Net gains

Area businesses advertise on community Web site

Picture another snowy day in State College. An avalanche has trapped you in your home and you just burned your last phone directory for warmth.

But you need to know if classes are canceled, which trails are open at Tussey Mountain Ski Area and where you can buy some new earmuffs. What to do?

Those hooked up to the Internet can visit State College On-line, a rapidly growing community World Wide Web site that offers everything from news to movie listings to the menu at Ye Old College Diner, 126 W. College Ave.

State College On-line, located at http://www.statecollege.com, was created by Lazerpro Video Productions, a media company comprised of 12 former University students. Formed in 1996 by owner Dan Myers, who graduated in 1991, State College On-line has been making its presence felt throughout the area in the past year, through advertisements, word of mouth and banners that were flown over Beaver Stadium during football games.

That exposure seems to be having an impact -- since last year, visits to the site have increased from fewer than 200 visitors per day to more than 600. Today, more than 150 area businesses advertise on the site, some with pages that give basic information, others that provide color photos and special offers.

"The Internet is going to replace the yellow pages in a couple years," said David Stevens, director of Internet operations at Lazerpro.

Lazerpro sees the Internet as a way of building community. Myers presents State College On-line as a service that helps everyone in the community.

"All the businesses play a small part in promoting the community," Myers said. With services such as free classified ads and school cancellation announcements, Myers said the town benefits by having a common Web site.

"We're helping to wire the town," Myers said. "We do what we can to facilitate communication in the community."

Like many student users, Andy Baraniak (sophomore-biochemistry) said he would most likely use movie listings and weather announcements on the site.

"It definitely sounds like it would be a valuable tool," Baraniak said.

Stevens and his associates are working hard to convince the rest of the world that the future is on-line. While some businesses were enthusiastic about advertising on State College On-line, others took more coercing, he said.

Century 21 Corman Associates Inc., 900 W. College Ave., chose State College On-line because of the superior technology, said President Bill Sieg. At the Corman Associates site, visitors can search for real estate based on criteria such as school district and price range.

Sieg said the site has helped customers from as far away as Italy search for homes in the area.

"It's not yet the primary way of marketing, but it certainly gives you a reach outside your normal area," he said.

Another innovative site is the Tussey Mountain site, Myers said. Employees at the ski area update the site from their computers each day with the latest ski conditions.

"It's a great tie-in to be with them," said Dave Fahrenbach, general manager at Tussey Mountain. "I know that more people are using the Web page, more people are finding out about it."