Web 2.0: the Next Generation of the Internet

Web 2.0 definition: a set of social, economic, andfrom directory sites, social networking sites, and
technology trends that collectively form the basis forblogs.
the next generation of the Internet – a moreThe dynamic capabilities of websites that are
mature, distinct medium characterized by userprogrammed and published by web users is allowing
participation, openness, and network effectssearch engines to garner updated, organized, and
–definition source: O’Reilly Radar, Web 2.0refreshed information at an increased frequency. This
Principles and Best Practicesinformation is setup to be preprogrammed into
Let’s first identify major social, economic, andcategories making it easier to satisfy a search
technology trends that contributed to thisengines relevancy organization desires. Presorted
transformation of the Internet.information receives favored ranking and recognition
Social Trends:from the major search engines.
Idea Generation and Sharing – teaching yourHow is this so?
associate in a non-competing market (across theAs search engines have grown to find successful
country) how to create additional business in his localbusiness models where they can generate increasing
marketplace, improve the efficiency and economicoperating revenues, they have invested heavily into
environment of your industry through idea sharingthe complexity of their vast computer infrastructures.
Example: Message Boards (DentalTown.com), BlogsMany of the search engines are programming their
(DentalBlogs.com), E-mail Networks (Acestheticscomputer infrastructure to create a system that can
E-mail Group)potentially react as fast as the human brain as to its
Business Networking – ability to meet andreflex of identifying and organization new information
present information to people located in remoteon the Internet. The quicker information can move
areas around the country and worldacross the computer networks (synapse) from one
Example: GoToMyMeeting, WebExcomputer to another the quicker the web will be able
Social Interactivity – ability to meet and learnto grow. For example, Google has recruited one of
about people through personal profile andthe world’s top neurologists to program the
communication techniquescomplexity of their search computer systems. Below
Example: MySpace.com, Friendster.com, Economicis a chart to visualize how data flows along the
Trends:search engine web.
Industry Consolidation – Increasing consolidationSearch Engine Data Seeking Flow:
of information suppliers and network providers hasWebsite > Crawler reads site > Search > Search
allowed for increased information distributionQuery > Search Engine Asks Database > Search
efficiencyResults Display > Search Results Clicked > Website
Example: Acquisition of Time Warner by AmericaSearch engines are exactly what they call
Online, Acquisition of Scientific Atlanta by Ciscothemselves, search engines. The question is: what are
Networks, A T and T joins BellSouththe search engines searching for?
Technology Trends:Many things they may be searching for include:
Increase In Technology Adoption - High Speed UsageWho is linking to your site?
Increasing in Business (office place) and ConsumerWhat is on your site?
(home) Markets. Increasing broadband speeds has ledWhere is your site listed?
to the consumers’ rapid adoption of multimediaWhen your site was last visited?
(Audio & Video) usage online. 68% of U.S. onlineWhy are people visiting your site?
users now use broadband (February ’06, NeilsenHow many people visit your site?
NetRatings).The thought application being used to organize search
Where the Web is going:results by various search engines:
Web 2.0 is opening up the online market, as theWho is the searcher searching for the information?
networking environment opens up public ideaAre they doing it looking for common information?
generation and publishing has become very simple.What type of information are they searchers looking
Organization and globalization of the Internet’sfor related to certain topics?
information is beginning to take form at the hands ofIs the website information relevant to the extension
user interactivity. One major tool pushing theof a domain name?
boundaries of online publishing simplicity are applicationWhen was the last time a site was updated or
serving sites.visited?
Application Serving Sites & Their Position in theAs search engines continue to increase in complexity
Marketplaceso will the rewards associated with being found on
Application serving sites are websites that create athe search engine results.
platform for users to contribute data and information.Integrating Your Media Mix to Your Online Presence
Actual sites are beginning to work as user softwareNow that we have established the dynamics of the
creating an environment for user’s to create,search engines and computer applications feeing them
post, and edit information. Active and updatedthe question is how to integrate your various media
information on the Internet creates greater relevancyinto an overall Internet presence. If your office uses
for a dataset of content.multiple media to market (audio, newsletter, video,
The Way an Application Serving Site Functions for aand more) you can synergize your data for a more
User:concrete marketing message through an overall well
Step 1: Login site and create contentorganized and strategize web presence. Another
Step 2: Publish content to the webadded benefit to getting your marketing material
Step 3: Consumers and search engines read andexposure on the Internet is that consumers will
index contentbecome increasingly interactive with your brand and
An application serving website sets up structure andmay give you feedback as to how they feel about
guidelines for a user to create a login (identifying theyour media and marketing. You can then interpret the
user), profile information (creating demographic datadata as you please and use it increase the consumer
for the network), and then the means to publishfriendliness of your data.
additional information satisfying the niche in which theThe effects of Web 2.0, the interactive web, allow
user would like to participate in publishing theiryou to distribute your information rapidly and very
information (audio, content, video, and other formscost effectively. More is better in this market, and
of information).your distribution costs are very low for online
There are many niche market websites beingcompared to traditional media.
created to serve niche markets of theMany people look at old media as a very effective
Internet’s long tail. If you examine your searchmedium for marketing which it is, but new media
engine results, search engines are giving bias toallows you to create a greater dimension of your
websites that are destinations for people to publishmarketing campaign and a destination to pull a visitor
information on the Internet. In Google in particularin. An effective strategy to using your old media to
they are pulling numerous listing results from variousintegrate with your new media is to use a
sites like Craigslist, MySpace, Yahoo Directory,catchphrase like:
YouTube, Blogs, and other places people create selfVisit our website to see the beautiful work we have
published and/or manually organized information. Thisperformed on our patients
behavior by the search engines shows theVisit our website to learn additional information about
dependence of a more relevant Internet on dynamicour services
information being posted at reliable destinationVisit our website to see a video of what to expect
websites.when you come to our office for a consultation
These application serving websites create socialThe list goes on as to catchphrases you can use to
grouping networks allowing for the free exchange ofdraw visitors into your online presence, be sure to
data that is relevant and similar to other existing dataintegrate old media marketing into what your website
on the network. Some networks will even suggesthas to offer consumers. Once you get a visitor to
similar groupings to peak a user’s interest.your website you have achieved half the battle now
Search Engine Information Seeking – Hierarchyyou need to seal the deal and turn your website
(Chart 2)visitor into an office visitor.
Search engines seek information as follows and index