What is Web 2.0?

What is all this stuff about Web 2.0? What does it all mean?

Several clients have asked 'what is Web 2.0 all about? Do I need it on my website?' That is a good question. There is a lot of hype about Web 2.0 but it is more than a passing fad. Web 2.0 is simply a phase in the evolution of the World Wide Web. Whether or not, it is a major development - well, the jury is still out.

The characteristic of this phase is that the Web is no longer simply about information, it is now more about interaction. There are new and existing applications and technologies associated with Web 2.0— from blogs to social networks to RSS. These new developments enable consumers to interact with your company and other consumers as well as participating in and influencing discussions. In this way they control their website visiting experience.

So what does this all mean to your Internet business? Consumers are now better equipped, and accustomed to more interactive relationships, sustained over a longer period of time. As options for communicating with consumers expand, companies have an increasingly difficult task of determining where to invest
their scarce resources. As we have always emphasised at Zeald.com, to make the best investment decisions, you need a measurement strategy for your website initiatives. This needs to be a solution that enables you to track and monitor the business impact of Web 2.0, particularly as it relates to your traditional e-business marketing investments.

Those of you with a Zeald.com website will know Web analytics is nothing new, but there are new requirements for measuring in the Web 2.0 world. Companies that are able to effectively measure all their web interactions with visitors—whether
Web 2.0 or traditional web—will enjoy a competitive advantage.

While the value of measuring unique visitors (as opposed simply to hits) has always been important, the Web 2.0 paradigm accentuates this importance. Winning in a Web 2.0 world means that you need to measure and value the website engagement with your consumers. It is no longer about conversion at a point in time. It is now about the nature of the relationship over time, and the many ways that an individual can add value to your business.

If you want more information on uses of Web 2.0 on your website, just drop me an email and I'll be happy to respond.