KnowledgeStorm Traffic Surpasses Million Mark.

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

ATLANTA--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Oct. 9, 2003

Traffic to KnowledgeStorm surges 235% since 2002, with more than one million prospective technology buyers visiting KnowledgeStorm each

month and 95% recommending KnowledgeStorm to other technology buyers

KnowledgeStorm, the industry's most highly trafficked search site for IT product, service, reseller and hardware information, today announced a major industry milestone: monthly traffic to KnowledgeStorm has topped the one million mark, more than doubling since December 2002. The swelling figure has reached 1.2 million to date, as the number of daily unique visitors surpasses 50,000. Growth is expected to continue, with traffic increasing another 15% in the next month. This staggering surge in business technology traffic is credited to KnowledgeStorm's rising popularity among tech marketers and tech buyers, KnowledgeStorm's marquee syndication partnerships, as well as its content--considered an imperative for executives making business technology buying decisions.

KnowledgeStorm's content, including in-depth product and service descriptions across myriad categories, is inundated by crawlers from 100+ search properties including Google, Yahoo!, Inktomi, and AlltheWeb.com among others. The combination of return visitors, word-of-mouth referral and search engines has resulted in a remarkable flood of traffic for KnowledgeStorm and the thousands of business technology solutions marketed on its site.

Congratulations are pouring in from customers and partners including IBM, Aberdeen Group, Xert Communications, Datex, Ascentis, Microsoft and TeamQuest among others. TeamQuest has seen double-digit spikes in exposure, visitors viewing reports about TeamQuest products and technology buyers requesting to be contacted. "From day one, KnowledgeStorm helped TeamQuest broaden our reach with online customers so that we were able to reach both the very technical user and the higher-level IT decision makers within a company," said Cyndi Chizek, manager of Integrated Marketing for TeamQuest.

"What's most interesting about KnowledgeStorm traffic is not its sheer volume or the fact that more than 80% of our visitors influence tech buying decisions, rather it's the fact that KnowledgeStorm provides the 'face behind the click,'" said Jeff Ramminger, EVP of Products, Technology & Marketing for KnowledgeStorm. "KnowledgeStorm visitors provide specifics about themselves, their buying authority, budget requirements and timelines, among other demographics, and many ask to be contacted about making immediate technology purchases. All this is possible because KnowledgeStorm's million monthly visitors land deep into the information they need to research, compare and create 'short lists' of relevant technology solutions."

The million-mark milestone comes during a flurry of good news for KnowledgeStorm. The company just completed a survey in collaboration with The Artemis Group, an independent research company, yielding exceptional validation for KnowledgeStorm. Of the 4800 technology buyers who responded, 97% rated "overall KnowledgeStorm service" between good and outstanding, 92% say they are likely or very likely to return within the next year and 95% say they are likely or very likely to recommend KnowledgeStorm to others.

Additionally, KnowledgeStorm was named as a Catalyst Magazine "Top 50," given positive reviews by a variety of industry influentials including SEMPO, Web Digest for Marketers and a 5-Star, "Exceptional" rating from Emerald Abstracts Computing Coolsites. KnowledgeStorm executives will speak on the topic of "Search Engine Marketing" at the upcoming InfoCommerce conference in Philadelphia this month, where KnowledgeStorm will be showcased as a "Model of Excellence."

For technology buyers, who studies show cannot risk making a bad technology decision, KnowledgeStorm offers an easy, comprehensive means to match business requirements to a "short list" of technology providers. For technology providers, KnowledgeStorm substantially improves odds that motivated buyers will fill sales pipelines.

About KnowledgeStorm

KnowledgeStorm is the Internet's most highly trafficked business technology search site and provides software, service, reseller and hardware information on thousands of IT solutions. This information is available at KnowledgeStorm.com and through syndication partners including Yahoo!, TechTarget, Aberdeen Group, InfoWorld, Fastcompany.com, Inc.com and DevX. More than 1 million visit KnowledgeStorm each month, and 80% of those visitors influence business technology purchase decisions. knowledgestorm.com

KnowledgeStorm and the KnowledgeStorm logo are trademarks of KnowledgeStorm, Inc.