Since this is a blog for PR practitioners learning the ins and outs of new media, I thought it would be a good idea to go back to the basics and explain exactly what constitutes Web 2.0. This also is in response to a request from my friends at the City of Virginia Beach.

There are many different terms for the concept of Web 2.0: social media, new media, the new Web, on and on. Whatever we call it, Web 2.0 can be narrowed down to five basic characteristics. This is my simplification of O’Reilly’s definition combined with several other definitions referenced in my capstone project. A Web 2.0 service embodies the following:

RSS
The backbone of Web 2.0 is RSS (Really Simple Syndication), which enables users to be updated automatically whenever there is a change in content. RSS feeds are sent directly to the end user whenever there is an update to a Web site, blog, podcast, widget, etc. I find many practitioners are confused about this aspect of Web 2.0. For example, RSS technology is the essential difference between a blog and a regular Web site. Just because you post a daily entry to a Web page does not make it a blog. A blog is not a blog unless there is a feed readers can subscribe to. The same is true for a podcast. An mp3 file offered on a Web site is not a podcast, even if you can play it on your portable device. There must be an RSS feed for it to be considered a podcast.

Collaboration
Community is key to Web 2.0. Web 2.0 services are designed to harness the value of collaboration among users. Consider Wikipedia as the perfect example of crowdsourcing, or what Tapscott and Williams call “wikinomics.” Wikipedia has only a handful of employees. Without the collaborative effort of its users, Wikipedia would not be a comprehensive, up-to-date source for information. This collaboration is seen in all types of Web 2.0 applications, but especially in wikis, tagging and mashups. Collaboration also comes into play with blogs and podcasts when users are encouraged to leave comments and participate in the discussion.

Open platform
Without getting technical (because I am not that geeky), Web 2.0 services are designed in a way that content can be shared and used in a variety of formats. There is a shift in how developers control content and information. Because collaboration is valued, Web services are designed in a way that others can improve the service with additional coding and data. Twitter offers a great example. There are hundreds of tools developed for use with Twitter that are user generated. Another example is Google Maps, which can be found on many Web sites mashed up with other databases.

Online social networks
Again, it’s all about community. Online social networks are online meeting places where users interact, create, post and share content. Social networks have two distinct purposes: they can connect people online who already have an offline affiliation or they can connect strangers
who find each other online through similar interests. The latter is what makes Web 2.0 different than other forms of mass media.

Multiple devices
Web 2.0 is not limited to computers and laptops. Web 2.0 services must be formated to work on a variety of devices, including TVs, mobile phones, ipods and other portable media players and wireless devices. Users want the freedom to chose how, when and through what device they will access a Web 2.0 service.