What Web 2.0 means to me

Generally speaking, I recoil when the term Web 2.0 is brought up in conversation.  It's a sham term that is generally applicable in every possible situation involving the Internet.  Honestly, if you look at definitions of Web 2.0 out there (and had no experience with the Internet prior to 2004), you'd think things like design, usability and standards just weren't important before Web 2.0 came along to tell us that they were.  

So for me, when I think about Web 2.0, I view it more in terms of a new kind of marketing philosophy. The web has obviously evolved from a medium primarily to gather information to one where people can actually "do stuff".  This has opened the door to new kinds of messaging that weren't available before. 

Push versus pull: There are a lot of definitions of push and pull marketing out there (mostly having to do with tangible products that require distribution channels and such) but when I think of these terms, I think of direct marketing versus stewarding brand loyalty.  In this case, direct marketing is primarily email.  It's an active approach - you're pushing a message out there directly to your users and asking them to do something.  Conversely, I view things like blogs, forums or social networking primarily as pull marketing - you're putting stuff out there but the onus is on the user to visit your blog or participate in your forum/social network.  If you've done a good job of creating brand loyalty, you won't have any problem with finding interested users to participate - but they will typically only be the ones that are super psyched about what you're offering instead of just your run-of-the-mill customer.  It is important to do both types to keep users engaged at the level that they want to be. 

The different between mass messaging and individual message: The days of sending out a message directed at a mass audience are over.  It's the difference between "Dear Sir or Madam" and "Dear {FirstName}".  Users expect you to know who they are and how they've interacted with you before.  Each message you send out should create value on an individual level for each and every person. 

Be authentic: People are thirsty for companies to be real (no spin!) and transparent.  They have a world full of information at their fingertips now so they can check the official company line against all of the unofficial information floating around.  Now, this one is tough.  I get it - when people have a mirror held up to them and they don't like what they see, they tend to blame the person holding up the mirror instead of themselves.  Nonetheless, straight shooting with your customers will build their trust in you and create some deep brand loyalty. 

Let go of control: If you want engagement with your product online, you have to be prepared for the fact that not all the comments are going to be glowing and fluffy.  People are going to say things you don't like, but you have to refrain from trying to control or censor it.  That will only blow up in your face.  The last school I worked at actually had rules against students saying negative things about the institution, and towards the end of my time there, tried to enforce them against online speech.  How do you think that went over?  I'll give you a hint - pretty soon a Facebook group popped up calling for the president's resignation and it had a ton of pretty active, engaged users.  Oops!  Instead of trying to censor, engage your users and show them that you care and are listening to their concerns.  Better yet, show them that you are doing something to fix their problems.  Their feedback is like a constant (and free!) focus group for you to pull information from.  Utilize it for all it's worth!