User Rating: / 0
PoorBest 

Thinking of running or already have your own business and want to get a lead on the competition? Then utilising the tools of Web 2.0 could be just what you are looking for.

When the first great wave of internet companies crashed in the bad old days of the late 90's it was deemed the end of the web. Rupert Murdoch commented that he always knew it was a waste of time because he didn't know how anyone could make money from it. Perhaps if the talent behind Google, eBay and Facebook had been introduced to him earlier he might have rethought his comments, rolled up his sleeves and doshed out the cash for a range of start ups. 

The moral of the story is don't let a good thing pass you by. Murdoch might not have seen a way to make money off the Web but that doesn't mean that nobody else could. Heard of Flickr, Blogger, Wordpress, Twitter, Digg, Stumble It, Facebook, MySpace and of course Ebay. Chances are you've heard of at least one of them. But what does this mean for your business and how useful is social networking in creating consumer interest in your product?

Unfortunately some women underestimate the web as a marketing tool because it use to require extensive computer skills in order to get started. Fortunately though Web 2.0 technology bypasses the need for coding and web skills. Sure you need to know a few of the basics like how to upload images, login, insert video or sound and link to articles or items for sale. But if you've used eBay you'll know how easy it is to navigate your way around a website. In fact, according to recent research, women are leading the charge in utilising Web 2.0 tools and positioning themselves successfully in a once male dominated industry.

Really clued up sites use a variety of social networking tools to attract and keep customers. If you want to update people on your progress in less than a 140 characters then why not sign up for a free Twitter account? Want more detail and personal stories about your products then try Blogger, Typepad or Wordpress. Think Facebook or Myspace are just for the kids to talk about Twilight or some other teen flick?  Then think again. The internet now attracts more advertising dollars than television. Imagine being able to reach an audience and target ads especially to them - oh that's right, Google Adsense has it covered.

There is a range of software out there that is free and easy to use and waiting for you to add to your site. Haven't got a website yet? That's easy, download a free copy of Joomla, Moodle or Drupal and just insert your own content. You'll get free templates, helpful instructions and plenty of companies that will host your site for little cost. If you don't want a website then you can create a professional and personalised social networking site at Ning. You will be delighted by how easy it is to get a professional looking network up and running that can link to other social networking tools like Facebook and Flickr.

I've listed my favorite Web 2.0 tools below and the added bonus is that they are all free - happy social networking!

http://twitter.com (micro blogging that can be done from your phone )
http://wordpress.com (great professional blogging tool)
http://blogger.com (another blogging tool that is simple to use)
http://ning.com (fantastic tool that lets you build your own social network)
http://joomla.com (simply the best website building software out there)
http://youtube.com (how can you resist making a video and placing it before a potential audience of millions!)