However, Herbold was quick to put it into perspective. Internet advertising this year accounts for only 5 percent of Microsoft's ad budget. Microsoft continues to spend most of its money on print ads. Most advertisers pay a small fee for each visitor to the site that carries their advertising. Special software counts the number of people who see a site, and the number is plugged into a formula.
Several companies offer services to verify the numbers generated by Web sites.
Although it's impossible to tell exactly who is visiting, it is possible to find out how the visitor is getting onto the Internet. Every network connected to the 'Net has a distinct numeric address, and software that counts visitors can read this address. Apel's pages are both funny and political in nature. Apel is a member of the Commonwealth Network, a kind of marketing cooperative for individuals who'd like to make money with their personal Web sites. The Network solicits advertisers, and member home page authors can place ad banners on their pages.