Web 2.0

Here we go, I am back again. As I have promised you before, today I will talk about the topic of Web 2.0, which I am pretty sure you have heard of before. Why? Because everybody talks about it nowadays, it got into the list of social trends easily because Web 2.0 is so attractive and also efficient. Now, let’s try together to learn more about this topic.

“Web 2.0 is term that was introduced in 2004 and refers to the second generation of the World Wide Web. The term "2.0" comes from the software industry, where new versions of software programs are labeled with an incremental version number. Like software, the new generation of the Web includes new features and functionality that was not available in the past. However, Web 2.0 does not refer to a specific version of the Web, but rather a series of technological improvements.

Some examples of features considered to be part of Web 2.0 are listed below:

•     Blogs - also known as Web logs, these allow users to post thoughts and updates about their life on the Web
•     Wikis - sites like Wikipedia and others enable users from around the world to add and update online content.
•     Social networking - sites like Facebook and MySpace allow users to build and customize their own profile sand communicate with friends.
•     Web applications - a broad range of new applications make it possible for users to run programs directly in a Web browser.

Web 2.0 technologies provide a level user interaction that was not available before.“(Techterms) 

Let’s just take a look at Facebook and its great success achieved in relatively short time. People of different ages, ethnicities, religions use the website to interact between each other. They post pictures, statuses, videos etc. Don’t you have Facebook? I bet you do! The same with Wikipedia for example, people use it to provide information and also to receive information. It is amazing how easy the information flow is happening nowadays!

“Like many important concepts, Web 2.0 doesn't have a hard boundary, but rather, a gravitational core. You can visualize Web 2.0 as a set of principles and practices that tie together a veritable solar system of sites that demonstrate some or all of those principles, at a varying distance from that core.

Figure 1 shows a "meme map" of Web 2.0 that was developed at a brainstorming session during FOO Camp, a conference at O'Reilly Media. It's very much a work in progress, but shows the many ideas that radiate out from the Web 2.0 core.” (Oreilly)

This is it for today, dear readers! I don’t want to overload your brain with a lot of information for one time! But come back soon! I am always happy to use a Web 2.0 tool: my blog to reach to you and hopefully to be helpful in explaining the main concepts of New Marketing! :D

Introduction to Storytelling 2

As I have promised in my last post, I am back now with some more input on the subject of Storytelling. 
From the first day I arrived to Switzerland I went around Bern visiting the tourist places and I was lucky enough to find the Kornhaus Library. I went in and I have spent hours just deciding what book I should borrow. There were thousands and thousands of books and I asked myself how can I chose the best one for me? I started reading the back notes, the references,  maybe summaries. Some books just attracted me with the cover images, others had famous authors, and also some had a catchy summary. I gathered a pile of books and I could see the awkward sight of the librarian. 


Finally I had decided on the book, got home, had some dinner and started reading. "The Gift" by Cecilia Ahern kept me out of the real world for hours, it was dark already, my roommate sleeping. The moment I got started with the book, I couldn't stop. The pages kept moving, one after another, I was hypnotized. 


Enough about me! Let's talk about you!


"How many times have you been fascinated by a good story?Think about this for a minute, because it may be more often than you think. How many times have you stayed up late reading a novel that you "couldn't" put down, or watching a movie that you couldn't turn off? How many times have you pushed yourself harder after hearing the story of someone else's success, or changed your opinion after reading a convincing article in a magazine or newspaper?


There's no doubt that stories can change the way we think, act, and feel. Leaders, especially, can use the power of a good story to influence and motivate their teams to new heights. Stories can inspire everything from understanding to action. They can create legends that an entire workplace culture can build upon, and they have the power to break down barriers and turn a bad situation into a good one. Stories can capture our imaginations and make things real in a way that cold, hard facts can't.


Make no mistake – stories can be very, very powerful leadership tools. Great leaders know this, and many top CEOs today use stories to illustrate points and sell their ideas." (MIndtools)


Now you understand how important the storytelling is! Stories can change lives! Your story needs to be the best so that you achieve your target, you are the chosen book from the library! You have a loyal reader whom you truly fascinate! Come back here soon and I'll introduce you to the topic of Web 2.0. But in the meanwhile enjoy your morning newspaper, your magazine, your talk with your mates and all the other stories that travel around you. 

Introduction to new marketing: storytelling

Storytelling… this is a concept that I haven’t been familiar with until my New Marketing class last week. I mean I have definitely experienced it before but maybe haven’t realized the importance it actually has. Especially in marketing, where one of your main goals is to sell your product, you need to be a great storyteller in order to attract the customer. As I have heard in one of Philip Kotler’s interviews today, “nowadays you need to try to get not only to the consumer’s heart and brain, but also to his spirit”. How can you do this? How can you be convincing enough to impress the consumer’s brain, heart and spirit? And the answer is: with a proper and exciting story! 


Through the storytelling each company actually expresses its brand identity, its values and principals. It creates a certain perception in the customer’s mind about the company’s spirit. In the best case, from the story presented, the costumer finds matching values or attitudes that he shares with the certain brand and he will be more likely to become a loyal consumer of its products. 


Therefore the storytelling can actually be seen as the hook waiting for the fish. Or if that seems for you a bit too cruel see it as the cherry from the top of the cake that makes you forget about your diet and calories and lose yourself in the pleasure of the moment. This is my impression from the first glance I took at this concept. It could seem too simplistic but hey...It’s not a good sign to start a blog on a too serious note so I’m not going anywhere, keep reading this blog and I promise you will also get some classical definitions about the concept of storytelling.