How Web 2.0 and Social Networking Go Hand in Hand

It sounds like a new type of software for the computer. Web 2.0 has become the buzz word of the moment. Even as popular as the term, there are many people who want to know exactly what Web 2.0 really is. If you’re one of them, read on to find out.

The phrase was coined by a man named Tim O’Reilly at a conference. It seemed to take off and morph into a new idea for the advancement of social networking sites on the Internet. So, Web 2.0 is actually a type of platform that supports and brings more to these social networking sites.

The idea of social networking begins with the individual model. Individuals meet other individuals and form connections. This concept would be physically demonstrated by balls and sticks like the blocks we used to play with as kids. Without the sticks to connect the balls, they wouldn’t have a connection.

Web 2.0 provides the base where these interactions occur. It also defines the way in which the interactions can occur. Individuals create profiles that can stand alone and meet new people through those profiles. Other features of the platform like news feeds, multimedia content, blogs, instant messages, social groups, audio and video, and message boards are also a huge part of Web 2.0. In this way, the connection of one individual grows and develops into an entire network of others.

There are several social networking sites that use Web 2.0 as their basis. Including some you may have heard of:

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Wikipedia
• MySpace
• WordPress
• Blogger
• Flickr

There are many more, but you get the idea from the partial list. If you belong to any of these social networking sites, you have sampled a Web 2.0 platform. Each site utilizes user-generated content that is ranked by the search engines. Good content is found and the content producer gains a following that can be used to gain popularity on the web or increased visibility for a business.

Web 2.0 platforms are used by businesses, universities, and families. It is a way to keep in touch with easy to use and manageable applications. One useful application is the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed which automatically updates subscribers when changes occur to your page. This is specific application is frequently used on blogs and news sites to save readers time. They no longer have to check their favorite websites daily for updates. Instead they receive a notice via email or in their feed reader when something new has been posted.

Companies can use Web 2.0 technology through Google Groups and Yahoo Groups. Employees can sign up and become a part of groups to receive important information about company projects or social agendas. Anyone can form a group on Google or Yahoo for business or social reasons.

Web 2.0 provides several tools for the business user and the purely personal social networker. Driving traffic to a blog, website, or other piece of information has never been more convenient than with the rise of Web 2.0 and social networking sites.

Photo Editing Using Picnik.com

Photo editing is necessary for creating flyers, listing presentations, uploading to MLS, online advertising, postcards, sending files to  mortgage reps, and more.

If you’re worried about deadlines and showings you don’t have time to learn a sophisticated photo editing program. Picnik.com, headquartered in Seattle, created a web-based photo editing solution ideal for real estate professionals.

 

• Free! No registration required.
• Fix your photos in just one click
• Use advanced controls to fine-tune your results
• Crop, resize, and rotate in real-time
• Tons of special effects, from artsy to fun
• Astoundingly fast, right in your browser
• Awesome fonts and top-quality type tool
• Basketfuls of shapes from hand-picked designers
• Works on Mac, Windows, and Linux
• No download required, nothing to install

Picnik allows you to import pictures from your favorite online photo site.

What can I do with Picnik?
Pretty much everything! We’ve got amazing Edit tools that can fix just about anything that could possibly go wrong with a photograph. Lacking photo-editing prowess? A bunch of our editing tools are one-click fixes, including auto- fix, exposure, colors, and red-eye. And the others, like rotate, crop, resize, and sharpening, can be controlled with easy-to-use sliders.

Move over to the Create tab and you’ll see our custom-made Effects (most of which have the ability to be painted into just the areas of your image where you want them), an awesome text tool with dozens of fonts, dozens of shapes, including seasonal shapes for holidays and events, and some super customizable frames. Not to mention the touch up tools and new Advanced Editing tools.

What is Facebook All About?

We hear about people creating Facebook pages and that someone found someone else on Facebook. But what exactly is Facebook all about and does it have any benefits for us? Read on to find out about Facebook and if it indeed does something more than enhance your social life.

Facebook is one of the top ten Web 2.0 applications and social networking sites in the world. Started as a social experiment, Facebook was originally designed as a way for friends to keep in touch and create interesting profiles and pages for others to look at.

Many kids and college students latched on to Facebook. Members can upload pictures, leave messages on the profiles of others, and search for friends who have profiles. The problem with Facebook was the type of information people were uploading. College students uploading inappropriate videos at wild parties and such have caught on virally. This spoke to the poor judgment of the students as those videos would still be around when they grew out of the drinking phase and realized that it was no longer the “cool” thing to do.

Facebook is not just for the young teenagers and college students however. It is also a networking tool for business owners. It’s a great way to connect with other business owners and targeted potential customers. A plus for new businesses is that becoming a Facebook member is free. Every registered member gets a home page where they can then create a profile and add applications to their page for friends and other trusted users they designate to use.

Entrepreneurs can use their Facebook profile to tell others all about themselves. Many times, businesses never really have a chance for potential clients to learn more about the person or people who run the business. More focus is put on advertising, growing the business and promoting its products or services. With a social networking page on social sites like Facebook, customers and other business associates get a chance to find out about the person behind the business.

Anyone can join or create a group on Facebook. These groups bring together like minded people according to business, personal, or other social factors. Groups talk to one another; share business tips and create a useful connection in many different ways.

Businesses use Facebook pages to showcase products or give customers a place to ask questions and record comments about the products they have used. They can talk to each other and compare notes. Big businesses with famous brand names use Facebook to gain insights into consumer trends.

Facebook can be useful for communities trying to create a closer knit group of families. Homeschooling parents can create a network of support for each other and their kids. Facebook has a variety of uses both for business and personal reasons. So, now that you know more concerning Facebook, what will your page be about?

What is Social Networking?

Social networking is no longer a buzz word, but an Internet phenomenon. It represents a way for people to interact without traveling half way around the globe or even leaving their home’s comfort. Read on to find out exactly what social networking is and its potential to enhance your life.

Think of it like this. We all have at least one friend. To keep in touch with that friend we call, write, and meet face to face. Through our jobs we meet other friends. The more interactions we have with people, the more chances we have of meeting more folks.

Social networking sites provide the platform for getting to know more “friends.” It is like our job or school or church. They supply the venue and we mingle to find people who have similar interests. Someone had the bright idea to package this not unfamiliar social concept into a cyberspace platform. Now, people can meet others they already know but have lost contact with and new people.

Social networking took off among the younger generation first. They found a way to talk to their friends when they weren’t within sight of each other. For guys, it meant meeting girls in a non-threatening social situation. For girls, the feeling was mutual.

But, social networking is not just for the teeny boppers. Adults enjoy social networking as well. The first social networking sites we all heard about were Facebook and MySpace. This was mostly due to controversy surrounding what some Generation X kids were posting, but it made parents aware of the social networking craze.

Adults use social networking for a number of reasons. First, it is personal. We reconnect with busy friends and family. If you can’t reach Aunt Charlotte because she’s always off around the world on one adventure or another, post new pictures of the kids on your MySpace page. She can view them when she comes down from Mount Everest.

Social networking gurus discovered that while finding old friends, business owners could form valuable alliances through their associations on social networking websites. Now, social networking has become valuable to anyone wanting to develop a website presence for their business. Social networking for business is akin to going door to door and telling people about your product. Create a compelling business profile and draw in the people you know by joining social groups with similar interests.

Social networking has a place in the life of both young and old alike. Use it to meet new people, make business contacts, stay in touch with family, or just to beef up your Internet presence. The wave of the future is social networking. Don’t you want to join?

How Web 2.0 and Social Networking Go Hand in Hand

It sounds like a new type of software for the computer. Web 2.0 has become the buzz word of the moment. Even as popular as the term, there are many people who want to know exactly what Web 2.0 really is. If you’re one of them, read on to find out.

The phrase was coined by a man named Tim O’Reilly at a conference. It seemed to take off and morph into a new idea for the advancement of social networking sites on the Internet. So, Web 2.0 is actually a type of platform that supports and brings more to these social networking sites.

The idea of social networking begins with the individual model. Individuals meet other individuals and form connections. This concept would be physically demonstrated by balls and sticks like the blocks we used to play with as kids. Without the sticks to connect the balls, they wouldn’t have a connection.

Web 2.0 provides the base where these interactions occur. It also defines the way in which the interactions can occur. Individuals create profiles that can stand alone and meet new people through those profiles. Other features of the platform like news feeds, multimedia content, blogs, instant messages, social groups, audio and video, and message boards are also a huge part of Web 2.0. In this way, the connection of one individual grows and develops into an entire network of others.

There are several social networking sites that use Web 2.0 as their basis. Including some you may have heard of:

• Facebook
• YouTube
• Twitter
• LinkedIn
• Wikipedia
• MySpace
• WordPress
• Blogger
• Flickr

There are many more, but you get the idea from the partial list. If you belong to any of these social networking sites, you have sampled a Web 2.0 platform. Each site utilizes user-generated content that is ranked by the search engines. Good content is found and the content producer gains a following that can be used to gain popularity on the web or increased visibility for a business.

Web 2.0 platforms are used by businesses, universities, and families. It is a way to keep in touch with easy to use and manageable applications. One useful application is the RSS (Really Simple Syndication) feed which automatically updates subscribers when changes occur to your page. This is specific application is frequently used on blogs and news sites to save readers time. They no longer have to check their favorite websites daily for updates. Instead they receive a notice via email or in their feed reader when something new has been posted.

Companies can use Web 2.0 technology through Google Groups and Yahoo Groups. Employees can sign up and become a part of groups to receive important information about company projects or social agendas. Anyone can form a group on Google or Yahoo for business or social reasons.

Web 2.0 provides several tools for the business user and the purely personal social networker. Driving traffic to a blog, website, or other piece of information has never been more convenient than with the rise of Web 2.0 and social networking sites.