Social Media & Web 2.0

Social Media & Web 2.0 : 

Social Media & Web 2.0 What the world wide web can do for your business.

What was Web 1.0? : 

What was Web 1.0? When the internet first started it was not as we know it today. Information could only travel one direction. The only interaction was via search engines. Today the web is highly interactive.

What is Web 2.0? : 

What is Web 2.0? Web 2.0 is the term adopted to describe the highly interactive websites that we have today. Websites commonly invite visitors to register and become a part of their online community.

What does that mean for your business? : 

What does that mean for your business? Online communities allow for conversations to develop. All the chatter creates huge repositories of information. Search engines love online communities. External links build your search ranking.

How do we take advantage of this opportunity? : 

How do we take advantage of this opportunity? Get involved in the community. Be active in discussion. Offer valuable advice.

Where? How? : 

Where? How? Blog Message Boards Social Bookmarking Social Networks Micro-blogging

Blogs : 

Blogs Having your own blog is the most important part of doing business online and getting involved with the community. It allows you to provide valuable industry knowledge that your visitors could benefit from and that search engines could index. The more you blog, the more you get noticed.

Comments : 

Comments Comments are the direct implementation of Web 2.0 ideas into a web page. Allowing users to comment on your blogs is important. It allows you to answer any questions and get feedback. Never argue with readers in your comments. It is important that visitors feel like they have a voice and that their opinion matters too. Respond via email if your response does not pertain to all your readers.

Message Boards : 

Message Boards Message Boards are online forums that allow users to interact and have discussions. Find a message board that discusses topics involving your industry. Get involved, ask questions, and give answers. It is a virtual water cooler for the modern age.

Social Bookmarking : 

Social Bookmarking Social bookmarking sites are sites like Digg.com or Del.icio.us. If you have never heard of them – they allow users to add links to web pages of interest. Other users click on them and they rise in ranking based on popularity. This topic could be very in-depth, but it is important to know what social bookmarks are and understand the “Digg Effect.”

Micro-blogging : 

Micro-blogging Most popular social networks have a “status update” section that asks you one simple question – What are you doing right now? Many people update these religiously to give others a peek into their own lives. Twitter.com was built for the sole purpose of micro-updates/blogging and it is growing exponentially.

Micro-blogging my Business? : 

Micro-blogging my Business? Exactly. You might be surprised how many people would be fascinated to know what a business owner like yourself is doing. The important thing to remember is to provide valuable links and resources. Micro-blog things like: “Reading a good article about thriving in today’s economy – here’s the link [link here]”

So Confusing! : 

So Confusing! Social marketing and networking can be a lot to take in. That is why there are entire business dedicated to doing just these things we’ve discussed. The most important thing to remember is to get involved in community. No matter which category you dive into, stay involved. Don’t expect regular readers on your blog if you don’t make regular blog posts. Stay committed and your website will be the talk of the town in no time.

In A Nutshell : 

In A Nutshell Social Media is a product of the new, friendlier ways of conducting business. Go out there with the intention of getting involved. Try to avoid being a “sales person” and develop genuine interest in others. You will become someone they know, like, and trust……….and more importantly, they will tell their friends!