There has been so much said about Web 2.0. that most of us are confused. We related Web 2.0 with the famous Facebook or Linkedin or some of their cousins. So many different definitions, I could fill this entire blog with them. However there is a really easy one that can tell us how to use web 2.0 tools to enhance our customers experience : “Web 2.0 is all about connecting people”. Yes, connecting people. Your employees, your partners, your customers. Web 1.0 was just about connecting computers. This is different. Those of us that are concerned about not being able to align technology with the business can have it easy if we know how to use Web 2.0 technologies.
Web 2.0 is not for college kids anymore. Did you all know that the average Internet gamer in the USA averages 33 years old ? Are they watching TV ? not really. Just guess where you need to get in contact with them easier.
However, in WEB 2.0 there are blogs, there are wikis, virtual worlds, social communities, meetups, mess-ups, chats, and so much more!
Where to start ? 34 percent of Americans today blog… just imagine how crowded it is and how it is going the get. Ah… Blogs… TOO many of them now on the Internet ? which ones should one read ? what is really good information and what is a waste of time ? With all these different options, where should one start?
I think it is going back to the basics : connecting and communicating with people. Are you still communicating with email ? Or is instant messaging and Chat your best bet.
Basics : talking to people in the Internet. Yes, CHAT… it is probably the most obvious and easy WEB 2.0 tool to implement. Chat with your customers, chat with your employees. They will love it and they will feel there is some one who listens to them and that they can communicate with. The blogs, wikis, social sites, and so on can come later.
Star at the beginning.
Olga,
You are making a very important point and businesses should be paying a great deal of attention. Social media traffic on the Internet now exceed corporate traffic. These are customers and they are not just posting picture. They are conversing and helping each other make informed purchase decisions. Businesses that are not visibile and credible in this space are losing influence.
John
John I. Todor, Ph.D.
Author of Get with it! The Hands-on Guide to Using Web 2.0 in Your Business.