Web 2.0: Squidoo

As we go into the fourth week of our in-depth look of Web 2.0, it is easy to see how instrumental the new era of the Internet is to individuals and businesses alike. How the Internet is viewed and used is transforming before our very eyes. It is exciting to be part of the transformation and be part of something so revolutionary.

One site that encapsulates all that Web 2.0 is and how it is defined is Squidoo.com. It is the latest site by Internet Marketing guru Seth Godin and it is revolutionizing the way people search or “poke” the net. In today’s newsletter, we’ll explore who Seth Godin is and why you should care, what squidoo is, and how all of this will benefit you individually or as a business.

Who is Seth Godin and Why Should I Care?

If anyone could be referred to as the “Father of Modern Marketing Practices,” it is Seth Godin. He founded one of the first online marketing companies, Yoyodyne, in 1995. By the time he sold the company to Yahoo! in 1998, it had become the #1 creator of direct mail and promotions on the Web. Companies as diverse as AT&T and Skechers Shoes retained Yoyodyne to create campaigns that went far beyond websites. As a part of the sale to Yahoo!, Godin became Vice-President of Permission Marketing. Since resigning from Yahoo! in 2000, Godin has written countless books, blogs, and columns on marketing.

Godin has changed the way marketing is done in this new age. According to Wikipedia, his new theory on marketing centers around three aspects. First, the end of the TV-Industrial complex means that marketers no longer have the power to command the attention of anyone they choose, whenever they choose. Second, in a marketplace in which consumers have more power, marketers must show more respect. Finally, Godin asserts that the only way to spread the word about an idea is for that idea to earn the buzz by being remarkable.

This brings me to his latest venture, and the main reason you should care about who Godin is. Godin is the writer of the free ebook, Everyone’s An Expert (About Something), that launched the site Squidoo.com. Squidoo is a site guaranteed to change how you surf the web, as well as how you do business.

What is Squidoo.com?

Squidoo was founded by Godin on the premise that you don’t go to Google to search or find something, but rather to understand or find meaning. He feels that people do not want a quick right answer, but instead the type of dialog or information you would only find through word-of-mouth conversations. The idea is that a computer generated search isn’t good enough. You want personal experience or an expert in the field. Thus, Squidoo was created.

Why do a search on the process of making cr

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Web 2.0: Blogs – What are they and how do they work?

This week we will dive in-depth into one of my favorite areas of Web 2.0: Blogs.

Blogs have revolutionized the business world as well as the communications of individual businesses. Blogs are becoming essential on the local and national level. They also benefit the everyday individual looking to further their career, share their personal life, network with others in the same field, or just learn more about the web community.

As the third installment of a five article series, you are well on your way to becoming an expert in Web 2.0. For the purposes of this series, Web 2.0 is defined as websites that build on community or offer a service. Web 2.0 allows for interactive viewing of the net. (Refer to the last two weeks for more information.)

To continue to move you forward as an expert in Web 2.0, we will look at what blogs are, how blogs began, and the advantages of blogs for businesses and individuals.

What Are Blogs?

According to Wikipedia, the term “blog” is a contraction of “Web log.” A blog is a website where entries are made in journal style and displayed in a reverse chronological order. Blogs often provide commentary or news on a particular subject, such as food, politics, or local news; some function as more personal online diaries. A typical blog combines text, images, and links to other blogs, web pages, and other media related to its topic. Most blogs are primarily textual, although some focus on photographs (photoblog), videos (vlog), or audio (podcasting), and are part of a wider network of social media.

How did Blogs begin?

Blogs could be found in their earliest forms when individuals began keeping online personal diaries in the 1990s. Early weblogs were simple, manually updated components of common websites. Corporations and businesses jumped on the bandwagon by creating sections such as “In the News” and “What

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What is Wiki and how does it work?

Gone are the days of door-to-door Encyclopedia salesmen. Gone are the days where parents have to save and buy individual books of an encyclopedia with the hopes of one day being able to purchase a complete set before the information becomes outdated. Our society has transformed into a place where Wikipedia, a free online encyclopedia, has become a household name. How did this happen?

Today, kids and adults alike have a wealth of research and information available at the touch of a button. This evolution is thanks to some new software, a concept known as Wiki, and its role as part of the Web 2.0 culture.

Continuing with the in-depth look of Web 2.0, this week

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