Assignment 4: Understanding web marketing and devising a web marketing strategy. PART 1

As part of my assignment 4 I have been asked to read and summarize as many documents as I can find that relate to web marketing specifically regarding web 2.0.  The first document that I am going to write about is an article called web2.0- All About Social Networking which was posted by Misti at http://blogs.profitimo.com/2007/04/03/web20-all-about-social-networking/  

According to wikipedia’s definition “ Web 2.0, a phrase coined by O’Reilly Media in 2004, refers to a perceived second generation of web-based services—such as social networking sites, wikis, communication tools, and folksonomies—that emphasize online collaboration and sharing among users.”

The article describes web2.0 as a ‘phenomenal topic in the present arena’, a topic which has to much debatable phase as each one of us is trying to derive a interface to it, with out getting the actual meaning of it unexplored.

 According to Tim O’Reilly “Web2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the internet as platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform. Chief among those rules is this: Build applications that harness network effects to get better the more people use them.Web2.0 is all about linking, sharing and collaborating with people.” The article has also listed 4 common features of a typical ‘web2.0’ site, which are: 

1)      web 2.0 is simple

2)      website should be centrally laid, meaning sites that sit straight front and center feel more simple and bold

3)      Web 2.0 allows users to use applications only through web browsers, e.g Google spreadsheets and docs, allowing you to share and edit documents at the same time, online, with other users.

4)      Key aspects of web 2.0 are

a)      rich and interactive user interface

b)      involving other for active participation

c)      improved and continuous up gradation of software and data

d)      allow modifications by other users to add more value

e)   It’s a global platform linked with social media to generate traffic via social networking. 

How does web 2.0 help in E-marketing?

 Web 2.0 is a combination of 3 applications RIA (rich internet application) SOA (service orientated architecture) and social webs. Users tend to coin web 2.0 as a ‘user generated’ application such as blogging, Mashups, Ajax, Youtube and Flickrs.Web 2.0 is all about exposing its functionalities for the other set of applications to expand and integrate, web 2.0 sites allow the visitors to submit content such as video’s, pictures and text’s which allow your site/network to grow.  The following are 5 points as to how web 2.0 can be advantageous to us: 

1)      Encourage and motivate people via social networking to make quality contributions to the content on offer.

2)      Always make the content open to modification and edit purposes.

3)      The service you offer must be informative, intriguing and valuable to others.

4)      Use your website content on RSSfeeds/ web services.

5)      Try to create good networks by involving your groups to establish and build reputations while interaction 

Web 2.0 and social media  Web 2.0 is all about social networking of social media, social media includes social photo sharing (flickr, picasa etc.) social networks (MySpace, Facebook) social book marking (Del.icio.us, Furl). Web 2.0 applications tend to interact much more with the end user in this case we mean both the user and the one who is participating in tagging the blogs and articles, contributes in something in wiki, as a podcaster  or blogger. The applications allow the users to interact in so many ways as in submitting video’s, pictures interacting through blogs and by creating groups with other users online and allow each user to share the information and also allow them all to submit there own feeds to the site. 

The second article that I am about to write about is web 2.0 marketing – 5 concepts that matter by David Skul.  http://ezinearticles.com/?Web-2.0-Marketing—5-Concepts-That-Matter&id=881698  “Trying to succeed in a web 2.0 world means having to discard old marketing notations and embrace new ones” this article provides the readers with a few creative concepts which is sure to get them started in the right direction in using web 2.0.  These 5 concepts are: 

1)      your audiences matter more than the markets

 Unlike conventional marketing where the markets were the prime focus the web is all about the audiences, the only way you can be successful is by thinking of your web visitors in terms of an audience, as people want to be enlightened, engaged and entertained.

 2)      forget business, think entertainment

 You want to appeal to your audiences senses, by capturing there attentions using various forms of entertainment such as audio-video presentations. You cannot enlighten, engage or entertain your audience if your website sounds like it came from a textbook. You need to be more creative with your websites and use imagination for your audiences to notice it.

 3)      Communicate realistically

 A website is built for communication with real people therefore the information you are supplying should not be gibberish and leaving the audience feeling confused. Most websites fail because they did not communicate a believable, convincing and realistic marketing message. 

4)      think experiences and emotions; not features and logic 

Pushing the ‘feel good’ attributes will get you more customers then if you tried to market your product focusing only on the logical and practical aspects. Most customers tend to go for a product due to experiences and emotions. 

5)      focus on long term campaigns; not one time ads 

One time ads are a waste of time and money as the viewers would eventually forget about the product; however audiences love to be wooed with meaningful conversations and long-term campaigns that would help you deliver a more focused message.