Web 2.0: Think Strategically…not Tactically

LongroadThere seems to be quite a bit of discussion amongst the technology thought leaders in the blogosphere about where we’re headed next with Web 2.0. I’ve been thinking this same way for some months now and it’s pretty clear to me that we’re transitioning from the easy and tactical….to the hard and strategic.

VC Peter Rip hits the nail-on-the-head with this interesting post entitled, Web 2.0 – Over and Out that had this operative statement I thought about summed up the current situation, “Now the hard part is moving from Web-as-Digital-Printing-Press to true Web-as-Platform.  To make the Web a platform there has to a level of of content and services interoperability that really doesn’t exist today.” No kidding.

Mid-to-enterprise level companies have always been known to carefully plot strategy and investments before choosing a vendor of information technology products or services. Having been in the small-to-midsize business (SMB) space (or sold into it) in several parts of my career, the characterization of SMB — or even consumers for that matter — being ones that knee jerk and choose solutions tactically I think is absolutely flat wrong. This thinking on the part of consumers, SMB’s and the enterprise clearly extends into Web 2.0. It may not be as overt as you might think, but the decision-making process on choosing is still the same as the big, strategic enterprise plans.

[Read more...]