Socially Acceptable

Sure, it's easy to be sarcastic about how the internet has aged. While the Web holds so much potential to do amazingly powerful things in the world, and often does, most of the hoopla is about the growth of Web 2.0 and how many people are attracted to the trivial self-indulgence. Even we sometimes refer to the "Hey everyone, come see how good I look," aspect of the new Web was "MyFace."

Despite the reflex of mockery, and quite frankly, disdain, there is an incredible opportunity to use the vehicles of the internet to more accurately target your audience, and more effectively engage your participants. We say participants because the days of talking TO the consumer and delivering your message TO a passive recipient are gone.

We are in an age where what you have to say as a business has less of an effect on your brand than the general discourse in public forums. We are in a time when the massive amounts of information available and digested make it increasingly difficult to reach your target, and more importantly, remain relevant long enough to encourage action in your favor.

So in contemplating how to address an internet strategy that takes into account the power of Web 2.0, there are two important things to remember.

1. It is real, it is not a joke, and you should use it to your advantage.
2. Setting up a few social networking pages and investing a large amount of time to them alone is not the answer.

Social Networking is not a main course, it is a side dish. It should be integrated into your marketing mix with intelligence just as a direct-mail or ad campaign would be. New is rarely easy, but it is often necessary. We are here to make it easier.