There are literally thousands of ezines being published online these days. Sometimes it is hard to know which ones are best for advertising in, reading, subscribing to and so on.

How do we know which ones are good and which ones aren't? Which ones should we advertise in and what type of advertising is best? How do we know we can trust publisher?

Answering these questions is not always easy, but there are signs we can look for in an ezine.

1. Quality Content - Quality ezines will contain lots of useful and helpful content. Links, articles, free downloads, marketing and promotion information, helpful tools, etc. are some examples of good content.

2. Publisher Interaction - One thing you want to be aware of is how publisher interacts with his/her readers. Do they have a section where they "talk" to readers? Are you able to get to know publisher as well as them showing an interest in getting to know you? An ezine can be a labor of love, but if publisher does not even take time to bond with readers, it might mean that publisher just wants to make a fast buck!

3. Limited Ads - Look out for ezines that are just a long list of ads. This cheapens ezine and quality of advertising. If you are looking for an ezine to advertise in, stick with ezines that contain only about 5 (give or take one or two) ads per issue.

You also want to advertise with a publisher that offers solo ads. Statistically, solo ads are type of ad that get most response. Your second choice would be top sponsor position, which is right at top of ezine.

4. Contact Info - I have already seen ezines where I could not even find publisher's name, let alone an email address! If someone does not even want you to know their name or email, I hardly think they are going to be there when you need them or take time to write a quality ezine.

5. Sales Letter - Some publishers will mistakenly use their ezine as just a means of selling their products. They fail to realize that they must build a trusting relationship with their readers rather than just using them to make a quick sale or two. An ezine should be used as a path between publisher and readers, a way to build a relationship of trust and respect.

So what's secret? Here are a few tips from small but successful 'netrepreneurs' on how to build a thriving online business:

__1. Find a niche with a demand.

Select a specific market to which you can offer unique products or services. You can't be everything to everyone, and trying to offer a giant selection of goods to a huge and generalized market is route to frustration, disappointment, and even failure. We can't all be Wal-Marts!

As a small business, focus on a promising niche market and work hard to offer them products and services they want.

__2. Care about quality of your product or service.

Sell only what you would be proud to sell to your family and friends, and insist upon consistently high quality. This will help to encourage referrals and repeat business -- both powerful ways to keep profits rolling.

__3. Be smart and frugal.

Avoid unnecessary expenses, and be particularly vigilant when you're first getting started. One of nice things about doing business online is that it's possible to begin earning an income while operating on a shoestring budget. Try to minimize expenses. Once your business is pulling in profits, you can reinvest part of it back into marketing and expansion.

__4. Focus on marketing strategies that return most profit for your dollar.

One of biggest myths beginners face is that people will flock to your site once it's built. However, there are literally billions of web pages available, and every business has to find ways to attract their target audience to their little corner of web. Track success of each of your marketing campaigns. Drop those that don't work, and focus on those that yield best results.

__5. Provide best customer service that you can.