What Is an ASP File? Files created with Active Server Pages have the extension .ASP. This story is an example; take a look at the address above. With ASP files, you can activate your Web site using any combination of HTML, scripting such as JavaScript or Visual Basic?

Is It Hard to Use? I don't know about you, but whenever people start talking about doing things on the server, I start to get nervous. I think a lot about threading issues, synchronization, and generally stuff without a user interface. I assume it's going to be hard to do. Well, using ASP is about as easy as anything I've come across in years.

Aw, Mom. Not Another Object Model! I really hate doing this to you, but I'm going to have to use that overused and overcomplex term "object model" again. Here's how it works. When a browser requests an ASP file from your Web server, your Web server calls Active Server Pages to read through the ASP file, executing any of the commands contained within and sending the resulting HTML page to the browser.

Load your page with keywords. Keywords are the terms your customers are likely to use when searching. If you sell antique model cars and you just have pictures on your home page, you're not likely to get a single hit. Number one in search engine tips: include written content on your home page that uses the term "antique model cars" often, and your ranking will go up, often way up. Pick the right keyword. Search engine tips from the search engines don't always tell you this, but the keyword or combination of keywords your customer is going to search for is critical. Be specific. You're not likely to place high if you choose "flowers," but if you use "Boston wedding flowers," you will. Make sure that your keyword combination is something your customers are likely to search for.

Yahoo! is directory-based; that means that part of its database is put together by humans. If you have a nonprofit or primarily informational site, you can submit it to their directory section for free, and this will enhance your placement in a search. (If you have a for-profit or merchant site, they will charge you a fee for this.) Google and MSN both use crawler-based technology; that means that once they know a web page is there, they send out "spiders" to examine its content and determine how it should rank in keyword searches. The best search engine tips for crawlers are to make sure your keywords are in place, and to update your page frequently.