Framing, Linking, and Metatags:  Hypothetical Problem

Sharon has owned a small but profitable travel agency for ten years. Recently, however, she has been losing business because customers have been purchasing their tickets directly from airlines' Web sites. She has been told that travelers like the ease and control of seeing a choice of itineraries and prices, and being able to search for the lowest prices themselves. Some customers have always believed that since travel agents work on a commission, they don't always take the time to find or offer the lowest fares, but they had used Sharon in the past because it was easier than spending time on hold on the airline's 800 number. Now that customers have instantaneous, 24-hour access to the airlines and can use search engines that cater to their specific needs, they don't have much use for Sharon's services. Sharon realizes that to stay in business, she must offer something to customers that they can't get from the airlines. She is also a savvy businesswoman and wants to benefit from the global exposure the Internet can provide, so she decides to launch an Internet-based travel agency.

Sharon decides that, to maximize the appeal of her new business, she should offer comprehensive travel services -- a sort of one-stop shopping for a customer's travel needs. She has always provided customers brochures on popular destinations and attractions, as well as hotel bookings, car rental reservations, and ticketing services for cruises.  Now she would like to meet the rest of travelers’ needs: travel insurance, luggage and other travel paraphernalia, leisure clothing, even pet-sitting services.  She hired a Web page designer to showcase her business most effectively.  Two months ago, she launched her new, extended business on the Internet.  Since then, she has enjoyed enormous success; she has had to hire another agent to help her with the flood of bookings. Busy travelers enjoy being able to take care of everything on their vacation "to-do" list in one fifteen-minute visit to Sharon's Web site.  However, various other businesses object to Sharon's innovations and have threatened suit. Sharon describes to you the following three challenges she is facing and asks your advice.

Variation One: Framing

Variation Two: Linking

Variation Three: Meta tags