It's as if it was the first time anyone had asked them for their opinions on something they actually cared about. The SmartGirl Web site went live Jan. 1, 1997. We attracted a whole different audience by asking them to tell us what they thought. The typical visitor to the site is 14 years old and spends at least 12 hours on line each week. SmartGirl constantly surveys visitors to its site.
Responses are anonymous, and personal information never is sold.
Walcott won't name other clients, which include an automaker and a shoe company, because they requested confidentiality. The depth of the teens' survey responses often astounds Walcott. Some girls will write pages on a single question. People get lonely and want to be heard. Our site tells them somebody cares about what they have to say.