Web 2.0 and social media are commonly used buzzwords to describe the Internet today. But what do they mean?
Wiktionary defines Web 2.0 as:
The second generation of the World Wide Web, especially the movement away from static webpages to dynamic and shareable content
Wikipededia define Social Media as follows:
Social media is an umbrella term that defines the various activities that integrate technology, social interaction, and the construction of words ...
As accurate that the above statements are, they do not explain the explosion of site allowing both business and the individual to share information over the Internet. Maybe the beat way to describe in a business sense is that the Internet has become the new "golf course" where you can find new business and touch sides with your existing business. And for the indiviual: the local pub (or cafe) where you can meet new friends, socialise with old friends and catch up with your lives.
And this happens, seven days a week, twenty fours a day, not just during business hours. So how do you use this "magic"?
There are a great many Web 2.0 applications out there, we will look at some of the more popular ones and their potential use to business.
Facebook is an Application that allows you to stay in touch with your friends. Every message, photo that you post on your facebook will show on your friends facebook and vice versa every thing they post will appear on your face book. This part of Facebook is personal, it is agreat way to keep in touch with your children overseas. In order to use it for business, you need start a group.This is a good way to spread news fast. It worked in the run up to the US elections and gave Barak Obama an edge over his rivals.
Flickr is an online photo album. It is used by both amateur and professional photographers to show off their photos. You have a chioce of making it private and restricting who can see your photos or you can make it public. But your photos are also tagged (labeled) making it easier to find when searching.
Picassa is a similar application, the differance is that whilst you can show your photos online, picass also allows you to download software (free) that allows you sort your photos out into albums as well as some basic editing.
Twitter allows u to send a short (140 characters) quick meassage to any one following your twitts. You do not even have have your internet browser open.
A Blog is an online journal. Blogger is the simplest one available and is easy enough to operate and make look professional. You can use it to post the latest news.
There are many ways to spread news quickly, do not use just one application, beacuse you will limit your audiensce, however do not go overboards.