Web 2.0 – Changing Business Models… Evolving at the Speed of Click

The rules are changing and business models are evolving fast!

As a marketer… the buzz, hype and hysteria about Web 2.0 is similar to the Dot Com explosion of the late 1990s.   Everyone was scrambling to claim their space.  Experts were everywhere and multiplied exponentially as everyone rushed to create their sites. They started off simple, then got crazy with colors and animated .gifs, and we’ve all watched as the web evolved into one of the best business-building and social mediums in the world.

Why do I think you should pay attention to Web 2.0?  Because if you’re a savvy business owner, marketing professional, entrepreneur, or corporate executive you’ll miss the next big wave on the Internet that can help you build your business.

It seems like every day there are more and more Social Media Marketing sites popping up.

If you’re not familiar with Web 2.0, you can watch a five-minute explanation video at the end of this posting.  It explains Web 2.0 in technical terms… some things make you smarter… but won’t really help you grow your business.

As someone who wants to make more money using the Internet, just skip the video. What’s really important is the transition from the original Web 1.0 model of using your website to communicate value…  to the addition of Social Media sites where users congregate to discuss interests, share photos, share videos, post opinions, interact and of course… socialize.

Those captive audiences are a marketer’s dream, but there are new rules for Social Media Marketing and they are changing, adapting, and specific to each type of site.  I’ll cover more about those rules and the etiquette of the main Social Media sites in a minute.

You’re familiar with the business model of Web 1.0 (web designers build your site):

1. Build a Site

2. Drive Traffic

3. Build a List

4. Make Money

Web 2.0 business model: (I still suggest you have your own company website AND you need to create a presence on the Social Media sites that make sense for your business, industry, topic area, and customer profile. If your customers and prospects are there… and they no doubt are… if you don’t claim your space your competition will, and you’ll miss out on the next wave on the net.)

In a nutshell, Web 2.0 sites are free and low-cost sites that allow users with little to no technical expertise to create content, profiles, pages and share all types of photos, videos and other media.  That’s why they are spreading and growing so fast, because anyone with a web browser and a little time can build web pages, create links, and create and expand their “Internet footprint.”

Can Web 2.0 be used to build your business? It sure can… any medium that promotes communication and has a grouping of people will be a resource for finding, attracting, and improving relationships with your customers and prospects.  Not to mention how interesting and helpful some of the sites can be for pre-screening hiring applicants.

For legal reasons I won’t say who or how that research helped, but I’m sure you can figure out that looking at someone’s Myspace, Facebook, or Linkedin profile before hiring them might give you some insight…  anyway, back to making money…

If you can fog a mirror, you can create your profile on Facebook and Myspace and upload videos to Youtube… although don’t just do it because you can.  Take the time to visit Facebook and Myspace and search for some “how-to” videos on Youtube and think about what would be of value to upload.

Make sure you follow the rules and etiquette of each site because they have strict policies and if you don’t follow their guidelines, all of your time and energy will be wasted.  They all understand that marketers are going to find ways to benefit, and most have proper procedures for placing ads, links, and promos.

The key to the Web 2.0 sites is to PARTICIPATE and get involved in the areas that interest YOU or YOUR PROSPECTS. That will help you build new relationships that will lead to new business.

Your homework for today is to create your profiles on the top Social Media sites of the day, like https://www.myspace.com/, https://www.facebook.com/, and upload videos to https://www.youtube.com/.

Oh, yeah… here is the formal explanation of Web 2.0. Guess where I found it?

[youtube=https://youtube.com/watch?v=nsa5ZTRJQ5w&feature=related]

If you’re a professional speaker, workshop or seminar leader producing live events or webinars using PowerPoint slides leader, check out https://www.slideshare.net  A fantastic source for sharing all types of presentations.  As a professional speaker, it’s a great way for me to upload great content and when formatted properly… with links back to my sites… it becomes a great marketing resource too.

What do you think about Web 2.0 for Business?  Comment below and let me know.