One of the methods webmasters use to make their web sites sticky is by implementing CGI scripts on to their sites.

The Common Gateway Interface (CGI) is a standard for interfacing external applications with information servers, such as HTTP or Web servers. A plain HTML document that is retrieved is static, which means it exists in a constant state: a text file that doesn't change.

A CGI program, on the other hand, is executed in real-time, so that it can output dynamic information - perhaps a news reading, or the latest results from a database query.

If you don't know how to program, don't worry. There are hundreds of script web sites on the net where you can download scripts.  Most scripts just need a few variables set. Programming know-how is always helpful, but the majority of CGI scripts and programs come with instructions on setting them up.

Common CGI scripts used on web sites are counters, time clocks, message boards, guestbooks, form fillers, etc.  Webmaster use these scripts to generate repeat traffic and add quality to their web sites. They are written in a variety of different formats such as Perl, C++, FORTRAN and a few other languages.

CGI scripts can also be frustrating to implement if you do not have any prior experience in implementing CGI scripts on your web sites.  I have sometimes spent countless hours trying to incorporate CGI scripts onto my own web sites, but I do usually finally succeed.  Reading the full instructions will also save you time.

Here are a few items I have managed to incorporate on to my own web sites: Postcards, Classifieds, Message Boards, Referral Scripts, Banner Rotators, Link trackers, etc.

As you may have noticed, most of scripts I have listed above are repeat traffic generating tools.  This helps bring back visitors to your site in the future.  This is especially important if you need your potential customers to be repeatedly exposed to your products.

Here are two good sites where you can get free CGI scripts:

CGI Scripts
http://cgidir.com

CGI Resources
http://cgi-resources.com

Implementing CGI programs on your web site will help you create an interactive environment between the visitor and your web site.  Take a few minutes to learn about CGI scripts on the Internet and develop an appealing web site.