I have a couple of links I'll put up for you. The first is getting your site ready for a search engine. It really has helped me in getting my site to the top of the search engine list.
http://hotwired.lycos.com/webmonkey/99/31/index1a.html?tw=e-business
The next is a site to help you with search engine spiders.
http://spider-food.net/
As far as the couneter goes, whoever is hosting your site should have a free counter for you. I prefer not to use the counter because my host provides me with webstats. So I know how many people have come in and where from and what search engine words they used to find me.
Also, if you are trying to get to the top of a search engine lists, it is good to find message forums that allow you to post your url there. In the case of google, when they search your site they look for how many other sites that have your url. This will increase your ranking in google. Google has has a downloadable toolbar that tells you the ranking of the site you are visiting so you can tell how you are doing.
Most search engine free submissions can take up to 2 months before you get listed. I used an inktomi one out of Australia for 25 a year and it put me in within 7 days.
I hope this has been helpful.
If the above posting of links is not allowed please take them down and accept my apologies.
