edible
Easy to digest marketing solutions for digital, print & brand identity
Business and Web 2.0 Tools
- 25/04/09 | Posted in category : Articles, Web
Over the years an explosion of Internet tools have been accommodated by both the personal and business web user and in doing so have delivered huge benefits to both. The use of Internet Banking and E-commerce being just a few tools to mention from a myriad of thousands.
However, these life and business enhancing tools were at one point subject to derision and skepticism. Fears over security and an almost ‘Luddite’ apprehension now seems alien as the very same tools are now so commonplace in today’s society, that it is indeed hard to remember how we managed without them.
Now it seems that with the business sector in particular Web 2.0 seems to be at the same Luddite cross-roads for many, who are reluctant to embrace for fear of lost employee productivity, especially through the emergence and use of social networking sites.
What started out as a tool for the lonely hearts to meet other like minded individuals, has now spawned a plethora of social networking sites which have become multi-billion dollar franchises. And for every leader such as Myspace, Facebook, YouTube, and recently, Twitter there are a multitude of copycats or niche applications of the social networking model.
Roots of Skepticism
Having spoken with a number of business owner/managers it seems that there are two prevailant issues at hand here. Firstly, some company’s see the benefit of using social networking media and view it as an extention of their normal customer/supplier facing interface. Using Facebook as the yard stick, company’s see the potential in that if they speak to their customers via email and phone in any case, then Facebook in theory is an appropriate tool. However, in practice, Facebook (et al) are frought with potential minefields and as such, it is the negative conotations that put company’s off from using them.
The second grouping is the more Luddite in characteristic of the two in which change is feared and especially change that is little understood.
Page: next