Online marketing research firm Zoomerang just released a fairly extensive study that showed how early we still are in the Web 2.0 craze, trying to separate the buzz from the benefits. The article is published on Click Z's site and is well worth the short read.
The results track what I've also been seeing in my work. A majority of senior marketing managers have never heard of the term "Web 2.0" nor are they employing tactics involved with these strategies, however those that do are seeing some very interesting tangible results. Typical 2.0 tactics include corproate or employee blogs, social networking, video and photo sharing, podcasting, and online communities. And the biggest barrier to further adoption is loss of control of their message.
The survey cut through the hype to show that, lo and behold, strategy (why are we doing this? What business benefits will it bring?) needs to drive tactics or new techniques won't be supported or sustainable in the long run. So while current "flavour of the month" technologies will likely go out of style, the larger trend driving this movement is solid, and I believe will soon change everyone's lives. What we are seeting is a siesmic shift in what consumers (and donors) expect organizations today to deliver, and how organizations can and should evolve to keep up with these demands.
From the report: "Web 2.0 is technology enabling some very basic and enduring needs - to create, share, and connect. So we should expect this to be the new reality, not a passing trend. It's hard to inagine consumers suddenly deciding "we'd like to be passive recipients (of your messages) again."
Well put, and, I say, cheers to that! The age of boring, boiler-plate, uni-directional websites with only old or press-release approved content can and should come to an end. Web 2.0 tactics have a chance to bring major benefits to organizations - deeper engaegment and loyalty, more traffic and leads, harvesting new ideas and hearing early about potential problems - so I think the upsides definitely outweigh the potential loss of control risks.
People expect authenticity, engagment, and true participation from today's organizations, especailly those working to make the world better. And when you really think about it, who among us couldn't use some extra help from those whom our work really touches? I think these touchpoints are actually where the real magic of evolution and social change happens. Scary, yes, but opening ourselves and our messages up and really listening to what people have to say is a trend I'm excited to help facilitate.