Yo Chicago will have hundreds, eventually thousands of volunteers. They will have many reasons for volunteering: for the sheer pleasure of it, to share their knowledge with others, to help improve their neighborhoods - or just the free t-shirts, and the food, booze and social opportunities at the occasional gatherings of Yo Chicagoans.

Realistically, many of our volunteers will expect some commercial gain from investing their time. They'll write, or comment, or contribute photographs because they hope to establish business relationships with their readers.

Our Yo Chicagoans site covers topics of interest to all of our volunteers.

This site focuses on helping our volunteer real estate agents, mortgage brokers, home inspectors, attorneys and other local experts who are in this primarily to make a buck.

They need to learn - as we need to learn better - how to conduct a conversation on the Internet with business prospects.

Mostly that's a matter of being sensitive to what people are looking for and helping them to get it. So simple. So complicated.

We'll also give you our take on what works and what doesn't on marketing on other Web sites. Keep in mind that we have an axe to grind: we may be talking about sites Yo Chicago competes with for your advertising dollars.