The new way of utilizing the Internet is now commonly known Web 2.0. There are several differences business owners who utilize the web should be aware of to take advantage of this trend that is here to stay.
The term "Web 2.0" suggests that there was something at an earlier time called "Web 1.0." In fact,
there wasn't but it's an easy way to refer to the way things used to be on the Internet.
A gentleman by the name of Tim O'Reilly is generally credited with coining the term "Web 2.0". He used it as a generic term to describe the multiple changes occurring in website designs, including new platforms, technologies and ways to socially interact that began popping up.
The trend, which began roughly four years ago, continues to mushroom today. For instance, Facebook is currently growing astronomically, and at a rate faster than MySpace, with around 200 million users now on board. In 2007, not so many people had heard of Twitter. Now it is being used to report the news as it happens, such as when a US Airways plane crashed into the Hudson river on January 15, 2009. People like the idea of being able to send and receive immediate feedback around the world.
Here are seven examples of the differences between what used to work and what has now emerged as Web 2.0.
1. Websites began to show complex media, rather than simply text and still images. At first, the hottest thing was to have streaming audio. That quickly moved to video. And now it is almost commonplace to expect the word "video" to be added on to the end of search terms.
2. Web pages were originally jam-packed to with text, ads and other content, with very little white space. They were mostly left-aligned and read more like a textbook, reference manual or magazine. Then it became popular to center the content in the browser, to use larger and bolder fonts and to leave more space on the page. This style more closely resembles a big postcard than a book.
3. Websites became interactive with the visitor in a variety of ways. With the addition of more complex media, people are now able to chat live with customer support or video conference using webcams on computers.
4. Pages are no longer organized only with links to other pages and sites, but also according to elements like tags. The new linking structures are more user-friendly and serve to make sites easier to search, inviting more interaction from visitors seeking to communicate about a very specific set of details.
5. As a result, users of web pages do not just read and run any longer - they stayed and give feedback. In fact, the number of website owners offering surveys and polls continues to increase.
6. Some web sites allowed users to edit them (a concept known as a wiki). Popular sites like Wikipedia and IMDB allow users to update the content and add their own knowledge.
7. Blogs began to grow dramatically in numbers, to where they now attract more visitors than full websites.
All in all, the driving force behind the shift to web 2.0 seems to be for at least a couple of main reasons. First, everybody wants to share their experience and expertise. Second, people want to build relationships and connect with others, at least on a certain level, while still being able to maintain a degree of distance.
Business owners who utilize the World Wide Web can no longer question: "Is Web 2.0 here to stay?" Instead, the better question to ask is: "How can I take advantage of Web 2.0 to grow my business?"
