Web hosting and managed services provider Hostway Corporation (hostway.com) announced on Thursday it would award $5,000 in Google AdWords credit to the winner of a sweepstakes.

The contest, open to both Hostway customers and non-Hostway customers, starts May 26, and will run through to June 30, 2000. There is no purchase necessary to enter. To enter, entrants can visit www.hostway.com/googlesweepstakes.

Eighty percent of Internet users search the Google network, says Hostway, making Google AdWords an efficient way for small- to medium-sized businesses to advertise their sites.

"The Internet has become such a competitive market that it's essential for small businesses to use services such as Google AdWords, to drive traffic to their sites," says John Lee, Hostway's vice president of marketing. "At Hostway, our customers' needs are our top priority. We are very excited to offer this contest as another way to help our customers grow their online businesses."