The Business Aspect of Web 2.0
Companies Slow To React To Web 2.0
Despite the fact that Web 2.0 is currently one of the most popular terms on the web, most companies have been slow to adopt it. Many experts feel that the primary reason for this is because the concept of improving company processes with online tools is not a new concept.
Despite this, there are a number of differences between Web 2.0 and traditional online business tools. While the companies who embrace Web 2.0 are likely to be the industry leaders of tomorrow, the days may be numbered for companies that fail to utilize the capabilities of this system.
One of the most fundamental aspects of Web 2.0 is RSS. While many brick and mortar businesses have taken the step of building a website for the company, this is not enough to deal with the ever changing digital market.
One reason that many of these companies aren’t embracing Web 2.0 technologies is because the vast majority of business leaders do not understand it. While they know the Internet is important for companies that want to compete in a global market, they can’t see the importance of using Web 2.0.
Statistics For Companies That are Using Web 2.0
Wired Magazine recently reported in late 2006 that only 10 percent of the largest Fortune 500 companies are currently using blogs or wikis to promote their products or services. This has led many people to state that Web 2.0 is in its infancy.
Despite this, all the signs indicate that the Web 2.0 trend has started, and it is very likely that it will become prominent by the end of this decade. Web 2.0 is critical for companies that place an emphasis on product development, and some experts feel that half of the largest companies in the world will begin using wikis by 2009.
A wiki can be described as a publishing technology that is shared among multiple authors. Some of the best examples of wikis include Wikipedia. A few of the companies which have already taken the steps of embracing Web 2.0 technologies include Miller Brewing and Johnson Controls.
While big companies may be slow to take advantage of Web 2.0, many online companies are jumping on the bandwagon relatively quickly. Because these companies are already adept to doing business on the Internet, switching to Web 2.0 isn’t such as big transition.
The Power of Wikis
There are a number of reasons why companies can benefit from using wikis. First, if you are the owner of a company that already has a traditional website, creating a blog can allow you to drive traffic to it. This additional traffic may become your high value customers.
While most wikis have been designed for the standard Internet user, they have a lot of potential for those who know how to use them properly. Because some companies have seen a decline in their communication levels, they have begin using wikis to facilitate a better level of communication, as well as storing company knowledge.
Wikis are also useful because they can be used to allow customer feedback. By taking the time to review the feedback, the company will be able to make strategic decisions that will allow them to become much more successful. Overall, a wiki or blog can allow companies to communicate with their customers. It must also be noted that it isn’t necessary for companies to be on the cutting edge of Web 2.0. However, they should at least take the time to embrace Web 2.0 concepts.
Common Web 2.0 Tools
There are a number of common tools that are considered to be Web 2.0 technologies. One of these is a podcast, which is a personal broadcast that can be accessed on demand. It will generally come in the form of a multimedia file that is distributed over the Internet. It can be played on portable devices or on a computer. Another type of Web 2.0 technology is a mashup.
This is a website or program that collects content from other parts of the web to turn it into something entirely new. A folksonomy is a method in which users categorize links or other useful information. When combined, these technologies are expected to transform the web.
