What is Web 2.0?

One of the biggest trends to hit internet marketing, is “Web 2.0.” It involves blogging, social media, and much more. You may be asking, “Is this type of internet marketing really effective?” “Is Web 2.0 just a trend or is it something that all businesses should use to promote their business online?”

“To Help you get started in thinking about Web 2.0 for your business, here are some things to consider.”

Don’t dive in just because it’s the trend or because you read this article about it. Completely map what you’re trying to accomplish, how much you’re willing to invest and what time frame you are working on. Like any aspect of your business – plan ahead.

Web 2.0 is a social web campaign, but it’s still content-driven. Poor content will not yield results, no matter how flashy it is. Make your content relevant, interesting and real. Put yourself in your target audience’s position and answer their questions with your content.

The purpose is to inform, not to sell. Web 2.0′s purpose is to connect people with each other. Think of this more as brand awareness, not sales advertising. You should try to establish trust with your target audience that will provide leads in the future.

Do some research and find out how your target audience is using the internet to find similar information. Research their purchase behaviors, consumer behaviors and much more. Learn what they do and why. This helps you understand the web from their perspective.

Web 2.0 is real people connecting with each other. It’s ok to hire a company for help, but you should keep it “real” by making sure your employees do the work. People will know when something is genuine and when something seems “fake.”

“The purpose of Web 2.0 is to inform, not to sell.”

Purchase an inexpensive webcam, and begin practicing. You will need to get comfortable being on camera. Write talking notes, so that you aren’t reading directly from a script and record it. Speaking from script or memorization will seem less personal and fake. Then, upload your videos to the web.

Purchase a microphone and you can record high quality podcasts and MP3 audio. You can also purchase several software packages that will allow you to edit and produce your audio into professional formats.