Not so many years ago, my then business partner asked me 'this web thing, do you think it will last?'
He wasn't the only one to take his time adjusting to business life in the age of the web.
Now the word is 'Web 2.0', at the centre of which is 'User Generated Content'. This refers to online content that is not created by traditional media sources or by advertisers, but by the end consumers and readers themselves.
We are talking here about:
• Blogs - web logs, online diaries or subject commentaries where readers can leave their own comments;
• Wikis - collaborative websites where content comes from anyone who wants to contribute;
• Social Media and Networking Websites - like YouTube, Bebo (34 million users and growing), Facebook, Myspace, Flickr, etc. where visitors publish photos, video, set up profiles, share information with their friends and 'connect' with others.
You'll remember when the web first started to be used by businesses it became home to mostly static websites that were basically online brochures.
Many organisations thought all they need do is publish their site and sit back and wait for the phone to ring. This was never going to be an enduring strategy. It made no more sense than opening a business in the middle of the Gobi Desert and expecting to survive on passing traffic!
One of the best things about the web is that it is progressively levelling the playing field. Cost is no longer a barrier to entry - anyone can have an online presence. Individuals and SMEs have the same opportunity to share their opinions and information online as global companies with phone number marketing budgets.
This is what Web 2.0 is all about - making it easy for people to connect with people. World Wide Web for all. No barriers. Exciting stuff!
If mixed with excitement is a feeling of dread, you won't be alone. Its a daunting prospect; customers being encouraged to share their experiences about your organisation, good and bad, with anyone who will listen. And there's plenty who will... just ask any parent of a teenager with a computer and an internet connection (and too much time on their hands).
So how does the guardian of your organisation's reputation act to protect their assets? If you can't beat them, you've got no choice but to join them. Ignoring them just isn't a long term option.
Here's a few tips:
No. 1: Grow a thick skin! Criticism is inevitable. The key is in how you deal with it and use it to improve your organisation.
No. 2: Review your current website to make sure it is truly user-focussed - put yourself in the shoes of your site visitors'. Why would they visit your site? What's in it for them?
No. 3: Add 'smart information' to your site that will present you as the expert and build trust, such as tips and relevant articles, newsletters, downloadable resources, etc. Don't be afraid to give away something valuable for free - impart some of your knowledge and expertise.
No. 4: Get personal. Let your own personality shine through in your online communications.
Remember that people connect with people - not websites. It is much harder for a client to leave someone they consider a friend.
No. 5: Regularly visit blogs and social networking sites that best match your organisations interests. Create profiles for yourself/your organisation on major social sites - before someone else does and you have no control.
Still filled with trepidation?
As a business owner well beyond my teenage years, and with little time to spend blogging or networking, I also admit to some resistance. Whether Web 2.0 ends up being a passing trend or the way of the future, it is something we need to closely watch. Like Web 1.0, Web 2.0 presents opportunities to promote our organisations without the need to spend large amounts of cash. We just have to open ourselves up to them.
So here goes.....
By Wendy Riley-Biddle
Hot Pyjama Productions
