moderndaypeasants.com

Watch Out for Web 2.0

I’m guessing a lot of you have seen the term Web 2.0 here and there when you’re surfing the Internet. Keep your eyes open because I’ve got a crazy feeling this is going to be huge. I’ve been putting off learning much about it simply because I’m human. I sometimes get overwhelmed by all the information.

Wilkepedia describes the term Web 2.0 as being commonly associated with web applications which facilitate interactive information sharing, interoperability, user-centered design and collaboration on the World Wide Web.

Basically it’s social media. Web 2.0 allows the users to interact with other users or to change website content. The Internet has become so widely used by bloggers and other enthusiasts that surfers have really become massively interested in participating.

The bottom line is that surfers are really digging being able to interact with the site owner as well as the other members on the site! You want to talk about building a website for music fans? This is it if I’ve ever seen it! I could also see this as being awesome for somebody interested in starting their own social networking site such as Facebook and Twitter or something of that nature.

Guess who just recently saw this firestorm coming? No it wasn’t me…..bummer! It was Ken Envoy and his extremely ever popular visionary crew over at SiteBuildIt. I can not put into words how much I have learned from this company.

I know I talk about him a lot on this blog but that’s only because of the amount of experience and forethought this man and his people have. They never cease to amaze me!

I don’t currently own a SiteBuildIt site but that’s only because I am the type of person that has to finish one job before I start another. I feel like I have to devote all my time to this site until I am satisfied with what I have accomplished here. I know it may be silly but that’s just me. Anyway you can bet your rear end that when I do feel a complete sense of accomplishment with Modern Day Peasants that I will be building a new site with SiteBuildIt 2.0.

Ken is so on top of this kind of stuff. Even if you’re not ready for Web 2.0 yet you can still sample some of the SiteBuildIt modules here for free.

Best Wishes

Social Media for Brand Networking

Are you using social media for brand networking? If not then maybe it’s something you should seriously consider. I am guilty myself of not taking it seriously until recently. Social media platforms such as Twitter, Digg, MySpace, Facebook, Delicious and a few others can have a huge impact on the marketing of your business. All of the above sites have millions of dedicated users who may be interested in what your site has to offer. The key is learning how to properly use these tools to your advantage.

Let’s take Twitter for example. Twitter is what I would call a micro blogging platform that allows it’s users to send short instant messages known as tweets. The message can not be more than 140 characters at length. When I first learned how long the message could be I thought, well that seems kind of useless, why bother? I couldn’t understand what all the fuss was about. I guess it never dawned on me that in that 140 character message you could send a link to a website or a blog or possibly even an advertisers link that you can make money with. Twitter is an excellent social media source to help your business build it’s brand. Just keep in mind that you can’t sign in and instantly start selling to your followers. Like any other business you have to build solid relationships and trust before you begin to try and sell them anything. You can follow Modern Day Peasants on Twitter here.

Other social media outlets like Facebook, MySpace, Digg, Stumble Upon and Delicious should not be overlooked as well. You should know that these sites have outstanding Google PageRank. Just by signing up and entering your site you are building a high PageRank backlink. In addition, if some of your readers Digg your blog articles or maybe give them a thumbs up on Stumble it could feasibly send your website or blog traffic into a whole new stratosphere. Generally speaking a new website start-up is not going to have the PageRank Power to get to the first page of Google, Bing, Yahoo and Aol. The above social media sites do have that kind of power. Use them to your advantage!

I am still learning new ideas about the world of social media and I am no longer naive enough to think that they won’t help. Build your website or business by networking in as many ways that will help you to be noticed. If necessary build your followers one at a time. Be helpful, be friendly and be genuine and in the end the world will know who you are.

Best Wishes!

Revolutionary New Tool Will Eliminate Business Cards

by: Dan Waggoner

A blogging friend of mine recently sent me some information on a revolutionary new tool called the MingleStick which will most certainly eliminate the business cards that we all have used for years. Some of my social and business minded friends out there are going to go ape over this one and you all know who you are. The MingleStick is a small inexpensive ($19.95) electronic keychain device that allows people to exchange identity information with the click of a button. I’m sure it will be heavily used by business professionals, college students, organizers and such because it’s supported by both Windows and Mac and will hold up to 500 mingles.

The MingleStick exchanges only ID #s but when you log into your account you get all the information the other user has programmed into his or her accounts public profile such as:

• Name
• Photo
• Email Address
• Business Address
• Home Address
• Cell Phone #
• Business Phone #
• Home Phone #
• Social Networking Profiles such as Twitter, Facebook, MySpace and LinkedIn

All this can be exchanged with the simple press of a button. Below you can see two people connecting their MingleSticks.

Basically, two users point their MingSticks at each other and press the button. When the red flashing light turns solid green it means the connections has been made. It happens within a split second. Then later on when you’re ready you plug your MingleStick into your USB port on your computer where it connects to the MingleStick website and uploads the information. You just login with a secure username and password.

I’m very excited about this product because of what it means to the business and social networking world as we know it. I personally can’t ever find somebody’s business card when I need it anyway so this is a real winner for me. In my opinion it is definitely a revolutionary tool and it will without a doubt eliminate the hassle of purchasing, carrying and exchanging business cards.

Check it out and see what you think!

Best Wishes