Jack Humphrey, a well-known Web 2.0 expert, defines it this way in his Authority Black Book:
Generally speaking, if people can submit links to content, submit content, make comments and vote good/bad content up/down thus affecting the amount of traffic that content can generate, it's Web 2.0.
Blogs, wikis, file sharing sites, content rating systems, book-marking sites, and social networking sites are all examples of Web 2.0. Some of the more well-known Web 2.0 sites are YouTube (file sharing), Facebook and MySpace (social networking), Wikipedia (wiki), BlinkList (book-marking) and Digg (content rating system). The list is almost endless, and the traffic that these websites generate is absolutely staggering.
So how can you harness some of this traffic?
1) Create original, quality and compelling content and submit them to Web 2.0 websites. For example, if you write an original and compelling article, you can submit it to content sharing and content rating system websites such as Digg, Propeller, Newsvine MarkTD or Reddit. Sometimes there content sharing and content rating system websites that specializes in a particular industry. MarkTD specializes in marketing, for example.
When you submit your article to these sites, people will give it a vote, and each vote moves the article up where it can be seen by more and more people. This has the potential of creating a lot of traffic for your website since each reader will need to click on the link to go to your site to read the full article. And you're building a permanent link pointing to your website that can be followed for months and years to come. (And don't forget, a link from a quality site to your website helps in your search engine rankings too.)
Or you can create an original video and submit it to YouTube. Here it will get rated and possibly seen by many people. If the video contains your website or a plug for your business, then all the better. YouTube is not the only video sharing website however. There are many, and one video can be submitted to them all. This same concept applies to your original images, photographs, digital art and audio files.
2) Web 2.0-ize other people's sites that contain a link back to your website I'll assume you already know how your bookmarks (or Favorites) work in your browser. There are websites that exist that act in the same way, but the bookmarks you set are public. BlinkList and Simpy are two examples of this. People's public bookmarks are browsed by others and lead to clicks to the sites you've bookmarked. So be sure to bookmark your business website and inner pages that are important.
Also, these bookmarks can appear in search results in engines like Google and Yahoo. And some even think that search engines use book-marking sites in their algorithms, although this has not been conclusively proven. Simpy and BlinkList are two more examples of these kinds of Web 2.0 book-marking sites.
Let's say you write an original, quality article and post it to your business website. Then let's say you submit the article to a handful of content rating websites like some of the ones explained above. To further market this article, you can then use social book-marking sites to bookmark the page on the content rating websites that list your new article and that contain a link back to your article. This can be very powerful.
Or let's say you notice that an authority in your industry has a link on its website that points back to your website. Go ahead and bookmark the page on the authority site, thus marketing it, which in turn markets your site as well. One particular Web 2.0 website that is very popular and can generate tons of traffic is StumbleUpon. This site allows people to give any page you deem worthy a "thumbs-up". And if you get enough "thumbs-up", people browsing StumbleUpon will see it and click over to that page. So I always make it a point to "Stumble" my business websites' homepages and sites that contain links to my business websites as well.
If you become an active member in a handful of Web 2.0 websites and utilize these first two suggestions alone, you will be amazed at the kind of traffic you can generate.
3) Engage in the conversations and activities When I suggest above to become an active member I mean that you need to visit a few of your favorite Web 2.0 sites on a regular basis and actually contribute to the site with your opinions, votes, comments and submissions. For instance, if you like Digg or Newsvine, visit them often and submit quality articles, content and sites to them. And they don't all have to be your sites.
In fact, the more impartial you are, the more people will trust you when you submit one of your articles. And you ought to vote for other people's Digg submissions as well. You may enjoy Facebook, Linkedin ro MySpace. First, create a profile on the site, then go out and make connections within the community. The more you do this, the more you can harness the power of the people you meet to help market your website or yourself.
Visit and comment on blogs in your industry. This is another tried and true way to engage in the online conversation. Blogs are Web 2.0 and have been around for a while now. Unfortunately, leaving blog comments has been abused by so many people that you absolutely must only leave blog comments that contribute to the overall blog post.
Only add your website's link if you're asked to. These links won't help your search engine rankings but can drive traffic to your site.
4) Encourage visitors to bookmark and tag your content If you have a blog, add a feature that shows up at the end of every post that allows users to bookmark or submit your post to other Web 2.0 websites. 'Share This' is just such a blog add-on (or plug-in) that can do this for you. If you have a Wordpress blog you'll be able to find a plug-in that allows you to integrate this type of feature (including Share This) into your blog very easily and without the need for any technical knowledge. If you write a memorable or compelling post, people can use this to make bookmarks to the post, Stumble it, Digg it and so forth. All of this can lead to more traffic.
5) Add a Web 2.0 feature to your website First of all, your business website needs a blog. If you don't have one, then stop reading this and go to it. A blog enables you and your employees an easy way to post new information that is relevant to your business and helpful to your customers. And it allows your customers to easily communicate with you by leaving comments.
But beyond a blog, what other Web 2.0 features can you add to your website? If you're selling products, consider adding in a feature that allows customers to rate each product. It can be something as simple as one to five stars or more elaborate where they leave reviews. Amazon does this and it one of the major driving forces in their sales. When potential customers see that your products are rated by existing customers, they'll be more likely to trust you and buy.
You could add a wiki to your website. A wiki is software that allows users to freely create and edit Web page content. By encouraging your website visitors to create content for you, you're allowing your site to grow, become more informative and thus creating more chances to be found in search engines. These features can be found as third-party software packages and integrated into your existing website surprisingly easily.
The power of Web 2.0 is substantial. It's time you begin to harness its potential and by following these five suggestions, you'll be well on your way.
The concept of Web 2.0 Marketing has now been widely used to increase traffic and sales on your ecommerce store. If you are still not aware of the power of web 2.0, you are losing out on an important piece of information. Are you still using the web 1.0 on your ecommerce website? Well, it is outdated today. Web 2.0 has taken it is place and has been very successful.
Web 2.0 Marketing is all about offering dynamic, collaborative, and user-generated content on the web pages of your e-commerce store. Your customers get a better online community environment where they can speak their heart. Web 2.0 has provided the consumers a platform where they can express themselves and be heard. This leaves very impressive impression on the customers, and it works in your favor. It is the magic of Web 2.0 Marketing that while giving the power in the consumers' hand, you get yourself an excellent chance to build a larger customer base. You get more online traffic to your e-commerce store, and more traffic means more sales.
Web 2.0 marketing is not just the starting point but also the path which can lead your business toward a promising future. Its wide and effective reach has been felt as more and more people are now turning toward it to get their audience.
Web 2.0 Marketing And Your Business
No organization or business can run without heeding to the views and expectations of their customers. In fact, today marketers are all the more willing to form an informal and frank relationship with their clients. They know that in a world of fierce competition such bonds will only work to their advantage. They are bridging the age old gap among marketers and consumers by seeking their opinions and embracing their ideas, thereby suggesting more involvement and participation. The only bone of contention is how to reach out to the exact targeted audience between millions of users worldwide and this is where web 2.0 marketing can be beneficial.
Web 2.0 marketing can be a simple win for any internet marketing business in two ways: * Either turn your web siite into a social networking site *Or search those social networking sites that cater to your targeted audience
Make Your Site Web 2.0 Savvy
Your marketing tactics however novel or intelligent are not smart enough if they fail to reach or influence the potential consumers. Resort to web 2.0 marketing and social networking and experience the world of difference it brings to your business. Large number of people visit the sites that solicite their feedback. Encourage blog writing, pod-casting, rating, displaying of relevant pictures, reviews, etc., and you will see all this user generated content attracting hordes of new visitors and giving a new lease of life to your online business.
You will get an instant feedback to your products or services and a first hand experience of what your visitors' desire. You may even use the tools of web 2.0 marketing in sending across your messages effectively, in persuading the users about your objectives and adequately minimizing their objections whatsoever. Something that is invaluable to any business is creating an atmosphere of confidence and trust.
Select The Right Social Networking Site
Social networking sites promote the groups of like-minded people share information and build relationships. This aids in cutting through all visible and invisible barriers. Their communities are tightly defined and purpose drove. So if a singular group such as that is likely to buy your products, it will yield a higher number of consumers than a larger but scattered group. You just need to find such highly targeted slice of population that is likely to turn into your desired customers.
through web 2.0 you will be reaping the following benefits.0 marketing: * Your target specific community or group will sees more potential consumer conversions * Once you detect your potential group you can afford to be more focused * You're advertising money will be more usefully spent * Direct and instant feedback will help in shaping your policies better * User generated content on your site will attract more visitors
With so many advantages to be had from web 2.0 marketing, your business cannot afford to overlook it. In fact, you should guide your researchers to locate your niche audience. Once you are able to generate enough interest between your users then there would be no looking back. Do not waste anymore time, let the power of web 2.0 infect your future.
Both Jason Oconnor & Chris Sullivan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Jason Oconnor has sinced written about articles on various topics from Keyboard Synthesizer, Martial Arts and Celebrities. Jason O'Connor is the owner of (),. Jason Oconnor's top article generates over 8100 views. to your Favourites.
Chris Sullivan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Internet Marketing, Site Promotion and Internet Marketing. This young "unknown" internet marketer defies all the "rules" of the industry leaders and places over 3,967 people in his downline in 14 short months without making one phone call!Forget home meetings, card decks, conference calls, cold calling ... In fac. Chris Sullivan's top article generates over 12100 views. to your Favourites.