Sep 05 2008
Web 2.0 and User-Generated Content: Productive Partnership
Thanks to Web 2.0, you and me can take our issues to the Web, collaborate, argue, gossip, inform, intrigue, shock, awe, even connive. So if you have a concern I can work on, bring it online or if I have a proposal you and a friend of yours can provide a solution to, post it. And yes, maybe you and I may have one goal we share in common so it’s probably time to collaborate. That’s how user-generated content became the
flagship of Web 2.0.
User-generated content
User-generated content, sometimes referred to as UGC or CGM (Consumer Generated Media) refers to the type of content published through media such as the Internet that is made available publicly. The distinguishing characteristic of user-generated content, as its name suggests, is that it is created and produced by the users themselves.
User-generated content was first published in 2005 through media content providers and web publishers. The prevalence of this type of content emerged due to the expansion of content production using technologies that were not only becoming available but also offered convenience and affordability. This was how blogs, vlogs, podcasts, wikis, video and audio files, even files provided by mobile phone technology began appearing online.
Free for all
Web 2.0 also produced user-generated content that was unique in its distinguishing characteristic because they were open source or available through flexible licensing and free software. This allowed more people to collaborate and produce reliable, quality content and provided even more people with better access to more information.
As a result, research, news and even gossip became easier to find, for free. And yes, it did give people more reason to participate in even stronger collaborations. Talk about giving the masses the key to discovery. And it didn’t hurt that people got to test and improve their skills as well.
Starting an evolution
It’s probably safe to say that Web 2.0 and user-generated content changed many business models and even gave birth to a few new ones. It has also made possible something that was difficult to do just a few years back – eliminate geographical issues and allow people from around the world to work together nearly simultaneously and/or communicate in real time.
It has also produced social networking and media sharing sites that have since become part of our lexicon. There’s MySpace, YouTube, Flickr, Photobucket and Facebook, just to name a few. For the first time, regular people were given the power to create and produce media content to share with others. Better yet, they get access to the same type of content themselves, without spending a dime.
Business models that thrived on Web 2.0 and user-generated content have grown significantly since then. And their growth seems unstoppable. It is estimated that these businesses brought in about $1 billion in earnings in 2007 alone. This is estimated to rise to over $4 billion in the next four or five years.
And many online and offline businesses have taken note. Today, many companies are putting down some serious money on developing their own user-generated content and making use of Web 2.0 technologies. They are even spending just to get a hold of research reports related to user-generated content – who’s using it, for what purpose, which of the users working online are producing content, what businesses
have entered the industry, how can user-generated content be harnessed to tap its money-making potential, how much are companies spending for advertising on user-generated content sites, etc.
The future and user-generated content
User-generated content continues to create buzz, making transformations that were unprecedented. How else could have consumers themselves become partners and encourage participatory activities? Experts and observers believe it will continue to evolve, as more and more players enter the scene. The only challenge probably is whether or not users will find the collaboration a challenge. Other than that, Web 2.0 and user-generated content will continue its productive partnership for many years to come.
Here is where this lesson ends for today. We really hope you enjoyed this lesson too.
You will receive the next lesson in 7 days. Next week’s lesson will have the following title:
“Beyond the Mob: Web 2.0 and Crowdsourcing”
Copyright(C) 2008 by John Delavera & Reimund Lube
About the Author: Reimund Lube is a full time Internet Marketer who enjoys helping other people become a success online. I recommend that you visit WednesdayGift, SundaySurprise or WeblantisHost for further information about our services.
