There is no clear-cut demarcation between Web 2.0 and Web 1.0 technologies, hardware and applications. The distinction is, to a large extent, subjective. Here are a few characteristics often noted as descriptive of Web 2.0:
Among SMBs, 47% expect to maintain their spending on ads in the next 12 months, and 34% expect to increase it. Only 9% plan a decrease.
Those figures are similar to last year’s results and indicate that the economic downturn is not negatively affecting ad spending for SMBs.
SMBs surveyed said the primary influences on their advertising spending decisions are as follows:
- Performance/return on investment (31%)
- Business partner or competitor (25%)
- Information from media such as newspapers, TV and trade publications (14%)
- Friends or family members (12%)
The study also shows that a large percentage of SMBs expect to continue adopting Web 2.0 technologies in the next 12 months:
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- blogging
- Ajax and other new technologies
- Google Base and other free Web services
- RSS-generated syndication
- social bookmarking
- mash-ups
- wikis and other collaborative applications
- dynamic as opposed to static site content
- interactive encyclopedias and dictionaries
- ease of data creation, modification or deletion by individual users
Critics of Web 2.0 maintain that it makes it too easy for the average person to affect online content and that, as a result, the credibility, ethics and even legality of Web content could suffer. Defenders of Web 2.0 point out that these problems have existed ever since the infancy of the medium and that the alternative -- widespread censorship based on ill-defined elitism -- would be far worse. The final judgment concerning any Web content, say the defenders, should be made by end users alone. Web 2.0 reflects evolution in that direction.
Some industry pundits are already claiming that Web 2.0 is merely a transitional phase between the early days of the World Wide Web's existence and a more established phase they're calling Web 3.0.
Some very large companies are making thier mark and implimenting strategies to connect with consumers for example
This is the
Cathay Pacific Airways network
page on
Facebook. There are 3284 members in this network.
www.facebook.com/networks/50434662/Cathay_Pacific_Airways/ -
consumers Expect Companies to Have Social-Media Presence
An overwhelming majority (93%) of online consumers say companies should have a social-media presence, and 85% believe these companies also should be interacting with consumers through social media.
A 2008 Social Media Study also reveals the depth and breadth of social media interaction with companies. Some 65% of Americans interact with companies using social media, one in four interact more than once per week, and 58% feel both a stronger connection with and better served by companies when they interact via social media.
Asked about specific types of interactions, respondents said:
- Companies should use social networks to solve their problems (42%).
- Companies should solicit feedback on their products and services (43%) via social media.
- Companies should develop new ways for consumers to interact with their brand (39%) through social media.
- Companies should market to consumers (27%) using social media.
“The news here is that Americans are eager to deepen their brand relationships through social media,” said Mike Hollywood, director of new media for Cone. “It isn’t an intrusion into their lives, but rather a welcome channel for discussion.”
Other findings:
- Men are twice as likely than women interact frequently (one or more times per week) with companies via social media (33% vs. 17%).
- One-third of younger, hard-to-reach consumers (age 18-34) believe that companies should actively market to them via social networks.
- The wealthiest households (household income of $75K+) also believe that companies should seek to reach them via social media.
- Two-thirds of the wealthiest households and the largest households ( those with three or more members) feel stronger connections to brands they interact with online.
“All of this is great news for marketers,” Hollywood said. “Men and younger consumers are traditionally the most challenging to reach, while the highest-income households are typically very desirable; here they are saying ‘come market to us and interact with us online.’ This is really a license to put more energy and resources into this medium and do it effectively.”
About the study: The 2008 Cone Business in Social Media Study was conducted online, September 11-12, 2008 by Opinion Research Corporation. It surveyed 1,092 adults comprising 525 men and 567 women 18 and older.
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Web 2.0 Implimenting into your strategy
Your Need:
Web 2.0 was once a nice to have. Now, it’s no longer an option. Web 2.0 is a must-have for your business. Social media tools are becoming a point of differentiation and competitive advantage as organizations learn to use the new technology to engage with customers and external stakeholders in cost effective ways.
Social Media is revolutionizing the way the World consumes information – and transforming how business communicates with its target audience. Six of the top 10 most visited websites on the Internet are social media websites, supplanting traditional leaders like Microsoft and even Google.
Early adopters have learned that Web 2.0 tools are a cost-effective solution for enhancing online communications, facilitating collaboration and knowledge management, increasing stakeholder engagement, and attracting and retaining the customers. The new tools available to enhance online communication and collaboration include:
* Blogs / Vlogs
* Wikis
* Podcasting
* Discussion forums
* Social bookmarking
* Social networking
* Facebook -youtube pages
While Web 2.0 represents an emerging opportunity for improving all aspects of online performance through these cost effective solutions, organizations can only affect a new dynamic dialogue with customers and stakeholders if they have a clear understanding for how to deploy this technology to meet their unique requirements.
The tremendous momentum built by Web 2.0 has resulted in an explosion of solutions, challenging organizations to sift through their options to find the best fit technology for their requirements. Compounding the difficulty of how to utilize the new tools is that consumers are adopting social media faster than companies have deployed them for business applications – forcing Communications, Marketing and IT departments to play catch up.
The net result is that many organizations know that they must adopt Web 2.0, and know that the solutions they require are out there, but they don’t know how to acquire and implement the best fit solutions for their needs rapidly and within a defined budget.
The Solution:
Based on our early adopter knowledge of Web 2.0, a technology-neutral approach to defining business requirements and a proven methodology for aligning online collaboration needs with organizational goals, Prescient has developed a customizable Web 2.0 Blueprint.
While the specific scope of the project will vary based on the client’s unique requirements and budget, common deliverables in The Website Marketing Group Web 2.0 Blueprint include:
* Business requirements analysis – we will interview, gather and analyze feedback from key leaders, stakeholders, and end-users to understand the current needs and opportunities for improvement – and exactly how Web 2.0 tools can be used to improve your business.
* Web 2.0 plan – We will develop a detailed plan that documents the organization’s need, the intended benefits, the specific strategic directives, suggested technology, and the types of tools (blogs, wikis, RSS, etc.) and functionality required.
* Web 2.0 content plan and policies – we will define the roles and responsibilities of content developers, the dos and don’ts, and recommendations and tips for both Web 2.0 content owners and managers.
* Web 2.0 implementation – We will work with your internal IT department to implement 2-3 social media tools (e.g. 1 blog and 2 wikis with several options, features and content focuses) depending on the requirements analysis and subsequent plan, and the RSS technology used to drive posted content to end users.
Choosing The Website marketing Group
Our strength and focus is measured online success. The Website Marketing Group team of consultants have extensive website experience, and were early adopters of social media.
* We have fully integrated social media into the marketing mix and internal processes.
* We have wide and deep experience working with multiple Web 2.0 applications.
* We boasts a full roster of satisfied, world class clients.
* We are the only web consulting firm that promises to build success measures (critical success indicators) into each and every project.
* We own no software or hardware; we are technology neutral. We find the best technology for our clients based on their business requirements.
Please contact us for more information on our Web 2.0 services
