly simple. "We provide products and services to people aged 50 and over in the UK and beyond, via an interactive Internet community."

This community is obviously the biggest draw for the so called 'silver surfers'. "Our company is different because its direction is largely dictated by what our customers want. All the content on Seniority.co.uk comes from the community members - they can suggest new areas for the site, write about what they want and talk with like-minded people."

The tag line for the site is, 'Your scene. Your site. Your say.' with members dictating the site's direction, content, products and services.

Editorial staff read through all the contributions sent in but nearly everything is included on the site. "We're not in the business of censoring or only using material we see fit. If someone has taken the effort to write about something that interests them then it deserves to become part of the community." "

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"Silver Surfers - The Next Big Thing" The Guardian

"It has been said time and time again that the internet is perfect for the older generation, but it is only in the past year that something has been done about it. A number of new sites have cropped up - notable examples include Vavo.com, Seniority.co.uk and LifeBegins.net - and established companies targeting the over-50s are starting to wise up to the internet.

The bottom line is: don't write off people aged 50-plus. The facts speak for themselves. One in four people aged 50-plus use a computer in their spare time, and estimates suggest there are 2.2m older people already using the internet."

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"Silver Surfers Thrive" The Guardian

"Stuart Wheeler may believe the internet is for the younger generation but he is being increasingly outnumbered by mature internet enthusiasts.

A survey two years ago by Age Concern and Microsoft put the number of over-50s "silver surfers" in Britain at 4.5m - and the figure is believed to have risen considerably since then.

"Some old people just don't have an interest in IT, which is fine," a spokeswoman for Age Concern said. "But it is not a technology exclusively for the young."

Asked what advice the charity would give a 67-year-old technophobe, she said: "He should understand the internet is a great way for older people to make their lives easier - online shopping or communicating easily with grandchildren and friends around the world."

In his newfound free time Mr Wheeler might try logging on to www.seniority.co.uk, which offers a chat room for older internet users and attempts to translate web jargon."

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"Reality Check" by Louise Jenkins, The Herald

(Michael Cheney, Director of magnet4web addresses the problems facing companies adopting ecommerce).

" 'Knowledge is the biggest barrier I've come across', he says.

'People either do not know where to start or, if they already have a basic website, do not know how to take it further to create a website that really adds value to the business.'

'The internet is still viewed as a black art and, in a lot of cases, SMEs have to rely on gut instinct and trust what a web developer tells them. This lack of understanding makes it difficult to match the needs they have as a business to the requirements of a website.'

'Time and cost are the other main barriers. For smaller businesses, it's always difficult to set time aside from daily fire-fighting to think about the website and what they are actually going to do with it.'

'It [networking] opens up new contacts to the business, which will always be beneficial, and provides scope to air its views on what it's doing, swap information and share ideas, which is always a benefit,' Cheney says.

'Businesses need information of a practical nature; something they can use rather than simply theories and ideas.' "

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"Top Ten Website of the Week" The Independent

"The internet may be pitched at the young but Seniority.co.uk is an interactive, informative and entertaining online community written by and for people aged 50(ish!) and over in the UK. Without patronising its intended audience this site aims to keep the older generation upto speed with all the latest developments in the news, the internet and current social affairs".

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"The Daily Website" The Independent

"As the internet matures, and older people get online, more sites are catering for the so-called "silver surfers". Seniority.co.uk is aimed at those aged 50 and over, and it positions itself as an online community reflecting what its users want. E-mail addresses are flagged for readers to air their opinions.

At its launch last week, content was organised into categories such as entertainment, features, health, money, news, shopping, travel, and so on. Navigation is simple, and the articles are lively and unpatronising. Those about technology explain what "free internet access" really means, and whether the time is right to buy such new technology as WAPs (Web Access Phones)."

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"Top Ten Website of the Week" The Independent

"Proving that the internet doesn't have to be the domain solely of children and teen geeks, this is a community for people aged 50 (ish) that's been putting the lazy younger generations to shame. The site, the content of which, comes from the readers themselves, is witness to some of the most adventurous "silver surfers" around – including a 70-year-old skydiver and 50 year old mountaineer."

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"Top Ten Website of the Week" The Independent

"Life may begin at 40 but Seniority.co.uk is an interactive community created by and for people aged 50 (ish!) The site has just launched some new services so, alongside the reader-provided content, visitors can enter competitions, read a Castaway 2000 exclusive, make use of a jargon buster and participate in lively forums. Seniority visitors can also now "ask an expert" in the form of an accountant, a financial advisor, a gardener, a golf pro and even an astrologer".

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"Silver Surfers' Hot Spot" Internet Advisor

"Regular readers will remember that we mentioned this site last month, promising to return if it lived up to its pre-launch hype. So how well has Seniority fared?

Hype: "A clutter-free environment, with one of the simplest navigation systems around".

Reality: Well, it's certinaly clutter-free. In fact, it's positively spartan. Articles are presented in long, unbroken columns, with few pictures to liven up the text. And the navigation system, although simple, could do with some captions beneath the buttons.

Hype: "An enjoyable, no-nonsense site. Seniority looks certain to attract people who feel patronised by what has been available to them on the Internet thus far".

Reality: True enough. Although there's not a huge range of content yet, the writing tends towards the anecdotal.

Hype: "The main focus of Seniority.co.uk is interaction: Your scene. Your site. Your say."

Reality: Also true. Articles attract a fair range of comments, with responses coming in from all over the globe. Expect more postings as the site becomes better known.

They say: "The online community of choice for the over-50s"

We say: "A cautious thumbs-up"

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"Silver Surfers" The Internet Explained

"Perhaps one of the most interactive of the silver sites. Seniority.co.uk welcomes contributions to the site on all sorts of subjects - and you can even win £250 for your efforts!

The site's been online for about six months now, in which time they've collated everything from personal travelogues to short stories. All of the sections are written by the readers, so, for example, if you click on "News and Tech" and then "Computing and the Internet" you'll find articles about viruses, upgrading your PC and free Internet Service Providers, all written by the people who often know the subject best - the users themselves.

You can also click on "Your Scene" to discover readers' recommended sites on the Net. Under "Fun and Games" heading at the top of the page there are mind puzzles and competition links. In "Home and Hobbies" you'll find articles on DIY, food and drink, gardening, walking, motoring and photography - all written by fellow enthusiasts.

Try "Features" for anything that doesn't seem to fit anywhere else (there's an agony uncle, reader's letters, horoscopes and a section called "Gossip" for the latest rumours concerning everything from organic food to the Royals!). And if you still can't find what you'd like to see covered on the site, write it yourself!"

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"50 Sites for the Over 50s" Internet Made Easy

"Seniority.co.uk - Especially for silver surfers, Seniority is a site based on contributions from its readers. With channels for fun and games, entertainment, health, home, travel and hobbies, there's a whole community online just waiting for you to explore.

Net Natter - We have a quick natter to Michael Cheney, manager of Seniority.co.uk, about the impact this lifestyle site is having on the more mature surfing generation.

Q. What is Seniority and how did it begin?

A. We launched the site in June 2000, with the aim of creating a site for people over 50. There were four of us to start with, who came up with the idea for the site from talking to our parents. They were becoming interested in the Internet, but there was nothing for them. We wanted to create a community-led site where people could make new friends and enjoy the Internet in a safe environment with their peers.

Q. How successful has the site been in its first two and a half years?

A. Well, three days after Seniority.co.uk went live, the Daily Telegraph voted it the 'Best Site on the Internet' (sic - The Independent). At the moment we get about 40,000 unique users a month, and we're looking to expand it even further. We might introduce a membership scheme and special offers such as trips and outings, but most of the development will be done organically as a natural progression of the site.

Q. How important is the community to the site?

A. The community provides 99 per cent of the site content and any changes we want to make are run past them. If they are against it, we won't do it. It's often the first site people come to and, in the forum area, people develop friendships for a real sense of community. They help each other with Net problems, and share stories or experiences in a site that has been developed to be as easy to navigate as possible."

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"50 Sites for the Over 50s" Internet Made Easy

"Seniority.co.uk - This site promotes the fact that it's written for and by 'people aged 50 (ish) and over', and much of the editorial content has a tongue-in-cheek tone that provides a bit of light relief among some of the more serious Silver Surfer sites".

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"New Internet community for over 50s" Internet Made Easy

"Silver surfers can now log on to a Web site designed with the older Internet user in mind. Seniority.co.uk is an online community which is aimed at the over 50s market of the Internet, traditionally an area where Internet usage has been among the lowest. Included in the content on the site is an exclusive weekly feature from the BBC's Castaway 2000 series. The emphasis of the site is on interaction, with members encouraged to contribute their own content and comment on current features. It's a site that is well-designed and easy to navigate, and there is plenty here for Net users of all ages."

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"Cool Sites" Internet Shopper

"Portal site aimed at the over 50s. Cool stuff, even if you're not old!"

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LIVE Interview - ITN's LBC London Radio Station

"Seniority is about being part of a community - having fun, sharing your experiences and meeting friends online. The focus is on interaction and we invite people to send in their contributions, ideas on the site.. as we say - it's Your scene. Your site. Your say."

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"The E-Business Elite" nb Magazine

"Launched last June [2000], it's barely gone a week without a mention in some newspaper or other, and has recently been voted the UK's number one website for silver surfers. Add to that the fact it's currently growing its membership by 25%."

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"Over 50s would rather chuck out their TVs than their PCs", PC Advisor

"While technology might be more often associated with youthful users, in fact it has won some firm fans among the older generation, as a recent survey revealed. It found that nearly two-thirds of so-called silver surfers would rather live without a TV than a PC.

The study, conducted by magnet4web, in association with Seniority.co.uk, a website dedicated to those over 50, found that 64 percent of the 1,000 users questioned would rather give up watching TV than using their computer.

'The internet offers a greater degree of interaction," said Michael Cheney a spokesman at magnet4web. "Many older people are now becoming more adventurous and are looking to develop new relationships, not just see new places on TV'.

The most commonly used application for the over 50s age group is email.

'We have heard from many of our community members who use art packages, family tree software and the like, but I would say email and browsing the internet remain firm favourites,' said Cheney.

But we can't take these findings at face value — after all these users are clearly among those older people who are clued up about modern technology, as they already visit the Seniority website. As a recent drive by Age Concern shows, there is still quite some way to go before all of the older generation feel as confident with or dependent upon computers.

Another factor that might influence the older generation's lack of interest in television is that programmes are more often than not angled at a younger audience.

'Most TV content is geared towards younger generations though the main factor here seems to be one of interaction,' believes Cheney.

Programme makers are keen to capitalise on this desire for interaction. 'I think in the future PC and TV applications will be more closely linked, as with Big Brother, offering people more interaction with what they are watching. We will also see more people watching TV on mobile devices and their PCs, but I don't think the PC will ever replace good old-fashioned television,' said a spokesman at the BBC."

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"Old News" PC Basics

"Seniority.co.uk - the interactive community created by and for people aged 50 (ish!) has launched some new services. Alongside the reader-provided content, competitions, Castaway 2000 Exclusive, Jargon Buster and lively forums Seniority visitors can now "Ask The Experts" in the shape of an Accountant, a Financial Advisor, a Gardener, a PGA Golf Pro and even an Astrologer. E-Greeting cards can also be sent from the site's Fun & Games area. Visit Seniority.co.uk and see for yourself".

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"Silver Surfers Ditch TV" PC Guide

"PCs are quickly becoming the technology of choice, ahead of television for the rising number if Internet dabblers over the age of 50 years.

The media would like to portray the PC as the tool of the young and the Internet as the domain of teenagers with spiky blue hair, where anyone over the age of 30 is treated with derision - the reality is another thing entirely.

A recent survey conducted by magnet4web, (www.magnet4web.com) has revealed that, far from being intimidated by technology, nearly tow thirds of 'silver surfers' (Internet users aged over 50) would rather own a computer than a television.

The survey questioned 1,000 Internet users via the online community Seniority.co.uk (www.seniority.co.uk) that is managed by magnet4web. A surprising 64 per cent of those questioned stated that they would rather live without their television than their PC, highlighting the growing importance of the PC in all walks of society.

According to Forrester Research, Seniority.co.uk is one of the best lifestyle community sites for the UK's silver surfers, and a report from the research group claims that 'Internet users aged 55 and over will exceed five million by the end of 2003. Nearly half of 65-year-olds have a computer. The same percentage own a mobile phone. They are not technology averse'. But then we knew that already."

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"Are You Praying For More Visitors To Your Website?" PressBox

"Well the answer could be at hand in the shape of a newly-released book - The Website Marketing Bible. The book, a step-by-step guide on how to get the most from your website, is an accumulation of lessons learned over the past decade as author Michael Cheney explains:

'The Internet has changed dramatically since I first began developing and marketing websites back in 1995. In those days, for example, Yahoo! only had 200 websites listed on it.'

Since starting out Michael has gone on to build up a number of online businesses including Seniority.co.uk and Magnet4web and recognises both the potential and the pitfalls of the Internet;

'The latest figures from the Computer Industry Almanac state that the worldwide online population is now in excess of 934 million. This is excellent news for website owners but the fact is that there are now billions of web pages in existence which means it is becoming increasingly more difficult to attract visitors.'

If you want to find out more about 'the Bible', and get your free sample of the book, check out the website: http://www.websitemarketingbible.com"

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"Entrepreneurs Set Off For Cambridge", The Press and Journal

"Promising entrepreneurs from Grampian left for England last night to forge profitable alliances with industry representatives in Cambridge as part of a groundbreaking business-development programme.

Travelling to Cambridge were: Librae, Haptogen, Business Plus Scotland, magnet4web ... Delegates will meet with a number of high-profile representatives of the local business community."

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"Website Training", The Press and Journal

"Aberdeen-based Internet consultancy magnet4web will stage a training workshop for firms interested in developing their websites. The event will give advice on how to attract more website visitors, generate more sales leads and save money on web development costs."

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"Silver Surfers' Site Getting the Travel Bug" Press and Journal

"An Aberdeen-based firm's website for so-called "silver surfers" has branched out into the holiday business. The Internet community for the over-50s - seniority.co.uk - has joined forces with Stirling-based travel firm C N Do Scotland to offer its members a trip to the Borders in February.

The firm hopes to secure further contracts with travel firms to offer its members a variety of adventure holidays - from walking expeditions to sky-diving and safaris:

'The site is witness to some of the most adventurous 'silver surfers' around. There's John, who skydived on his 70th birthday, Rosemary who recently flew solo, and Joy who climbed to Everest for her 50th birthday.

There's also 86-year-old Arthur, who plans to travel around the world in 100 days by himself next year.'

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"Silver Surfers' Site Wins Praise" The Press & Journal

"An Aberdeen-based website has won acclaim for its treatment of the Internet's senior surfers - the over-50s. Launched last June, the site at www.seniority.co.uk aims to be an Internet portal for older people, enabling them to share their experiences, gain knowledge from one another and have fun with the Internet by contributing towards making their site an interactive community.

"We don't preach - we listen. The site's content comes from you, the reader. Above all, seniority.co.uk is here for you to have fun, access information and make new friends in one of the liveliest Internet communities available.

"We have more than 400 articles contributed by readers themselves and, each month, seven people who have sent in contributions to the community will be chosen at random to win £25 worth of Amazon vouchers and one person will be chosen to win £75 worth of Amazon vouchers.

"The 50-plus age range is the fastest-growing segment of the population and Internet usage worldwide. Surfing the Internet now ranks fourth in the top 10 of leisure pursuits for the over-50s according to a survey by Age Concern and Microsoft".

According to Forrester Research, it is one of the best lifestyle and community sites for the UK's "silver surfers". Their report on the site stated: "Internet users aged 55 and over will exceed 5 million by the end of 2003. Nearly half of 55 to 65-year-olds have a computer. The same percentage own a mobile phone. They are not technology averse."

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"Are 'Silver Surfers' an Untapped Market?" PR Week

"Our motto is "Your scene. Your site. Your say". That's because 90 per cent of the site's editorial is provided by users.

"We're not a forum or a chat room, we're a regular site, it's just that our users submit articles and then we apply as little editing as possible, convert it into HTML and put it on-line.

"We're keen to do content deals with other companies, but we're wary of putting stuff onto the site that deceives our users. We get about ten companies a week offering us products and services, but we have to be careful."

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"Fast Fact" Reader's Digest

"64% of Internet users aged 50 plus would sooner live without television than without their computer according to an online survey by www.seniority.co.uk."

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"50 Sites for the Over 50s" Revolution

"Advertisers looking to source niche sites can check out the Silver Surfers web site which carries a mini-directory with links to the leading UK web sites targeted at the over-50s market. In truth, the majority of these sites tend to be relatively small, attracting only moderate numbers of visitors and being short on regularly updated content. Some are run by enthusiasts, rather than professionals.

A few of the niche sites are rather more impressive. Among those that stand out due to their reach and professionalism are 50 Connect, Over 50s and Seniority (www.seniority.co.uk)".

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Business News Digest, The Scotsman

"Aberdeen-based internet consultancy magnet4web (www.magnet4web.com) is to host a one-day workshop to help companies develop a successful online strategy."

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Online Marketing Report, The Scotsman

"A 7.5-point plan to optimise online sales - Michael Cheney

1. Use a professional web developer to build the site. How many entrepreneurs have an idea for a business and then take up the science of bricklaying to build their own shop or premises? Exactly.

2. Use a professional graphic designer to develop your site. If you use a friend we can all tell. A rule of thumb is to spend 10% of what you would like the web site to bring in.

3. Use a professional marketing company to get your web site found - in the search engines, in the directories - on anywhere on the web that matters.

4. Don't be a Scrooge. There is an old proverb that says it perfectly;

"The man who buys cheap laughs once but cries many times. The man who buys expensive cries once but laughs many times."

5. Ask for the sale. If you're actually selling somethingvia your website you have to make it as easy as possible for browsers to work out what they need to do.

6. Throw your web site to the lions. Get as many people as possible to critique your site. Friends and family are always good for this - though they'll probably be unwilling to be over-critical so impartial parties is a better idea, if you can track any down.

7. Deliver what you say you will - perhaps a "no-brainer" but it will always pay huge dividends.

7.5. "People Laughed At Me When I Said I Could Get Them To Read This Sentence. But Who's Laughing Now?!" Use headlines. People are busy. They like things that grab them.

Michael Cheney is Sales and Marketing Director of magnet4web. A full version of this piece is available at www.magnet4web.com"

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"Charity Begins at Home", Scottish Enterprise eBusiness Newsletter

"Aberdeen-based website marketing company magnet4web has now implemented a 100% risk free, money-back guarantee... If they don't increase the number of unique visitors coming to a client's website by at least 50% within 90 days they will issue a complete and immediate refund, no questions asked."

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"FOCUS:// Silver Surfers" The Net

If you have to bookmark one - Seniority.co.uk *****

"Online communities are a great idea in principle. Get the infrastructure right and they can be almost self-sustaining, especially if you attract people who are willing to do more than dash off the occasional gripe to the chat boards. Seniority.co.uk seems to capture just that sort of lightning in a bottle, to such an extent that there is very little in the way of in-house editorial content.

Instead the site is essentially a work in progress by its users, who have contributed everything from book reviews to a multi-part essay about the Castaways television series, written by somebody living in relatively close proximity to the island.

The quality of the writing is obviously hostage to the talents (or lack thereof) of the contributors, but the very fact that people are willing to send in pictures of a family day out speak volumes for the ability of the site to foster a community spirit.

The obvious point to make is that these features often have little obvious connection with any age-related issues, but then since the editorial policy is essentially hands-off, this site doesn't really have an oberwhelming ethos that might rub off on the users.

As a look at the chat boards reveals, the conversation tends to gravitate predominantly to those areas concerned with fun and leisure, with little in the way of embittered focus on the downsides and tribulations of growing old".

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"Special Services for Silver Surfers" The Sunday Times

"Apart from the small text on the main navigational tabs at www.seniority.co.uk - which may annoy short-sighted surfers - this is one of the better online communities. In the Agony Uncle section, one contributor asks how to keep the spark going in long-term relationships; elsewhere, Martine laments the "downfall of the Street" and Brian queries the relevance of Christianity in the 21st century. There are articles on walking and on medical issues, such as hearing loss and heart disease. While the site is built around its chat rooms, the straightforward guide to using them is hidden away."

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"The Lowdown on Hi-Tech" The Times

"..those of us who feel aggrieved by the constant onslaught of unfriendly technology and devices should take heart from Arthur Pay, 85, a veteran of the internet and regular visitor to www.seniority.co.uk.

He has this advice for those with reservations about the march of progress: 'I tell people to just get on and use the technology. It's only a matter of pressing knobs and seeing what happens, isn't it?' You don't have to understand how electricity is generated to switch on the light' ".

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"Flags Out For 50" The Times

"Nor will Brown [the Chancellor who celebrated his 50th birthday on 20.02.01] be short of guidance in the years ahead. Our grandparents' generation got little more than 'make the best of it' by way of advice; now the 'grey market' is so powerful that when I put 'aged 50' into an Internet search engine, it came back with more than 800,000 websites.

Brown may like to visit seniority.co.uk, a site set up 'in answer to the demand for a fun, interactive and regularly updated site full of quality content created by and for the 50 (ish!) online audience...'"

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"Battle for the Silver Surfers" The Times: Inter//face

"Seniority - launched in June, this is an interactive online community written by and for people aged 50 and over. The site has more than 35 sections, ranging from travel and gardening through to an exclusive regular feature on the BBC’s Castaway 2000 series. ."

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"The Generation Game" Windows Made Easy

"A popular Web site for over 50s has been putting younger generations to shame with its members' adventure stories. Seniority.co.uk enables like-minded people aged 50 (ish!) and over to have fun with the Internet.

More than 90 per cent of the content on Seniority.co.uk is submitted by readers themselves, and the site is witness to some of the most adventurous silver surfers around.

Visitors to the site can read about John, who skydived on his 70th birthday, Rosemary, who recently flew solo and Joy, who climbed to Everest for her 50th birthday.

Seniority.co.uk, which was launched in June 2000, describes itself as a site that 'enables like-minded people aged 50 (ish!) and over to share their experiences, gain knowledge from one another and have fun with the Internet by contributing towards making their site and interactive community.'

Nothing but a number

The site's content bears little relationship to age-related issues, and instead invites visitors to contribute articles on a wide range of topics. Featured sections include Food and Drink, Outdoor Pursuits, News, Arts and Crafts and Entertainment. Free independent advice is also on offer from a professional accountant, gardener, golfing pro and astrologer.

The Seniority.co.uk maxim is 'Your scene. Your site. Your say', and if you want to get involved, you can find out more at www.seniority.co.uk."

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"Pick of the Week" Yahoo!

"If this is all a little juvenile for you, you might prefer to direct you mouse to what's billed as, "The UK's leading interactive community of people aged 50(ish!)". A brief trawl of the discussion rooms and articles finds goodies like an idiot's guide to grandparenting, a long strand on docu-soaps (Castaway 2000 being the clear favourite), health tips, a techie jargon buster, and senior sport reports. Most of the content is written by the users, and there's a lot of it - this is one of the most active community sites we've seen here at Picks Central. Go silver surfers!."

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