What is Web2.0 & What Does It Mean to Your Organization?

Web 2.0 carries a vast potential to transform social change organizations and galvanize supporters into meaningful actions. But to enable that potential, organizations need to commit to a shift in values and culture that can as big as the their work on the ground.

Kris Krug of Raincity Studios and Beca Econoupoulos of Greanpeace provided some key tips for organizations during the 2008 STT.

Kris Krug & Beca Econoupoulos: What is Web2.0 & What Does It Mean to Your Organization?

Rather than a technological flavour of the day, Web 2.0 embodies a new “Open Everything” ideology for doing business. The world is already sharing: from the obsolescence of the copyright to open source software, citizen journalism to unconferences, individual participation in obscure corners of the Internet is creating an overarching “consciousness” of information and artistry.

Web 2.0 gives organizations the opportunity to communicate directly with many people in numerous ways. There are supporters able and eager to do more than write a cheque. These tools can help you to:

• Have members produce meaningful collaborative content • Incentive “super active” members with giveaways, contests, points, parties etc.
• Get members out to events and provide supporting coverage and outreach.
• Increase brand-recognition and loyalty.
• Establish peer-to-peer fundraising communities.
• Generate online word-of-mouth advertising through social networking sites and re-blogging.
• Identify and cultivate new leaders.
• Better track performance metrics through online activity.

To tap the potential of Web 2.0, let go of top-down control of information:

• Layer your cause and campaigns with like-minded others who are working already (e.g. through Facebook). Build on existing platforms rather than trying to recreate them yourself.
• Make a space for others to create “stuff” relating to your organization.
• Instead of your hard drive, keep information online, untethered and free to roam between devices.