As buzzwords go, web 2.0 is pretty much at the top of the list these days. The ironic part about the whole web 2.0 craze is that many people can’t even agree on what web 2.0 actually is, if it even exists. Well, while we’re not going to try to give you a clear cut definition of what web 2.0 is “supposed” to be, this article will try to give you some idea of what it actually is and then dive into the question of whether web 2.0 marketing is really as great as people say it is, or if it’s just another fad that will someday go the way of the dinosaur.

The arguments of what web 2.0 are will probably go on forever, but for the purpose of this article and to keep this as simple as possible, web 2.0 is the practice of having things that are not dependent on the computer that you are on. For example. When you browse the Internet, you use a browser. That browser is installed on your PC. If anything happens to your PC or that browser, it will stop functioning and you won’t be able to use it any longer. This is software that is dependent on your PC in order to run.

Web 2.0 is the total opposite. A perfect example of a web 2.0 site is Google. Google has a number of tools that you can use, similar to browsers whereby they perform a function, such as Adwords, Analytics, and Adsense. You can be at any computer in the world and use these things. They are not dependent on any particular software being installed on your PC. That is the basic concept and premise of web 2.0, in spite of the fact that there are those who will argue that any website performs a service, and since this has been going on since the beginning of time, web 2.0 is nothing but a new buzzword for old stuff. Well, like I said, we’re not going to argue that here. Maybe another time.

What we are going to try to do is answer the question of whether web 2.0 is really great for marketing or if indeed it is just another fad that will be replaced by something else down the road.

The truth is, the users are the ones who are going to answer that question. Currently, the answer is a resounding “wow!”. Web 2.0 sites are popping up all over the place. Social bookmarking sites, which are part of the web 2.0 craze, are all over. Marketers are reporting substantial sales by using these sites. Why? Simple. People are going to them. Once the people stop going, which will happen either when they are replaced by something else or the people simply get tired of going to them, then web 2.0 will most likely become just another buzzword that died along with all the other ones that came before it.

Probably not the answer you were looking for, but it is what it is. Think of some of the most popular rock bands in the history of music. Some only lasted for a very short time. As popular as the Beatles were, they were only around for about 7 years. In the grand scheme of things, that’s not very long. The number 1 song of 1971 was by a group that had about a 4 year career, at least as far as popularity goes. Today, few young people would even know who they were.

The point is, things come and go. That’s the natural order of life. Will web 2.0 go the distance? Will it still be around 10 years from today? As quickly as the Internet changes, it’s doubtful. But until that day comes, the future popularity of web 2.0 is nothing more than speculation.

For today, web 2.0 is most definitely alive and well and taking names.

Sincerely,

Steven Wagenheim
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