Your web site exists for a purpose. It exists to market your product or service, make a favorable impression, and induce people to come back regularly. Unfortunately, a lot of web sites (and advertising in general) fall for what we call the "beauty myth". We've all seen ads on television that have been stunning, innovative, brilliant pieces of cinematography. An example is the Honda "Cog" ad, which can be found on YouTube.

Now, if you're a nationally recognized brand (like Honda), simply getting brand reinforcement can be enough of a goal from an ad on television. On the other hand, if you're reading this, you're probably not that big of a company.

At which point, you need to focus on the function of your ad (your web site) over its form and beauty and innovation. Now, we're not exactly the zealots of Jacob Nielsen, and pushing for ugly, text only web sites that assume everyone's stuck in 1995, but still simple and attractive and understated is far better than flashy (or, for that matter, Flash-driven).

Far better than spending your money on experts on web design (or a web designer trying to build a portfolio site), build a functional, if somewhat basic web site, using cascading style sheets so you can update the look without massive trauma, and focus on what your web site is supposed to do: Convert browsers into buyers.

Stories of those who used Google and Yahoo! To advertise their sites and failed desperately are easy to find. The people behind the failed advertising campaigns often were not experienced, not able to analyze numbers and not in possession of the tools and knowledge that it takes to succeed on Google and Yahoo!

Many small and large business owners have found that turning the advertising chores over to a professional search engine expert has made the difference between hemorrhaging their advertising budget and running a profitable business. But, finding someone who truly knows what they are doing is often difficult.

Finding a qualified consultant is, fortunately, straightforward. Both Yahoo and Google offer certification programs. Google Certified Professionals and Yahoo Search Marketing Ambassadors are the respective titles. These people have intimate knowledge of how the process works, and has gone through a training program, and there are recertification exams to make sure the knowledge is kept up to date.

Remember, the Internet is littered with stories of beautiful, creative, or original web sites that had to close down because they could not run a successful advertising campaign. If your web site has been designed with a focus on these things and you are struggling to make your site profitable, it is time to hire a professional. Look for those experts who have been awarded Google and Yahoo's professional seals of approval.