Web 2.0 | Internet Marketing Blog

Web 2.0 needs to be agile to be successful

I’ve been dealing with a few clients of late, most of which have heard the ruckus around this newfangled Web 2.0 thing, and most of which want to do something Web 2.0 with their projects. Some want to implement blogs, others are interested in Wiki’s and podcasting, and surprisingly most of them want some Ajax features. The list goes on.

That’s really good because I’m always happy to talk to people about getting more out of the web, specifically around creating better and more valuable user experiences, but the problem I have (and which I communicate) is that Web 2.0 doesn’t just stop at implementing a blog engine, podcasts, a Wiki or Ajax.

by Gareth Knight 11 July 2006 14:07pm 2 comments

Valleyschwag for July 2006

As a non-coder I've never felt 100% geek, despite what some of my Luddite friends think. However, as this picture shows, I am getting ever-closer to that magical figure (and to inheriting the earth, which would fulfil a small ambition).

Yes, I've received this month's geek merchandise from Valleyschwag!

Valleyschwag for July 2006

by Chris Lake 10 July 2006 19:10pm 2 comments

The 12 reasons why UK businesses don't blog

How many companies in the UK are blogging? Not many, it seems, according to a list compiled by Suw Charman . Not many at all. The list isn’t fully comprehensive, but it highlights the dearth of business blogs in the UK, compared to US.

So why is it that UK and European marketers / business folk are ignoring blogs? I reckon it comes down to one of the following reasons…

by Chris Lake 05 July 2006 13:59pm 12 comments

Blogging almost going mainstream?

If you’ve been blogging for any length of time, you’ll probably feel that it’s old hat. The principle is simple – you talk about something that you’re interested and/or passionate about, and through that you find people that are interested in the same sort of things that you are.

Over time if you’re a good write or really passionate or you simply create / get hold of good content, you’ll rise to the top of that niche vertical interest, which in turn will result in more readers.

The problem is that until very recently blogging was kind of hard to do – you have to be at least a little technically literate to be able to use the blog software interfaces. The result being that until recently blogging definitely wasn’t part of the mainstream consciousness.

by Gareth Knight 05 July 2006 11:34am 1 comment

Bid for London office space and ghosts on eBay

There have been some very odd things sold via eBay - it really is a website that seems to create demand for everything. Even 'a ghost in a jar' managed to find an owner, who spent more than $15,000 to acquire the bona fide gift of somebody else's lifetime, and a jar.

Seriously, you can use eBay to sell anything. A ball of aluminium foil sold for $3.10. A videotape with 'Death Tape: Do Not Watch' written on it sold for $18. Take a blowtorch to some cheese on toast and you can make a million...

by Chris Lake 04 July 2006 11:10am 1 comment

Nick Denton's Gawker Media sheds staff, awaits reversal

Nick Denton is hunkering down, it seems. The Daddy of Gawker Media is reducing headcount and offloading two blogs, having determined that “it is time for a perversely countercyclical move”.

What does he mean by that? He means it is getting harder to make money from blogging, which was never especially easy in the first place.

by Chris Lake 03 July 2006 14:00pm 0 comments

Fans and bands collide - grassroots lessons

Want another example of how your customers can communicate your message for you? Check out upcoming new Australian band Wolfmother, which is asking fans to snap and send mobile video clips that will form the basis of the act's next promo.

It's supported by a moblog powered by the London-based moblogUK service, which was popularised when survivors of the city's 7/7 bombings posted camera phone pictures to the site last summer.

by Robert Andrews 28 June 2006 17:08pm 0 comments

Using Web 2.0 to harness innovation in your organisation

Web 2.0 means different things to different people, yet it isn't just about the web, but is also about how your organisation works. Think intranet, as well as internet. Does your organisation work in a 2.0 way?

At the moment there seems to be three primary focuses around Web 2.0:

1) there are the technologists who are figuring out new technologies (there are many libraries and frameworks out there already).

2) there are the marketers and entrepreneurs, who are trying to figure out how use new 2.0 technologies and principles to generate profits, or help empower consumers (call them business people for now) in some way.

3) and finally, there are the users, who are increasingly using and enjoying the results of these new technologies.

But how does all that filter into your organisation in a useful way, feeding into your own innovation cycle?

by Gareth Knight 28 June 2006 16:07pm 5 comments

Ajax driven London Tubes route finder

David Tran has launched an Ajax driven route finder widget for London tubes, with Rails driving the backend. And it works pretty much as it says on the tin too!

by Gareth Knight 27 June 2006 17:42pm 1 comment

Is Fjax the best use of Flash ever?

When the big tech brands like Amazon start using Ajax to improve their user interface you know the tipping point has been reached. So how long will it be before the great and good embrace Fjax, aka ‘Ajax 2.0’?

by Chris Lake 26 June 2006 16:16pm 2 comments