Benefits of Web 2.0 for Small Businesses

What is Web 2.0

The philosophy of Web 2.0 focuses on the idea that the people who access the Internet shouldn't passively absorb the data that is available. They should be active contributors and helping to customize data for their own purposes. Web 2.0 includes, but is not limited to, blogs, tags, RSS, social bookmarking, and AJAX.

Benefits

So, what does Web 2.0 mean for you? Below are some of the benefits:

Improve how you do business

Because information exchange is easy, Web 2.0 applications help small business owners track customer and prospect preferences and quickly respond to concerns.

Collaboration

Wikis
Wikis are websites that can be easily edited and updated by the users. They provide a great forum for people within and outside an organization to collaborate. A wiki is good for documenting and sharing information, however a blog may be a better choice for developing ongoing dialogue between a company and its customers.

Marketing

Blogs
Blogs are web posts or web logs that your business can create to inform potential and existing customers about your products or services. They help to build awareness for your company and provide a venue for receiving feedback from customers.

Webcasts
Webcasts can also help with marketing. A webcast can allow you to reach multiple people simultaneously, and gives them the opportunity to ask questions. You can also record an audio or video podcast, such as an interview with an expert in your field, and post it on your site. This can boost traffic to your site and help establish you as an authority in your field.

Online Video
Small businesses may not have the funds to run an advertising campaign on television. However, it doesn't cost anything to post a video of your commercial on your website. You also might consider posting it for free on YouTube or Google Video. These sites are visited by millions of people every day.

Company News

RSS
RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feeds allow you to send news and information to your customers. It also allows managers to stay on top of information related to your business. RSS can help position your company as a leading source of information which can translate to more customers.