Across the web large media companies, technologists, bloggers, and everyone else is still trying to define “Web 2.0”. And even though we are all still debating the details , there are a couple of new realities that are shaping this movement.The first of these new realities is that the experience we are used to having with applications on our computer has now become available through our web browsers. Instead of watching video through Windows Media Player, one can record, upload and view videos on Youtube. Instead of needing html coding skills and Macromedia’s Dreamweaver, anyone can simply post information through a blog. There are even websites now that have the functionality of a word processor like Microsoft Word, or a workable calendar like Outlook.
Since these applications live on the web, they are also able to function in ways that a desktop application cannot. They can allow their content to be shared, collaborated upon, and widely distributed while being structured as an online community of users. Wikipedia is a prime example of a website that has a large community of users creating, editing and self-moderating articles in a mass collaborative effort.
On this web platform online communities have taken a new form where “niche” is king. Blogs, Podcasts, Social Networks, Web Video, tagging, sharing, and other tools have helped people of similar affinity connect like never before. These communities are emerging as a new form of social interaction, where the human voice has been amplified and where every topic has a home.
The potential in this convergence of new technologies and online community is enormous for strategic marketing, especially for those with a need to strengthen and extend their brand. And companies who are leveraging this potential are winning.
