subject: Using Web 2.0 Marketing to Propel your Business' Success [print this page] Using Web 2.0 Marketing to Propel your Business' Success
You can't be involved in online marketing and business without hearing the phrase web 2.0. It can be difficult to grasp just what it is and how you can make it work for you. This article will offer you a primer that will get you on your way.
What is Web 2.0?
The simplest and most basic concept behind web 2.0 is that it is an interactive Internet platform. Unlike, say, the old concept behind Encyclopedia Britannica online (which was a static resource), today we have Wikipedia, an interactive source that anyone can add to. The structure of web 2.0 is organic in that it is constantly changing and actively soliciting input from all the users. Think of it as a platform constantly in beta testing mode.
This radical concept, that the users can be trusted, extends beyond simple use and into the very structure of the entity. For example, tags, which are now pretty common, can be used to assign particular keywords to anything, increasing multilevel associations between ideas. Viral marketing, a business' dream, is a result of this freeform association that can quickly connect seemingly unrelated topics and create a storm of global interest.
Using the Web 2.0
One of the most useful innovations in the web 2.0 is that of blogging. To some degree, using the Internet simply as a platform of direct marketing misses the point. Blogging is different because it provides a chronological, interactive venue for potential clients and interested individuals to explore. You aren't just publishing; you are reaching out to people in a way that involves their participation.
Using RSS (really simple syndication) feeds allows you to deliver the latest information from your web site to subscribers with a minimum of effort. People sign up for these feeds based on keywords and tags, so you don't have to do anything and you are still presenting your products and information to a receptive audience.
Marketing with Web 2.0 Sites
Social media sites and blogging are the most effective ways to use the new Web structure to your marketing advantage. Since these are both interactive platforms you need to be open to response and even negativity. On the positive side, you have a nearly unlimited audience.
Social media sites such as Twitter, Facebook or MySpace allow you to present yourself as an expert in your field. You don't want to spend all of your time promoting your business; in fact, it should be a rare topic of conversation. Your goal is to use these tools to connect with people who already have a stated interest in what your company offers, and engage them in conversation.
Blogging is similar in that it offers potential customers an opportunity to get to know you. It is this growing trust and belief in what you say, how you appear to live and what you promote that will lead them to checking out your web site, not a hard sell.
The Internet has become an entity of its own. This is one genie that won't be put back in its bottle, so you, as the owner of a Web based or real world based business, must learn how to make the most of the phenomenon. Maybe, with some luck and a good string of tags, your latest video will go viral too.
