Web 2.0 is the technology and culture of web-based services such as weblogs, social networking sites, and news feeds that promote collaboration and sharing of information on the internet.

Often called “the read/write web“, Web 2.0 is the shift from a passive relationship— where publishers make HTML pages and users browse them— to one where everyone can publish and everyone can consume stuff on the internet.

This shift is touching everything

• News publishers such as the Washington Post encourage readers to submit links to their news articles at leading social bookmarking sites such as Digg and Facebook in order to expand the reach of their content and deepen relationships with readers
• Marketers such as Columbia Pictures create Myspace pages to promote movie soundtracks that mimic the look & feel of their official corporate sites. This way they can connect with fans and allow them to hear samples before buying right where they’re already hanging out
• New companies like Twitter allow a normal web user to publish real-time accounts of Cricket games for anyone to read

This site has a simple mission: to define Web 2.0 technology in plain terms and describe why they’re important to business. Contact us if you’re interested in putting these technologies to work for your business.

If you have some time, see this video for a plain-language explanation of the impact of Web 2.0

Here’s a great 4-1/2 minute video created by an Anthropology professor that gives you a great start on understanding the promise of Web 2.0.