In the headline of a March 27 NYtimes.com article, technology columnist David Pogue poses the question: "Are You Taking Advantage of Web 2.0?" As public relations and marketing consultants, this question has become the starting point for many of our discussions with clients and prospects.

Regardless of the industry, Web 2.0 - the new online world of mass collaboration and consumer-generated content that is replacing static, Web 1.0 sites - is redefining public relations, marketing, communications and branding.

Never before have organizations had such unfiltered access to the opinions and perceptions of their audiences (i.e. employees, customers, prospects, competitors, media, etc.). Plus, through the use of blogs, podcasts, videos, forums, social networks and other Web 2.0 tools, companies have the ability to connect with their audiences in a more authentic, human voice. 

According to Pogue, ". . . We all know, intellectually, that no matter what image a corporation tries to project, it's made up of ordinary people with personalities, insecurities and lives. But because the marketing and P.R. teams work so hard to scrub, control and package a company's image, the public ordinarily sees none of that human side."

"When a company embraces the possibilities of Web 2.0, though, it makes contact with its public in a more casual, less sanitized way that, as a result, is accepted with much less cynicism. Web 2.0 offers a direct, more trusted line of communications than anything that came before it."

It's OK if your organization has yet to explore the possibilities of Web 2.0, but with every day that passes, innovative competitors are tapping into the power of social media and widening the gap. So act now, and discover how your organization can take advantage of Web 2.0.

Getting Started in Web 2.0 

Here are three easy steps to dip your toes into the Web 2.0 waters:

1. Conduct social media searches of blogs, forums and social networks relevant to your company. Google and Technorati are both excellent resources.


2. Monitor news, trends, blogs and forums through RSS feeds & Google News Alerts. You'll want to set up an RSS Feed Reader such as Netvibes, Bloglines or even iGoogle.


3. Become a part of the community.
   
   • Read and comment on blogs and forums.
   • Launch a blog.
   • Join a variety of social networks.
   • Use social bookmarking sites such as Digg, Del.icio.us & StumbleUpon.