WEB 2.O APPLICATIONS FOR SMALL BUSINESS IT255: Unit 3

Web 2.0 Defined In order to know how to evaluate Web 2.0, you need to know how it is defined.  The term "Web 2.0" (2004–present) is commonly associated with web applications that facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design, [1] and collaboration on the World Wide Web.information sharinginteroperabilityuser-centered design [1] collaborationWorld Wide Web 

Web 2.0 Examples Popular examples of Web 2.0 technologies include:  My Space  Wordpress  Flickr  YouTube  Facebook  Twitter  Digg  Skype

Web 2.0 Indicators Recognize certain characteristics distinguish using Web 2.0 for business vs the traditional model of the company providing everything to and for the customer  You use the web as a platform for delivering technical services.  You consume software services, not packaged software.  Tools and applications scale in a cost-effective way for the way you run your business.  Your experience and your customers' experience (where you give them access and client areas for collaborating with you and other clients) is of paramount importance.  You provide RSS feed capabilities to your customers and prospects and you use RSS feeds to get exactly the information you want, when you want it. (Essentially, your in box is no longer sucking the life out of you.)RSS feeds  You share pictures with Flickr and you're getting better every day at visualizing your ideas and your world with pictures.Flickr  Customer referrals increase.

Web 2.0 used for small business Possible uses:  Instead of company newsletters, use TypePad or Wordpress and create a blog  Collaborate with your team or clients using cloud computing solutions such as BasecampBasecamp  Network with colleagues and/or potential clients on LinkedInLinkedIn  Reduce costs with software licensing and implement Software as a Service solutions  Incorporate wikis to encourage employees to share knowledge and information about processes or projects  Implement social networking for advertising

Web 2.0 Advertising Advantages:  Using Web 2.0 solutions for advertising can offer some key advantages  Using social networking sites decreases the need to hunt for the customer  The social networking sites offer dramatic savings in advertising costs and budgets  Web 2.0 advertising gives you complete control over the branding of the product. You decide how to design your promotional materials online  Global access to potential new clients

Web 2.0 Advertising Disadvantages:  If the network connection goes down, so does your ad campaign and other pertinent information  Free Web 2.0 solutions could contain security flaws  Poor backup practices. Reliance on paperless, cloud systems may not encourage hard copies and additional backup of critical data  Posting personal information increases changes of identity theft  An even shorter attention span!

Web 2.0 Ideas What type of Web 2.0 technologies do you enjoy and interact with? What type may be interesting to incorporate in your own business plans? How will you measure whether or not it is effective? How will you balance the level of interactivity to offer customers vs providing them with accurate and current information? How will you determine if you have gone overboard with all the Web 2.0 solutions for your business?