WebCrawler Announces New Interface and Sponsorship Program

Five Charter Sponsors Join Program

Vienna, VA - Oct. 3, 1995 -- WebCrawler, the World Wide Web (Web) search
engine of choice for Internet enthusiasts, announced today that it has
unveiled a lively new interface design that incorporates advertising.
WebCrawler's vast popularity has attracted companies who want to advertise
on the Web. Revenues from this new program could be used to enhance
WebCrawler's services which will remain free to Internet users.

"WebCrawler's new advertising program will provide sponsors the ability to
reach hundreds of thousands of Internet users each week," said Ted
Leonsis, President of America Online Services. "And WebCrawler's new
interface will make it even easier to explore the Web."

Making more than nine million search requests per week, over 900,000
Internet enthusiasts depend on WebCrawler's fast and reliable search
engine to find a broad range of information on the Web. This represents an
800% increase in usage in the six months since WebCrawler was acquired by
America Online. Currently, WebCrawler has indexed over 60,000 Web sites
and adds more than 3,000 new sites each month.

In its new interface, WebCrawler intelligently integrates advertisements
from five Charter Sponsors. These flagship sponsors include American
Airlines, AT&T, Netscape, Video On Line and Web Review. Also, WebCrawler
will promote the America Online Inc. services: the AOL branded service and
the GNN branded service. In addition, space is being donated to Amnesty
International, an organization dedicated to the advancement of human
rights. In upcoming months, WebCrawler plans to integrate advertisements
from additional sponsors in a manner that will not hinder the guide's
effectiveness.

WebCrawler advertising is available at a rate of $22,000 per month. There
are five available distribution slots per week and ads are rotated every
few seconds to insure uniform distribution. Advertisers may purchase as
many of the five weekly distributions as they like, without limitation.

A new look and feel

Colorful graphics have been added to WebCrawler's new interface to enhance
its look and reflect the guide's fun spirit. All graphics are simple and
download quickly. The newly re-designed site also makes it easier for
users to find information. Original features which users will continue to
enjoy include:

* The WebCrawler Top 25 -- a list of the most frequently linked URLs on the
Web.

* Random Links -- a listing of 10 randomly selected URLs from the
WebCrawler's database to introduce users to new homepages they might never
think to search for.

* Web Facts -- the definitive source of statistics on the size of the Web
and browser and server market share.

About WebCrawler

WebCrawler is available free of charge on the Internet at
http://webcrawler.com. To find information, users simply type in the
subject they wish to search. WebCrawler retrieves URLs pertaining to that
subject from a database of all the pages it's visited and indexed. It
executes this process faster than similar search engines or Web catalogs.
WebCrawler, developed at the University of Washington, was the first
full-text search service available on the Web and was acquired by America
Online, Inc. in April 1995.

America Online, Inc., based in Vienna, VA, (Nasdaq symbol: AMER) is the
largest and fastest growing provider of online services in the US with the
most active subscriber base. AOL offers its more than 3.5 million
subscribers a wide variety of services, including electronic mail,
conferencing, software, computing and newspapers and online classes, as
well as easy and affordable access to services of the Internet. Founded in
1985, AOL has established strategic alliances with dozens of companies,
including Time Warner, ABC, Knight-Ridder, Tribune, Hachette, IBM, and
American Express. Personal computer owners can obtain America Online
software at major retailers and bookstores, or by calling 800-827-6364.

Sponsorship Information Contact:
Jenny Shore
510/883-7220
sponsor@webcrawler.com
 
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