It has become abundantly clear over the last week that business needs to get proactive in understanding human engagement on the Internet.
It is too late to simply respond to criticism or appraisal. There is a massive need to take the initiative in creating your online presence. I specifically haven’t used the word control because that would contradict the nature of web 2.0 and the future of the Internet in web 3.0.
There is much that business can do to take the initiative and encourage and create a positive online experience for their customers. The shift in the way we build reputations and brands online has meant that our customers now build our reputation and brand for us. The power of word of mouth on the internet has put the power in the consumers hand/mobile/tablet.
Business needs to find ways to meet their consumers online in a very real and personal way. This will mean a fundamental change in the way our organizations are run, our marketing plans are structured, our products are developed and our departments are structured.
This is a part of business that I hope to guide people through by educating staff of the values of the internet, activating campaigns to learn and challenge how value is reinforced online and researching human interaction on the internet.
Although the information above is not all that new, I believe that the need to evolve business and marketing strategy online is paramount because we are running out of time.
As Web 3.0, semantic web and augmented reality makes it’s swift appearance on the internet those who do not have a good understanding of Web 2.0 and the new way of consumer engagement will be left behind in a technology curve that will be too difficult to hurdle.
The importance is on understanding rather than doing right now. Those that do implement the cultural shifts into the organisations will benefit from the wide variety of business and personal tools that the future of the internet will offer.
