Web 2.0 tools - part one

Whenever I'm in my car, I listen to podcasts: Grammar Girl, PhotoShop 101, the Digital Photographer and a number of podcasts that deal with the 2.0 web.

Except for the latter, I assume podcasting is an outlet for building an audience for a book or selling a book. Podcasts dealing with the 2.0 web are a totally different animal; these folks are drumming up business for their consulting firms (PR or companies devoted to 2.0 web). That's as good as any reason for creating podcasts. However, I'm beginning to hear disjointed content during these 2.0 web podcasts.

It started back in December with two of the hosts for Internet Marketing agreeing that job seekers during interviews should ask if the company prohibits use of social networks during work. If the answer is yes, no social networking then walk.

I actually rewound (or whatever the verb is for going backwards on a podcasting being listened to on an iphone) and listened again to make sure I heard what I thought.

A couple of shows later, I'm hearing the hosts regretfully passing on their condolences to their listeners who want the hosts to follow they the listener on twitter, myspace...you can fill in the blank. Although the hosts repeatedly say how badly they feel and how little time they have to do so, you know their 'presence' on twitter, myspace...you can fill in the blank is purely business oriented. Places for their listener to follow their show, or more precisely help them build the host's celebrity.

The hosts use the social networks to build 'internecking' or rubbernecking on the internet. Instead of an accident, it's the host's 2.0 web business that the host wants others to obsessively watch as they go on their merry way down the electronic highway.

But yet the hosts of all these shows scream on top of their digital podiums that social networking must be recognized and entered into by your everyday non tech business. It's doom for those who don't. And a lack of transparency if you don't directly interact and just put up a company myspace page.

These podcasting hosts see their use of social networking as the creation of depositories for interaction with them. Not a bad gig if you can get it, I say.

But what does it mean for us, the average marketer.

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.