Web 2.0 is a technology that is people centered. It is characterized by enhanced interactivity, social features, ease of use, quick reaction times and fast loading applications. It includes several innovations that have changed the way we use and even think about the Internet. Discovering new knowledge is made even more accessible and community based.



The two factors that have made Web 2.0 so successful are customer communication and measurement.

How Web 2.0 tools help in effective communication with customers

Low cost Web 2.0 communication and marketing tools help you reach out to clients and customers right across the Web. The focus is on transforming static Web sites into dynamic experiences that are constantly evolving enabling you to more effectively engage your customers with photos, audio and video as well as community generated content.

Blogs, Webcasts and podcasts are some of the better known Web 2.0 tools, which are successfully being applied by midsize and small companies. For entrepreneurs, these tools allow them to maximize the capabilities of the Web by advertising and marketing themselves to attract new customers.

How Web 2.0 helps you measure what you do

One of Web 2.0 best advantages is its ability to help a business measure results. Using conversion tracking services businesses can analyze web traffic and determine how many visitors are passing through, how many actually order, or what page most subscribers are signing up on.

Using other services such as Technorati or BlogPulse, companies that post blogs can track other users who are linking to their blog site. Posting to sites like Digg can also give immediate results as to how well the content is received by others.

Web widgets, small programs embedded into a web page, can help businesses build one or several online communities within their site.

Web 2.0 promotes social networking, which offers a whole host of benefits including enhanced customer communication, more accurate feedback and increased input into new product developments. Social networking allows users to help each other, which helps increase customer satisfaction and lower support costs.