Alexa is quite possibly the hottest new fad on the web. By computing web traffic rankings, the program provides valuable information regarding the popularity of various websites.

But how valuable are those rankings, really?

While the concept driving Alexa is inarguably compelling, the methodology behind that concept is hardly foolproof. Studies have shown that it is relatively easy for websites to “game” Alexa and thus “achieve” higher ratings.

To read about “gaming” Alexa, click here.

Aware that Alexa Rankings are being increasingly referenced as a means of determining a website's popularity, Source Book Publications has decided to include a new feature in the monthly Lead Generation Reporter ™ - the Web Traffic Rankings Report. The Report ranks every website featured in the Reporter according to Alexa's numerical score. In combination with Who Advertises Where Online? and the Search Engine Rankings Report, the Web Traffic Rankings Report provides invaluable information about your industry competitors, whether you are a franchisor or a lead generation company.

You can download a sample Web Traffic Rankings Report here.

Please click here to learn more about the Lead Generation Reporter™

The Lead Generation Reporter ™ Search Engine Rankings Report now includes an official overall ranking per site! The official ranking is based on a score derived from individual keyword rankings per search engine.

You can download a sample Search Engine Rankings Report here.

To subscribe to the monthly Lead Generation Reporter ™, please click here.

If, after looking at the listing, you have any questions, please contact Christine Kimmel at (800) 841-0873.

Source Book Publications has long argued (with very modest success) that all franchisors should be required to submit an earnings claim statement (Item 19) in their UFOC. Given that submission of an Item 19 is entirely voluntary, only 20% of franchisors choose to do so. The reasons for non-submission range from the ludicrous to vaguely plausible.

To us, it seems entirely one-sided to ask a prospective franchisee to invest in excess of $200,000 (on average) to “buy” a franchise without providing him or her with a clear understanding what he or she might earn from the investment. Although there are numerous variables that preclude franchisors from coming up with an exact projection of future Net Operating Income, the franchisors clearly have the ability to determine the historical sales and related expenses for operating units currently within their system. At a minimum, they can work backwards from royalty payments to come up with a gross sales figure. To the extent that they closely monitor and support their franchisees, they should have a good sense of average operating costs as well. Given this information and the latitude they have to provide as much detail as they see fit, they can break out summary operating data for those franchisees or company-owned units that have been around for say 5 years, 10 years, etc.

Our sense is that the FTC will ultimately acknowledge the need for a mandatory Item 19. Given the difficulty from industry to industry to provide a workable template for the submission of information, the FTC will continue to allow franchisors to provide as much or as little information as they deem necessary. Those franchisors that do in fact provide real, in-depth information will clearly enjoy a competitive advantage over those that do not. At any rate, those franchisors that go to the trouble of including an Item 19, even if only cursory, should be acknowledged and applauded.

As an on-going feature of future newsletters, World Franchising will publish an exemplary Item 19 each month. This month, we honor Papa Gino's for the exceptional detail that they provide in their Item 19. My guess is that the rapid growth and success of their system has a great deal to do with the forthrightness with which they celebrate the success of their existing franchisees. To view their Item 19, please click here.

Those companies who feel they provide exceptional disclosure in their Item 19s are free to submit their Item 19 electronically for consideration in subsequent newsletters.

(800) 841-0873; (510) 839-5471; Fax (510) 839-2104; www.worldfranchising.com