How to manage a web 2.0 strategy.

The FT has come up with a timewise improbable yet useful article about how to actually manage a Web 2.0 strategy. "Hey, whatever happened to Web 3.0?!"

According to the article, you can expect 3 main advantages when you are fully up to speed. You will:

• Engage with customers more directly and better understand clients, capturing community knowledge in order to meet your client’s expectations,
• Improve operational efficiency and team communication and collaboration,
• Create a strategic differentiator in your business strategy (for example, simplify information to and from your users).

I would personally add that a Web 2.0. approach, if implemented right, can really empower the key stakholders in your organisation and shift your marketing mindset to a more pro-active attitude. This is key to win on your competitors, who are doing the same.

The article also mentions the following 5 conditions for a successful Web 2.0 implementation:

1. Integrate Web 2.0 from the bottom-up, from the needs and wants of your users,
2. Take your company’s culture into account,
3. Transparancy = key
4. Deploy a flexible, secure IT infrastructure to support it,
5. Follow open standards and technologies and use open source software.

Good to keep in mind when you're ready to take the step.