There are just as many ways to integrate Web 2.0 interaction – and therefore reap the traffic benefits – into an existing website, as there are to launch a new site with Web 2.0 elements.

Below is a quick table I’ve drafted up (in no particular order) of types of sites or applications (types/apps), brief descriptions of each (what), benefits (why), as well as measurements of success to consider after integration (measurement). Consider the measurement challenges before you integrate however as all Web 2.0 applications are not created equal.
Read the rest of this entry »

This may have been going on for a while, or just incorporated this week, but while I was scouring the web for Daytona 500 tickets on ebay today I happened to notice a few familiar icons below each auction listing.

eBay, one of the forerunners with Web 2.0 concepts, was one site that I had expected would take much longer to change. 6 years ago they were ahead of 99.9% of us, but now they’ve grown so large that making any changes takes as long as in any other corporation. 16 round table discussions, 14 tele-conferences, 795 shareholder votes (you do know I’m making these numbers up don’t you?) and before a year passes – innovation!

I saw four icons at the bottom of an auction. One was StumbleUpon. Since I was frantically bidding I didn’t stop to take a screen capture, or notice which auction, or if a set criteria caused their display.

Replicate it? Not at this hour. Perhaps it was a test. Only for email watch list updates. Or first time viewed. At any rate, expect to see those Web 2.0 icons to your auctions on a regular basis, soon.

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Update – January 28. The social marketing icons set out on ebay’s auction listings.

We’re already a week into August.

I’ve been anxiously awaiting the latest round of Google PR updates and although I know they’re recently updated, I’m not convinced PR is stable – yet.

Why?

Well none of my sites moved in their PR. Makes sense they didn’t go up because I haven’t been working much lately and certainly haven’t been striving for higher PR. What alerts me that PR update is not complete is that some of my sites and pages truly deserved to dip in PR (given that I’ve ignored them for so long). Read the rest of this entry »

Web 1.0 to 2.0 – Concept in Video

Here’s a nice 4+ minute video I found on youtube that lays the groundwork on how we got to Web 2.0 (and hopefully give you some ideas about what Web 2.0 is and what’s to come for internet surfers).

And another one… Read the rest of this entry »

Years ago I remember reading a well known guru’s words that went something like this:

“If a geek ever picked up some marketing skills we’ll all be in trouble…”

If you know who wrote that, or something similar please post a note below. I’d like to give credit for this insight where it is due.

Now you’re probably wondering why this rings so true to my ears and why I’m calling 2007 the Year of the Geek.

Let’s Talk About Geeks and Marketers

Long before Web 2.0, far back into the early days of the internet, you had to be a bit of a geek if you wanted to do anything more than send email. Web pages were generated from raw html code, people were ‘telneting’ into other’s computers and server networks, bulletin boards were clunky, and getting on (or off) someone’s mailing list required some weird majordomo commands. (Even I didn’t touch that one!)

Enter the marketers who had a vision of what people would want to see, read about and buy. Software programs to create pages easily, scripts to make email management easier, automated tools to shrink image sizes, and so on.

Marketers Innovate, Geeks Create

Marketers find out what people want. Geeks make the tools to make it a reality. Website designers are locked someplace in the middle – geeky enough to tweak existing applications to suit the ‘boss’, marketer enough to understand color and placement to appeal to various markets, but not skilled enough in either area to create applications or envision innovations. Read the rest of this entry »

Search by: marketing, Web 2.0

Sometimes I’m cautious about the content in my public posts. I don’t enjoy controversy, but I hate to see the public misled so I’m not about to shut up and play it safe.

This is one of those posts.

Web 2.0, Is it Hype?

I’ve been reading some other writers, bloggers, and marketers articles on the topic of Web 2.0. You’ve probably run across a few of these yourself. I’m talking about the writers who say Web 2.0 isn’t real, it’s all hype, just a joke to get you to spend more money on website creation software and scripts.

“Hello? Is anybody home? What part of the astral plane are you on, man?”

Web 2.0 is real, yes it exists and not only that, it’s stealing your traffic (and likely has been for quite a few months now, insidious and wretched beast!).

Tell me, in the past few years as online users has nearly doubled, if your traffic has doubled and held? No? Not on any of your websites?

Likely not and here’s why…

Web 2.0 has been slowly sneaking in the back door as the new and improved sister. It’s feature-rich and a lot more fun than the text and image sites of yesterday. As business owners we’ve probably looked upon these sites as time-wasters. It doesn’t matter really what you think of or call them – you do need to take notice of them as they are holding your traffic hostage with all their bells and whistles, groovy graphics and personality.

Web 2.0 is not hype. It’s just a new name for a new website flavor.

Web 2.0 is also not hype because the very lifeblood of internet business – traffic statistics – prove that 2.0 is stealing the show in popularity rankings.

Finally Web 2.0 is not hype because even the big offline businesses are taking note. As they do, they build sites to match their market. As a matter of fact just last month I was watching a television commercial for a hair care line and they promoted their interactive 2.0 style site at the end of the commercial. (As soon as I find it again, I’ll post it for you as an example – I just don’t watch much television so the product and matching site have now escaped me.) Read the rest of this entry »

Here we are, the third day of 2007 and “What,” I hear you asking, “has happened to The Stampede Secret?”

It’s being reloaded, rewritten, re-energized – with all the Web 2.0 Traffic techniques to keep your websites, blogs and sales pages busy with loads of targeted traffic.

Traffic that will equate to more subscribers, more sales, higher page rank in google and all the other blessings that go along with working on your online business. The same type of finely-tuned, highly targeted traffic I helped you get in 2004-2006 using RSS feeds and blogs!

You have happened upon the site during the official launch phase (January-February 2007) so it will be a few weeks until there’s lots to see, read or learn from, however I am putting my favorite Web 2.0 traffic talks, ebooks and resources behind the Recommended Resources tab above. If you’d like to go off on your own journey as soon as possible learning about 2.0 they’ll take you along a solid path of discovery! If you can wait a week, stop back in at that time.

There will be lots here for you as I’m finally ready to disclose everything I’ve learned, tested and discovered regarding Web 2.0 traffic for 2007!

More coming soon,

Laura Childs

Search by: Web 2.0 Traffic

If you’ve been trying to buy the Stampede Secret and getting frustrated about that order button not working I apologize.

As I am deep in my own training and testing on Web 2.0 I have decided to devote full attention to traffic techniques that will serve you best for 2007 and have taken the original, the updated, and the best selling ebook with tools product off the market!

If you have an interest in the new course and tools coming from the Stampede Secret, simply leave a comment on this post and I’ll be sure to let you know when it’s released. You’ll need to leave me your email address on the form, but don’t worry, it won’t be publicly posted and only I can access it!

More coming soon!

Laura Childs
Stampede Secret