stii.za.net » Blog Archive » Web 2.0 misconceptions

Web 2.0 misconceptions

Dec 13

Tresblue recently wrote an excellent article on marketing misconceptions. What tickled me most is that sales people are calling themselves marketers. Are we not doing exactly the same with Web 2.0?

You get your graphic designer and tell him: “You. Go look at some web 2.0 sites and make our site look that way! NOW!”. Then you ask your programmer: “You. Do you know AJAX?” and he reply “No.” and you reply “You are FIRED!” and you hire an AJAX specialist. You tell him “No page must reload. All forms and navigation must go through AJAX calls!” ( After a couple of months you’ll fire him again because your SEO is not working ). You add a blog to your web site.

You do almost every thing right, but does that make your site a Web 2.0 site?! You go and you preach: “We’ve got a Web 2.0 site!”. Due to the current situation out there, most people will think “Damn, so THIS is Web 2.0!”. Meanwhile you are adding to the misconception of Web 2.0!

Web 2.0 is NOT about the graphics. It is NOT about the AJAX. It is NOT even about having a blog on your company web site! Web 2.0 is a concept!

“Its not about what you can do, its about what you have to offer!”

What service do your new web site offer? How does it build an online community? Can your site visitors interact with your site? Is your information democratized?!

If you answer yes on the above questions then I would mention the phrase Web 2.0. If not, stop confusing the issue. Call a spade a spade and refer to your site as a “web site with Web 2.0 like graphics and Web 2.0 like functionality and a blog” or in short: “my web site”.

technorati tags:web2.0, marketing, sales, ajax, graphics

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12 Comments to "Web 2.0 misconceptions"

qureyoon said: On 12/13/2006 at 11:29 am
indeed ! and i was one of those misconcepted people it seems well, since i’m into the web things

this was a nice explanation

great stii
max1m said: On 12/13/2006 at 2:05 pm
web2.0 games.. and you’ve been tagged >> Mike tagged me yesterday & I’m passing on the favour
Uno de Waal said: On 12/13/2006 at 2:13 pm
I agree wholeheartedly. Just because you have a blog doesn’t mean you’re all web2.0. It has to do with community and the connections that are made between the people.
RafiQ said: On 12/13/2006 at 2:23 pm
copy/paste/trackback/post you hit the nail on the head
» Web 2.0 MisCONceptions said: On 12/13/2006 at 2:33 pm
[...] If you answer yes on the above questions then I would mention the phrase Web 2.0. If not, stop confusing the issue. Call a spade a spade and refer to your site as a “web site with Web 2.0 like graphics and Web 2.0 like functionality and a blog” or in short: “my web site”. Trackback goes to stii, nice one. Sharing is Caring:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
Mike Stopforth » links for 2006-12-14 said: On 12/14/2006 at 2:23 am
[...] stii.za.net » Blog Archive » Web 2.0 misconceptions Stii comes up with a goodie. (tags: Web2.0 design development SEO marketing) Sharing is Caring:These icons link to social bookmarking sites where readers can share and discover new web pages. [...]
Tresblue said: On 12/14/2006 at 7:19 am
Good point stii
max1m said: On 12/14/2006 at 8:01 am
thank you .. succinctly put!
warren said: On 12/14/2006 at 8:50 pm
web 2.0, i share your frustration, what completely misunderstood phrase! to me, all it is is an interesting neologism / concept / idea which acts as a starting point for discussion, whether that discussion revolves around design spec’s, functionality or web technology as a whole. any web related discussion really.

because, as soon as you try and pin it down to anything specific the whole thing becomes very slippery.

even O’Reilly, who coined the term, is always refining his understanding of the phrase
http://radar.oreilly.com/archives/2006/12/web_20_compact.html
hash said: On 12/15/2006 at 12:35 am
Gah! I posted to the wrong website at first… here are my thoughts:

Good points. However, I’d argue that the concept of Web 2.0 revolves around certain features and technologies used as well as an overall concept. It’s a perception argument, not just a features argument.

In other words, if I create a simple tool that allows open feedback for anyone, is that Web 2.0 just because it democratizes communication? No, I’d call that a message board. What are the features that differentiates a Web 2.0 message board from a Web 1.0 one?

So, I agree to you in general, but I’d also argue that it’s not just about democratization and that features do play a part in the makeup of Web 2.0.
hash said: On 12/15/2006 at 12:36 am
I agree with Warren on this, our time would be better spent on just making better sites/apps than discussing what some particular pop-terminology really means.
stii.za.net » Blog Archive » Web 2.0 Misconceptions Revisited said: On 12/15/2006 at 10:23 am
[...] The comments made on my previous post on Web 2.0 Misconceptions made me think. Specially the comments made by Hash and Warren. This point turned my head sideways, twisted my thoughts three times, clicked my (mental) heels and POOF! I was off to see the Wizard of Oz… “I agree with Warren on this, our time would be better spent on just making better sites/apps than discussing what some particular pop-terminology really means.” [...]