Some of the most popular and respected sources of information (such as slashdot) that get TONS of hits a day, and can redirect large amounts of web traffic get this way with little or no advertising at all. How do they get people to use their services, view their information ect? They provide a valid service and give something to the internet community.
I think companies wanting to redirect traffic to their site should not be spending all their time and dollars on advertising (although some wouldn't hurt) They should be expending more of thier effort making thier sites either a good source of information on their product and others, or a very site alltogether.
Give the viewer something for free, and they may just want to spend some of those dollars on somthing else
Slashdot Mirror
I think companies wanting to redirect traffic to their site should not be spending all their time and dollars on advertising (although some wouldn't hurt) They should be expending more of thier effort making thier sites either a good source of information on their product and others, or a very site alltogether.
Give the viewer something for free, and they may just want to spend some of those dollars on somthing else
http://news.bbc.co.uk/hi/english/world/newsid_5030 00/503224.stm
You speak lightly of your phone analogy, but the fact is, this is no analogy to speak of.
Its a fact! scary huh!(see link above.)
for much more wonderful information about terrible conspiracies and the like, go to disinfo.com
scary indeed