"What's Up e-Doc?"

A comment on Twitter is called a "tweet", and when you approve of an article online you can "Digg" it. It seems the Internet is now full of all kinds of funny names, most of which relate to what has been called Web 2.0. As the name suggests, Web 2.0 is the next generation of the Internet. Gone are the days of surfing the Internet for pages of information; now you can interact with websites and add your own content. There are social networks such as Facebook, Myspace, and LinkedIn. StumbleUpon and Digg help users find sites and articles with shared interests. And then there is everyone's favorite, the "blogosphere." For many people, these new websites seem like a fad that is better left to teenagers to gossip about which actor is the cutest. However, some companies are beginning to realize that there is great potential for these technologies to be applied in a practical business strategy.

I must admit, I had my own doubts. An awful lot of people spend too much time looking at profiles of their friends on Facebook. To many employers, this has been a major productivity killer. So how can socializing electronically actually improve output? And for that matter, how does blogging add value to a firm? These and similar questions have plagued Web 2.0 from the beginning. Today we see these questions being replaced with creativity, and more importantly, with business results. We live in an increasingly technological world, but still I come across many professionals that are too quick to dismiss new technology. The following are just a few examples of how you can apply Web 2.0 to your business and your professional life:

One of the first applications of Web 2.0 technology was marketing. This is where the blog gained respect. A lot of people have blogs, and for many reasons. I have two: one for keeping in touch with family; the other for business. Blogs can have many business applications. These days, when you visit a company website you often see a link to their blog. Companies invest time and energy into their blogs because the blog is a demonstration of who they are. It reveals how they think, how up to date they are, and most importantly, what they know. This information can inform, and, more importantly, hook the customer into following your product. My business blog was recently launched specifically for this purpose. It is critiques the Republican Party on their use of technology. Although the blog itself is not officially part of my company it does relate to a major component of our business. It helps me reach out and even interact through comments with those who may be thinking about getting a website.

Social news sites such as StumbleUpon and Digg are another helpful marketing tool. These sites allow users to promote web pages they've found that they like; most of the time these web pages are articles. Typically, at the top or bottom of the article you will see a series of icons for social news sites. By clicking on that icon, you are essentially submitting a vote indicating you find the page useful or entertaining. You can also tag the article with relevant key words. For example, if one user tags an article with "biotechnology", others can easily find that article if they are interested in biotechnology. Originally, this was popular with news sites, but the application is becoming broader. In fact, organizations are now placing these icons on their own web pages. It has become another way to get exposure and to have people discuss your company.

Beyond marketing, Web 2.0 technologies offer many opportunities for communication with a potentially unlimited audience. Facebook and LinkedIn allow users to send messages to each other and socialize. Twitter is a really interesting website in which a user creates a simple profile, and chooses other profiles they want to "follow." The user then leaves short comments called "tweets" (140 characters or less). Everyone who follows your profile will see your tweets listed on their profile and you will see all the tweets created by profiles you are following. You can even have your tweets appear on your website for the public to see. Thus, Twitter is like a giant news feed, and a great way to stay informed and spread information on a variety of topics.

Internal communication structures are also beginning to include Web 2.0. For example, take a look at Facebook. A web developer for The Ohio State University and I have been involved in projects to develop Facebook applications to support communication between the university and staff. Instead of destroying productivity, Facebook is making the workplace feel more welcoming by allowing staff to stay connected to what is happing on campus and with their co-workers. Another feature of Facebook that supports internal communication is a group page application in which you can send messages to everyone involved in the group. This has allowed me to conduct more than one asynchronous meeting through Facebook. It is quick, easy, and everyone checks Facebook frequently, as it is quickly becoming the center of being connected.

My favorite feature of Web 2.0 is its potential for networking. Although I have done networking through Facebook and Twitter, I think LinkedIn is the best tool for networking. In fact, LinkedIn was created explicitly for business professionals to network. It has search tools to help you find people in certain industries, specific companies, or with particular skills. LinkedIn will also tell you if you know someone who knows a particular person. This can help you get introduced and have a better basis to begin a conversation. Further, you can view company profiles and see where particular people fit into the structure of the company.

These are just a few of the possible applications for Web 2.0 in the business arena. There are many sites that I did not discuss; the above are a few of the more common and powerful. The point is, we should not write off new and rising sites like Facebook and Twitter as just another time waster. They are tools, and the unique thing about these tools is that they adapt, evolve, and can be applied in new and creative ways. So now why don't you friend me on Facebook, connect to me on LinkedIn, follow my Tweets on Twitter, and read my blog. After all, the names are not that silly.

Brian Boyer is co-founder and Director of Business Operations of Web Pyro. Brian has held numerous positions in industry over the years. He got his start as a web developer for The Ohio State University. He soon caught the attention of local leaders and served as Webmaster for State Senator Ron Amstutz and State Representative Jim Carmichael. Brian then founded his first company, Rostra Political Web Design LLC, which focused on web development for political campaigns. This led him to the exciting experience of running the Facebook component for Kirk Schuring's bid for the U.S. House of Representatives. Brian sold Rostra's assets to Web Pyro upon Web Pyro's founding. He has also served as an independent contractor in software development. Contact him at email bboyer@webpyro.com. under the titles Business Analyst and Database Consultant.

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