Making the most of current trends

The growth of the internet

A brief timeline

• “The Web” as we know it was invented by Tim Berners-Lee in 1989

• By 1996 usage of the word “Internet” had become commonplace

• During the 1990s, it was estimated that the Internet grew by 100% per year

• The Internet can now be accessed virtually anywhere by numerous means (e.g. computers, mobile phones handheld consoles)mobile phones, handheld consoles)

• Due to massive increases in digital bandwidth all manner of content can now be delivered quickly, most notably high quality video and audio

• The advances in internet technologies (e.g. AJAX, Jquery, asp.NET) make it possible to deliver complex online applications

• The industry has grown up too there are a wide range of effective techniques for analysing • The industry has grown up too – there are a wide range of effective techniques for analysing who and where your online audience are and planning how best to deliver what they need from you

• And there are all manner of buzz words to get your head around...And there are all manner of buzz words to get your head around...

Web 2.0

There’s a lot of disagreement about

what web 2.0 means but it is generally

accepted that it relates to tools that accepted that it relates to tools that

allow users to control what they want

to see and collaborate with other

usersusers

What is web 2.0

There’s a lot of disagreement about what Web 2.0 means but it is generally

accepted that it relates to online applications that:

• Allow users to control what they want to see

• Facilitate the sharing information between users

• Facilitate collaboration between users• Facilitate collaboration between users

• Make it possible for diverse systems to work together

Let’s look at some of the key phrases…

Wiki

An online interface that allows many users

edit the same piece of information

Blog (or weblog)

An interface that allows one user to publish

content (e.g. text, images, video) that other

users can view and comment onusers can view and comment on

UGC (User Generated Content)

Content created and published by users

via wikis, blogs and social networking sites

Social networking

Online environments where users can

communicated with other like-minded

users and share views interests content or users and share views, interests, content or

activities

Social bookmarking

Online tools that allow users to store,

manage, search and share with other

users links to web pagesusers links to web pages

Online PR

A strategy for managing your message and

reputation on wikis, blogs and social

networking sites that are relevant to your networking sites that are relevant to your

business

SEO (Search Engine Optimisation)

Techniques for improving where your website’s pages appear on Search Engines:

• Natural searchProgramming and content writing techniques that help your site appear higher in standard (or “natural”) SE rankshigher in standard (or natural ) SE ranks

• PPC (Pay per click)A strategy for driving traffic to your site via paid for space on SEsA strategy for driving traffic to your site via paid for space on SEs

• Robots (or spiders)Programming techniques that allow SE robots to better classify the content Programming techniques that allow SE robots to better classify the content on your site

AJAX

A group of programming techniques for

creating interactive tools that can be used

without the need to reload the web page without the need to reload the web page

they appear on

RSS feeds (Really Simple Syndication)

A technique that allows content producers

to automatically and quickly send regularly

updated content to other websites and updated content to other websites and

subscribed users

Tag cloud

An alphabetical list of links where the

importance of each link is shown with an

increase in font size or change in colourincrease in font size or change in colour

How can you make the most of all this?

Some names you will know…

Wikis, blogs and social networking

Benefits

• Talk to your audience in their environment

• Take ownership for what is said about you

• Engage in a real dialogue with your audience

Dangers

• Requires a lot of time and resource to manage

• There will be negative content about you

• Is open to abuse and misinterpretation

Verdict

• There are no half measures so only get involved if you can do it properly

Social bookmarking

Benefits

• Spread your content beyond your website

• Build relationships with reputable websites

• Your audience become your advocates

• A solid link strategy will improve SEOA solid link strategy will improve SEO

Dangers

• Little control over where links end up

VerdictVerdict

• Consider adding social bookmarking tools to your most important content

Online PR

Benefits

• Understand where you are being talked about

• Discover what is being said about you• Discover what is being said about you

• Build online relationships and partnerships

• Manage your reputation

Dangers

• Requires a lot of time and resource to manageq g

• There will be negative content about you

VerdictVerdict

• You should at least invest in understanding where you are being talked about and what is being said about you

SEO

Benefits

• Understand what your audience are looking for

• Get the right content to the audience at the right time

• Make your site is completely visible to your audience

Dangers

• Requires careful planning to get it right

• Can be costly if you get it wrong

VerdictVerdict

• Without doubt, you should have clear SEO strategy

How do you know what trends you should be following?g

The usual: THINK AND PLAN!