Web 2.0: Learning, Prepping or Participating?
Where are you in with Web 2.0? You know–the next generation of websites? If you’re still in the dark, it’s time to take that great step forward and get your feet wet.
Learn about Web 2.0
If you’re looking for a detailed analysis of what Web 2.0 is, read Tim O’Reilly’s article. It’s worth the time, but it’s not really crystal clear how your business can use the ideas today. So here’s the high level view: stop thinking about your website as just an electronic brochure or a way to generate leads. Start thinking about it as a way to interact with your customers and as a way for them to get closer to you.
Wait–aren’t you supposed to get closer to the customer? Yes, that too, but for now think of it as a way for them to get closer to you.
Since today is Sunday, and this is big topic, I’ll keep this brief and focus just one idea: treating your users like content developers.
Prepping for Web 2.0
Time to visit some sites and just notice how they work.
Go browse other people’s photo’s in Flickr. Notice that you can comment on them.
Go look through LiveJournal. Highlight “search.” on the top, and select “random.” Do it again. Look at the lists of friends people have. Most of these people have never spoken to each other and will never meet face to face.
Now hit Wikipedia. This entire site was written by volunteers with no organization and without pay. Want to edit an article? Go ahead. Don’t worry–if you put up something that is wrong, someone else will correct it. Don’t believe me? Read all about it.
Last one. Del.icio.us! See what sites people are bookmarking for various topics. Here’s what people bookmark with the tag “Chicago“. (Crime is number 1. Great. But pay attention to how ChicagoCrime.org is put together–it’s a site putting together data from the Chicago police department with Google Maps. That’s called a “mashup”. Nice work!)
Participating in Web 2.0
You won’t understand it until you participate. Start by uploading some pictures to Flickr, putting some bookmarks in Del.Icio.Us–or just by commenting on this blog. Tell me about your favorite Web 2.0 site, or ask me about mine.
Check back to this next week for more.