I think it is fairly safe to say that a lot of applications on the web would serve the goal much better if they were not using all the way fancy web 2 interfaces. In most cases the target audience is not on the web to drag and drop.

I think there’s too much fuss about Web 2 that leaves a whole spectre of important things aside.

If I read correctly, his big point was not to forget what all these shiny objects we get distracted by are supposed to do - or not.

That is sell something. Communicate your message. Use the tools that come along but don’t get caught up in the hype to the point that you are putting videos on YouTube just for the traffic without a plan to sell that traffic something.

(Unless you are actually trying to win a popularity contest, which most video uploaders on YT aren’t even doing either. They are just playing with shiny objects!)

Whatever people are calling it, the suite of new communication tools is being used to market and reach consumers in a new way.

But if we get caught up in the how, we lose track of the why.

You hit it on the head! Technology will always be there for us to burn up money! Your post is hilarious and I agree, forget about web 2.0 garbage.

Chris
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Anyway - check it out. I included some nice words about you since you bought me some beer in Oz:

I know I’m supposed to be sending Holiday greetings right
now like all the other guys but I think this will help you more:

YOU NEED TO BE VERY CAREFUL. YOUR MONEY IS AT RISK.

Here’s what I mean.

I’m sure you’ve gotten a few dozen emails about WEB 2.0
and how you’d better “be ready” for it or whatever.

Great.

Now you need to hear this so pay close attention.

Are you ready?

THE PHRASE “WEB 2.0″ WAS MOST LIKELY INVENTED BY SOME
DUDE LIKE ME …IN AN ATTEMPT TO GET YOU TO BUY SOMETHING.

…And it was a job well done. I’ll give ‘em that.

Anyway, here’s the real story.

“Web 2.0″ is pretty much a bunch of marketing hype right now.

Sure, there’s some validity to a LITTLE bit of the hype …but it’s
mostly fluff.

Yeah, I know YouTube sold for a billion dollars … but who cares?

What are we supposed to do about it? Dump a ton of money
into some new “Social Networking Site” like everyone else
is doing?

Listen. I want to make your life easier right now and save you some
money in the process:

WE ARE IN THE BUSINESS OF SELLING STUFF. PERIOD.

That’s how money is made. When people BUY STUFF.

That’s how it’s always been made and that’s how it always
WILL be made.

Oh - and if it pisses you off to hear me go against the grain
like this, you should see the reaction I got out of my CPA.

I’m leaving a ton of money on the table right now by not
endorsing some “Web 2.0 Secrets” system …but the fact is,
I’d feel like an asshole if I tried to peddle that to you.

Why?

Because nobody really knows what the hell they’re
talking about.

…At least not in our circle. Not what I’ve seen anyway, and
I’m on the same lists you are.

Think about it, have any of the “Buy My Web 2.0 Stuff” guys
…like …actually DONE any of this Web 2.0 stuff they’re trying to get you
to buy?

Sure - if the dude from YouTube.com or MySpace.com came out
with a product, I’d listen.

OK - I’m rambling a little but I’m typing this on the fly.

You get my point though…

For the time being,

YOU SHOULD KEEP YOUR MONEY!

…And NOT buy any “secrets” for using Web 2.0.

…And NOT try to build some new Social Networking site.

If you want to make a ton of money, learn how to get
people to buy stuff.

It worked for me …and continues to make me huge piles
of cash like clockwork.

So much, in fact, that I received over $40,000.00 in the mail
the other day …THAT I’D FORGOTTEN ABOUT!

I kid you not. Nice surprise though…

HERE’S THE PART WHERE I’M SUPPOSED TO PITCH
YOU SOMETHING.

…Ain’t gonna happen. Not today. Got nothin’ to pitch.

I just wanted to let you know about my opinion on the whole
Web 2.0 thing …and hopefully insulate you from the hype
that surrounds it.

And now that I’ve blasted just about everyone who’s ever used to
term “Web 2.0″ in a marketing piece, let me now tell you who you
SHOULD listen to:

1. Brad Fallon and Andy Jenkins. These guys have actually DONE
“Web 2.0″ stuff and they make a ton of money from it …in a market
that’s NOT marketing. Several markets, actually.

They don’t have anything for sale at the moment but you can get some
killer free stuff from them here:

http://www.stomperblog.com

(Check out the videos at the top of the page and on the left.)

2. John Carlton. Remember when I told you that the real key to getting
rich was learning how to get people to buy stuff? Well, Carlton’s the
the king of just that. He taught me and …well, I got sorta rich. Twice.

(If I didn’t blow so much money on cars and beach houses, I wouldn’t
have to use the word “sorta” …but that’s more of a money management
problem than a money-getting problem.)

…And if you DO decide to one day build you one of them big fancy
“Web 2.0″ sites and you end up getting a gazillion people to come to
it, well …you’d probably make more money if you knew how to sell
‘em stuff.

Tons of great free stuff by John Carlton here:
http://www.john-carlton.com/

3. Ed Dale. Ed Dale actually lives in the Big Fancy Internet Business World.
He’s started and sold websites for millions on several occasions …and his first
company (which he sold for three million) was pretty much 100% Web 2.0
…but this was before anyone thought to come up with that term.

Also, Ed consults with HUGE companies. And by huge, I mean, you know
…REALLY FREAKIN’ HUGE.

As in “you see their ads on TV every five minutes” types of companies.

And, well, one of these companies is one of the ones you see on the news
all the time.

(Ed’s all weird about letting people know who he consults for and that’s
why I’m being sort of cagey about it.)

Anyway - free stuff from Ed is here:
http://www.TubbyNerd.com

4. John Reese. John has been on the cutting edge since he was an evil
little computer hacker in the 8th grade.

(Bet you didn’t know that about John did you? I have other dirt on him too,
but I’ll save that for a later date.)

Anyway - the entire internet marketing community is routinely being shaped
and influenced by John Reese.

The guy’s accomplishements are too many to name, and you already know
what a bad ass he is so I won’t go into it.

One thing you might not know yet is he’s got a really cool new site
with tons of free stuff on it (and more to come).

It’s at http://www.Income.com

If you talk to him, please be sure to make fun of the movie you see on that
site.

Okay - that just about wraps it up. I usually like to send out some cool content
for everyone this time of year, but I’ve been working like hell lately and I haven’t
had time to make anything new.

HOWEVER …

If you just go to the sites I gave you and soak up all their free know-how,
it’ll be about the same as me sending you a Big Expensive Marketing Course
in the mail.

Seriously.

Talk soon,
Frank

P.S. I know I probably forgot to mention someone in that list above. It happens.

P.P.S. I’ve worked something out where you can learn Niche Marketing, Copywriting, Email Marketing, and Launch Strategy from me for FREE.

I’m serious. I’ll give you more details later. The heat isn’t on in my office and I’m freezing my ass off. So I gotta go.

I am interesting in listening

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

thought there are secors who buy new stuff for competitive reasons. a good chunk of people buy stuff they had use for .. would the ipod have been as big 5 years agos when it could have only held a tenth the number of songs and had batterry life for a few hours . probably not.

what the web has done on a basic level .. is shift society from a bland mass market stage .. to a hot niche culture . The more popular something is the less likely it is to make a pofit for long. because on a basic level we are all similarly entertained by stupid crap we wouldn’t pay much money to see or take part in. But we are a lot more tribal when it comes to stuff we will pay lots of money for.