Web 2.0: Rip or ROI?!

Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Hyves and other so-called Social Media tools reflect a much wider phenomenon: customers around the world are increasingly taking control over their own lives. And of course that impacts the relationship with organisations that people choose to buy their products and services from or prefer to work for, for that matter. Research by InSites that came out earlier today showed that technology companies eg Amazon, Google and HP are preferred brands to talk about for Twitterers. It also showed the typical Twitter user to be male, in his thirties and working in media, technology or marketing. Exactly the same category of people first to adopt the web some 15 years ago.

Can B2B organisations, the public sector or organisations serving a non-male audience above 40 therefore shy away from Social Media? No. I’m convinced Social Media will revolutionize our world and is here to stay. Whereas the majority of attention on Web 2.0 and social media seems to go to B2C, my passion lies in B2B which of  course is just as much a people’s business as is B2C. Btw I’d prefer not to distinguish no longer between B2B and B2C and use P2P | People2People instead. To prove my point, I’m in the process of designing my PhD research with the draft hypothesis: “there is a measurable ROI in applying Web 2.0 to B2B – in particular when it comes to managing customer value”. I look forward to hearing your builds!