Sometimes a full-featured Web site is too much while simple directory listings are too little. WebCards, a new Web site creation offering from the aptly-named SmallTown, offers small businesses a middle ground.




Smalltown describes Webcard listings as a hybrid of yellow page ads and multimedia websites. What makes them interesting is that they can standalone at their own Web address -- and thus get search engine indexed -- or they can be embedded into other Web pages. When merchants make changes to their Webcard listing, the changes are instantly reflected everywhere on the Internet the Webcard listing appears.

For instance, Smalltown has made deals to have WebCards integrated into sites including YellowPagesLive, Trulia and WebVisible.

Another key feature is ease-of-site-creation. Webcards.com includes a step-by-step publishing tool called the Webcard Factory enabling small businesses to listings with video, photo galleries, coupons, formatted text and reporting. Future functionality will include call tracking, appointment calendars and outbound audio messages.

Webcards start at $9.50 per month or $75.00 per year.