IQ Interactive Special Report: Just Kidding

The pre-teen set is online now more than ever before. Finding the right spot for your ad in this cyber-playground requires some research, though. Not all sites are what they first appear to be. By Kristina Feliciano These days, even the tiniest of tykes is tech-savvy. And it's no wonder. In our highly wired culture, it's now de rigueur for the even youngest kid to get in touch with his or her inner Web surfer. There are computers in elementary schools, computer games and, of course, educational software. They even have their own laws. Late last month, Coppa, the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act went into effect, making it illegal for sites to collect personal information from kids under 13 without parental consent. While this means that chat rooms and some activities will be off limits to the pre-teen set, these sites are worth advertisers' consideration because of time, content and influence: Kids can afford to idle away hours at a computer; many of these sites offer the kind of content that keeps them coming back; and there's the early-adopter factor--an effective ad can result in a lifelong customer. But as always, not all Web sites are created equal. Some that seem like they'd be directed at kids are actually aimed at adults. For example, Disney.com, owned by the GO Network, has more to offer adults planning a visit to the Magic Kingdom than it does for children interested in Mickey and Minnie. And Yahooligans!, which was created with kids in mind, is in fact a directory--a kid-friendly version of Yahoo!--and not a destination site. Then there's the issue of quality. They may be young, but they're not dumb. Kids don't want to be spoken down to, and they know from "lame." So, if you're considering a kids' Web buy, you may want to do your homework first. alfy.com HHH The Point: Provide a safe Web experience for young kids. Vital Statistics: Launched June 1999. Owned by Alfy Inc., based in New York. Target Demo: Kids 3-9, teachers, parents and caregivers. Traffic: 8.5 million page views per month. Content: Sound is an important part of this site, which includes an arcade, an artwork section and an area where kids can "play" instruments. Alfy.com also features a clubhouse offering kids' home pages and "Kids' News." The teachers' section contains lesson plans and Internet activities and this month Alfy.com will debut a parents' section. There is also a section for "Cool Sites"; Alfy.com bills itself as the "Kids' Portal Playground." Updated daily. Look and Feel: Looks a little like a coloring book you might pick up at the local drugstore. The colors have that soft and gauzy feel, and there's a big rainbow on the splash page. As for Alfy, he's a scruffy brown dog that wears his baseball cap backward and rides a skateboard. Overall, Alfy.com is extremely gentle in composition, like baby food, which suits its target audience. Also notable: The site's interface is entirely graphical, so little ones actually could use it on their own and not be confounded. Ad Options: Banners, buttons, contests, sweepstakes and the Alfy store. Alfy.com develops its own content, so its marketing team can work with advertisers and sponsors to develop customized promotions. Advertisers include Universal Studios, Disney and a number of smaller dot-coms. Bottom Line: Alfy.com's heart is in the right place, providing resources for educators and parents and entertainment for tiny Web surfers. The site is still young, though. It remains to be seen how effective ads directed at adults--the real target group, as far as advertisers go--will be. bonus.com HH The Point: More is better--offer tons of games so that kids keep coming back, and the bonus will be the advertisers'. Vital Statistics: Launched in 1997. Owned by Bonus.com Inc., based in Palo Alto, Calif. Target Demo: Kids 4-16. Traffic: 58 million impressions per month, and more than 750,000 registered users. Content: There's plenty here to keep kids occupied. Lots of games--2,500, as a matter of fact, from ones involving Appaloosas to others that test users' knowledge of the Backstreet Boys. Nearly 1,500 "edutainment" activities, such as current-events quizzes and "Math Genius." Refreshed weekly. Look and Feel: A little on the generic side. Many of the illustrations look like stock; there's just not a lot of personality. Kids may not mind, however, as there is so much to do. They can be engaged by the sheer number of things to choose from. Usability: It should be a breeze to explore. The site uses frames, and the menu options are always visible. But the site is displayed in a window separate from the basic browser window. Bonus.com calls this new window a "protected environment," which would be fine if it didn't create new problems while solving existing ones. The new window has its own navigation buttons--back, forward, print and so on--and not all were functional when we were test-driving the site. Same goes for some of the banners: clicking on homepage ones got us nowhere. Of course, this might have been a temporary technical difficulty. Ad options: There are several, including short flights--for less than a month--of banners, buttons (strategically located within the content), medallions (appearing at front door of site), or some combination thereof. Also available are ad campaigns--usually tied in with an event, such as the Summer Olympics, or a holiday--and sponsorships, which last between three months and two years. Advertisers include Kellogg Co. and chevron.com. Bottom Line: Bonus.com is eager to accommodate advertisers' needs, which is a plus. It's also got quantity covered as far as kids' activity needs are concerned. The longer kids stay, the better the chances they'll soak up the ads, but quality may be an issue. Because if the site's banners aren't working, neither are your ad dollars. cyberkids.com HHHH The Point: A place where pre-teens can upload their creative work and chat with friends. Vital Statistics: Launched October 1994. Owned by Able Minds Inc., based in San Francisco. Target Demo: Kids 12 and under. Traffic: Serves more than 3.5 million ad views per month. Content: Games ranging from arcade fare (pinball) to classics (poker) to sports (surfing). The "Learning Center" is linked to sites such as homeworkcentral.com that offer online tutoring. There are also movie and software reviews as well as celeb interviews. Kids can display their artistic endeavors in "Creative Works." The "Shopping" area groups products and services according to category: toys & games, books, beauty, etc. Within each of these categories are links to e-commerce sites as well as a brief description of what's for sale and how to get it. The site is updated weekly. Look and Feel: Bright and cheerful, with lots of color (we counted at least 10 hues on one page, and that was before rolling over the tabs, which change color). It's edgy enough to draw tweens but still sufficiently whimsical that those in their single digits would also find it compelling. Usability: The design is very intuitive. The site uses frames, and the menu options are always visible and are well-defined. It's simple to use, regardless of your age or level of tech savvy. Ad Options: Buttons, banners, daily sweepstakes and sponsorships. Sponsors can rotate as many creative ads as they like and add to or pull banners as required; there are no restrictions on the length of the campaign or number of banners. Advertisers include zanybrainy.com and FamilyEducation Network. Bottom Line: Looks like a good choice. CyberKids.com is not shy about displaying ads: there are large banners at the top and bottom of some pages. The "Shopping" tab alone is worth investigating. FreeZone.com HHHH The Point: To be a cool hangout for kids--and it succeeds. Vital Statistics: Launch November 1995. Part of the FreeZone network, owned by Thomson newspapers/Thomson Corp., based in Chicago. Target Demo: Kids 8-14. Registration required for interactive areas. Traffic: 8 million page views per month and 605,000 registered users. Content: This is one of the more engaging kid sites. Maybe that's because 80 percent of content is kid-generated: a 13-year-old girl gives advice on "School Dance Jitters," while a poll asks whether celebrities are good role models. It's unusual stuff, the kind of quirky content that can't be found just anywhere, so the site's users are no doubt loyal. There is also an entire section devoted to pop culture, with a "Slang Translator" and bulletin boards for kids to vent about movies, TV and music. Updated daily. Look and Feel: Someone at FreeZone is a fan of Nickelodeon. FreeZone's graphics resemble Nick's jaunty nostalgic design sensibility, from the '50s-style fonts to the retro colors (the site was recently redesigned). And there's nothing wrong with that. Having someone else's style is better than having no style at all. Even the text borrows from Nick's love of the old-fashioned: One tab heralds the "Latest Hoo-Ha." Usability: Manages to avoid frames, which can be limiting design-wise, and still be completely functional. Everything's clearly labeled and kid-friendly. Ad options: Sponsorships, custom mini-sites, buttons, banners and syndication of online (and offline print) content. Also, product and consulting services, such as contest registrations and chats. Advertisers include Amazon.com, DreamWorks Pictures, Kellogg Co. and McDonald's. Bottom Line: FreeZone is a standout--in terms of content, design and enjoyability. And because most of the content comes from the kids, the site offers the interactivity and sense of ownership that keeps them coming back. Don't overlook this one. headbone.com HHH The Point: Giving kids--older kids, especially--a place to talk to each other. Vital Statistics: Launched May 1997. Owned by Headbone Interactive, based in Seattle. Target Demo: Kids 8-14. Traffic: 12.5 million page views per month and 475,000 registered users. Content: Headbone Zone includes games and features, such as "The Price of Fame, the Buy-Sell-and-Trade Celeb Stock Game" and "Hey, Velma!" a weekly Q&A in which a cartoon pig gives A's to users' Q's about love, life and the like. However, chat seems to be Headbone's strength. The site has rooms for both kids and teens, and it recently promoted its ability to accommodate as many as 60 chatters in a room. Headbone also offers sweepstakes and contests, including "Smirk City" where kids can contribute jokes, and "hbzVoter," where they can vote for the "hottest brand of clothing"--an issue of utmost importance to young teens. Updated weekly. Look and Feel: Like a teen magazine. The stars and starburst graphics and dark red, navy, and orange hues suggest Tiger Beat or even Dynamite, a '70s-era kids' title. Usability: The site is well designed. It's easy to get around, and the content is presented in a big, bold way so that it's a cinch to access. Ad options: Banners and sponsorship of prizes and other areas of the site, such as chat rooms, e-cards, custom games and contests. Next month, for example, General Mills will be doing an offline/online promotion with Headbone.com in which Camp Headbone will be featured on the back of six million packages of GoGurts and Gushers and will tie to online Camp Headbone at headbone.com. Advertisers include General Mills, GO.com, JuicyFruit and Fleet Financial Services. Bottom Line: Recommended for those after tweens and teens. There's not much here for those on the younger side of the site's target demo, but the features for older kids--chat rooms, polling, advice columns--are highly interactive and constantly changing, which means repeat viewers. Banners are ubiquitous and separated from the content, giving advertisers exposure without being interfering. mamamedia.com HHH The Point: Don't look to the site's vague tagline--"the place for kids on the Internet"--for a clue. Instead, check out the "grownups" link, which reveals that MaMaMedia.com's fun and games aim to nurture kids' "natural love of learning." Vital Statistics: Launched June 1997. Privately held by MaMa Media, based in Manhattan. Target Demo: Kids ages 5-12. Traffic: More than 100 million page views per month. Registration is optional; currently has more than 1 million registered members. Content: Nearly 100 replayable, original activities geared to what the site calls the three X's that kids will need to master in the age of new media: eXplore, eXpress and eXchange. Offers digital tools kids can use to create their own stories, plays, artwork and characters. In fact, many of the site's games go beyond the normal level of interactivity: Kids are invited to create their own games in established categories--word play, puzzles, etc.--and then play them. Also, there are easy-to-make e-cards, an area where kids can submit their own work for display and view other kids' stuff and links to more than 2,000 kid-friendly sites handpicked by the editors. The grownups area contains articles on education as well as "Webtivities" for parents to do with their kids, like the "Egypt Expedition," "Make Your Own Myth" and "Run Through the Rain Forest." Updated weekly. Look and feel: Vibrant, to say the least: the splash page is purple with lime-green icons. Feels like a cyber-treehouse. The icons, such as "Kids' Web Paint" or "Cartoon Castles," look like a pack of kids cobbled them together, albeit with software and not old-fashioned hardware like a hammer and nails. Meanwhile, despite all the colors, pictures, animation and sound, a fair amount of "white space" makes the site easy to read. Usability: The site is well-organized. It uses frames, so it's easy to move around to other sections--and easy to see the banner ads at the top of the screen. It's also not too text-heavy, so even young ones can find their way on their own. Ad Options: Sponsorships, banners and "Customized Interactive Advertisements" in which kids can interact directly with advertisers' brands. These customized ads, created by MaMa Media, amount to mini-sites. Advertisers include General Mills, Nintendo and Hi-C. Bottom Line: The ads are clearly labeled, obvious and generous in size. Your ads won't get lost here. There are two big icons at the bottom of the home page, for example, that are impossible to miss, and banners across the top announcing section sponsors. nick.com HHHH The Point: To promote Nickelodeon programming. Vital Statistics: Launched June 1997. Owned by Viacom International, based in New York. Target Demo: Kids 6-14. Does not register users. Traffic: More than 70 million for March. Content: Features links to mini-sites for Nickelodeon TV shows, plus the kind of silly, clever kid stuff typical of Nickelodeon: "Nicktionary," which is described as "simply define," and games like "Disco Chimp" in which a simian named Tony Simiano dances at your command in a white Travolta suit. Like Tony, Nick.com is stylin' and unusual. Updated daily, weekly or monthly, depending on the content area. Look and Feel: Sensible, immaculate and still completely kid-friendly. Nickelodeon has been a leader in kids' entertainment, and this site is a substantive extension of that brand. Usability: Eminently easy to use. The sections are linked with text and icons--with pictures of Nickelodeon characters, celebrities or multi-culti kids like themselves--that are as enticing to pre-readers as to older kids. Ad Options: Banner ads (typically, a four-week flight), content sponsorships, event sponsorships, brand games areas and, in the future, streaming audio and video capabilities. Advertisers include greatentertaining.com. Bottom Line: It's the best-looking, smartest kids' site out there, but it's also one of the most subtle when it comes to advertising. The kids are there, but they may not know that you are. StickerWorld.org HHH The Point: Cater to kids who can't get enough of the sticker craze. Vital Statistics: Launched February 1999. Owned by Children's Television Workshop, based in New York. Target Demo: Kids 6-14. Traffic: 2.6 million page views per month, with 100,000 registered users. Content: Stickers and more stickers. Kids can collect and trade them, and they can even make their own. It doesn't sound like much, but kids are mad for stickers, and StickerWorld.org also makes it easy for them make their own Web page to show off their collection. Updated weekly. Look and Feel: Colorful, with bold, chunky type and everything outlined in black. It would appeal equally to boys and girls. Usability: StickerWorld.org is one of the few kids' sites that provide directions. Not that the site needs much explanation--it uses frames, and the icons are fairly self-explanatory. But StickerWorld does have its own language--a lightning bolt signifies an animated sticker, while a wrench means you can change the way a sticker looks on your page--and it conveys this key info clearly and concisely. Ad Options: Sponsorships, banners and sweepstakes sponsorships. Advertisers/sponsors include Intel, eToys.com, eScore.com and ConAgra. Bottom Line: CTW-created StickerWorld.org knows how to entertain kids, and its clear, logical design makes banners pop. The subject matter may seem a bit too specialized, but the benefit of targeted content is that it breeds loyalty and...stickiness.

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IQ Interactive Special Report: Just Kidding

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