To all my American visitors and readers, Happy 4th of July!

If you are visiting from outside of the USA and are wondering what the 4th of July is all about, check out this article in Wikipedia - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)

How would you like to win a Flip Video Digital Camera?

No we’re not running the contest, but John Chow and Bic Promo Pens are!

Simply visit John Chows using this link Promotional Pens (that gets you directly to the post at Johns’ site).

You get one entry by commenting on the post (which I did already) and another 5 entries if you blog about the contest and link to the post and to the Bic Promo Pens website using one of the following keywords:

• Promotional Pens
• Bic Pens
• Pens

I figured it’s about time I entered these contests - I mean, you won’t win if you don’t even try.  Right?  So I’m done all entries in!  Here’s hoping that we win!

So most of us are probably blogging to make some money.  It might be enough to make a few hundred dollars per month (yah, right who are YOU kidding) or you want to go for the BIG TIME and rake in $20,000, $30,000 or MORE per month.

How are you going to do that?

One way to monetize your traffic is to seriously consider affiliate marketing.  There are quite a few out there, and some pay out better than others.

The newest “breed” of programs that are available are CPA or Cost Per Action.  This means that the visitor that clicks on a link, or image needs to do something before you get paid.

Here is an example - if you were to click on the yellow EBay button on the right you would get to this page:

Simple enough… but on that same page is an eBay Auction Success Kit.  Sign-up for this, and I get $26.00 for that “action”.

Now it’s not so simple as to splash ads on your page and hope for the best.  You need to market.  For example if you’ve got a PLR product that you can integrate into your site by turning the book into articles you could embed your referral codes into the article.  Or use various graphics to entice your visitors/readers to take some action.  You can also make use of e-mail marketing to make money.

Are you ready to put your skills and site to good use?  Visit MarketLeverage and sign-up for an account!

Yesterday we started with an introduction to Web 2.0, and today as promised we will diverge just a little and speak about Web 3.0.

So why the image of the cheeseburger?  Read on to find out…

First lets quickly compare Web 2.0 to Web 3.0

So What Is Web 3.0?

The term, Web 3.0 aka Semantic Web was coined by Tim Berers-Lee, the man who invented the first WWW.  The Semantic Web is an environment where searches are intelligent, machines can read a web page like you and I and put the information into its proper context.

Consider these two examples to better explain how Web 3.0 is supposed to work.

Example 1 - The Postage Stamp
Source: http://www.slideshare.net/freekbijl/web-30-explained-with-a-stamp

I am a stamp collector, I have amassed a huge collection and as I built my collection I documented each stamp that I own.  I now have tens of thousands of documents which I’ve finally catalogued and placed online.    So how can I find a specific stamp?  I simply search for it.

But I don’t want any stamp, I want something very specific.  Remember that the search engines do a great job of documenting what’s out there.  They capture keywords along with some other relavent information and that’s the end of it.  They don’t really know or understand what the page is about.

So I want to search for all red stamps.  What will I get?

• Red Stamps
• Stamps from Cambodia (Khmer Rouge)
• Stamps from the Red Sea
• Stamps from the Red Cross
• Stamps with red dragons…

Get the picture?  Not what I wanted, but the search engine can’t tell what I wanted.

What needs to be done is to describe the stamp, describe the DATA in a structured method.

You would have a database for stamps, countries, colours, stamp traders… you can then link all these databases together so that the data makes sense.  So now if I query “all stamps that are red in color that were used in the USA between 1980 and 1990″ I should get much better results than what I can get right now.

Example 2 - Tim, Lucy, and The Semantic Web
Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2102857,00.asp

The Semantic Web isn’t a new idea. This notion of a Web where machines can better read, understand, and process all that data floating through cyberspace—a concept many refer to as Web 3.0—first entered the public consciousness in 2001, when a story appeared in Scientific American. Coauthored by Berners-Lee, the article describes a world in which software “agents” perform Web-based tasks we often struggle to complete on our own.Resource: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2319807,00.asp

The article begins with an imaginary girl named Lucy, whose mother has just been told by her doctor that she needs to see a specialist. “At the doctor’s office, Lucy instructed her Semantic Web agent through her handheld Web browser,” we read. “The agent promptly retrieved information about Mom’s prescribed treatment from the doctor’s agent, looked up several lists of providers, and checked for the ones in-plan for Mom’s insurance within a 20-mile radius of her home and with a rating of excellent on trusted rating services.”

That’s quite a mouthful, but it only begins to describe Berners-Lee’s vision of a future Web. Lucy’s Semantic Web agent can also check potential appointment times against her mother’s busy schedule, reschedule other appointments if need be, and more—all on its own, without help from Lucy. And Lucy is just one example. A Semantic Web agent could be programmed to do almost anything, from automatically booking your next vacation to researching a term paper.

How will this actually work? In Berners-Lee’s view, it involves a reannotation of the Web, adding all sorts of machine-readable metadata to the human-readable Web pages we use today (see “Questions of Semantics,” opposite). Six years after the Scientific American article, official standards describing this metadata are in place—including the Recourse Description Framework (RDF) and the Web Ontology Language (OWL)—and they’re already trickling into real-world sites, services, and other tools. -Semantic Web metadata underpins Yahoo!’s new food site. Spivack’s Radar Networks is building a kind of Semantic Web portal.

 So Web 3.0 is the smart web.  I remember reading about software agents (or bots) years ago.  Bots were supposed to be the ideal personal assistant.  They could schedule your meetings at work, figure out what you needed for groceries and plan your day for your family all the while optimizing the order in which things needed to get done.

But Web 3.0 is also to bring about technological changes, such as high-speed, always-on connections.  The ability to access the Internet from anywhere (we are slowly getting there), software as a service (for example Google Docs).

Another great resource with multiple presentations: http://www.agglom.com/agglom/82.  I have not presented the information found in the presentations, you are better off viewing the them after going over the overview that is presented here.

A Bunch Of Web 3.0 Resources

• All Things 3.0
  http://blo­g.experien­ceon.com/2­007/07/24/about-web­-30/
• Where Do You Stand on Web 3.0?
  http://www­.semanticf­ocus.com/b­log/entry/­title/where-do-you-stand-on-web­-30/
• David Herron’s Blog
  http://web­logs.java.­net/blog/r­obogeek/ar­chive/2007­/10/web_30­.html
• How To Blog Web 3.0
  http://how­tosplitana­tom.com/news/how-to-blog-web­-30/
• The Birth Of Web 3.0
  http://www­.julienlec­omte.net/b­log/2007/1­0/26/
• Is Your Blog Ready for Web 3.0?
  http://lor­elle.wordp­ress.com/2­007/04/03/is-your-blog-ready-for-web­-30/
• Reportlinker’s blog : Web 3.0, Vertical Search, Information Industry and Market Research News
  http://blo­g.reportli­nker.com/
• Defining Web 3.0
  http://www­.etre.com/­blog/2007/­07/definin­g_web_3_0/
• Here comes the Web 3.0
  http://www­.wikinomic­s.com/blog­/index.php­/2007/08/08/here-comes-the-web­-30/
• So what is this Web 3.0, anyway?
  http://blo­g.vortexdna.com/so-what-is-this-web-30­-anyway/
• Web 3.0 Nonsense
  http://blo­g.centrald­esktop.com­/comments.­php?y=06&a­mp;m=11&am­p;entry=entry061113­-141231
• Is Web 3.0 all about personalization?
  http://blo­g.sitebran­d.com/2008/02/11/is-web-30-all-about­-personaliz­ation/
• The Definition of Web 3.0
  http://blo­g.case.edu­/gps10/200­7/10/19/th­e_definiti­on_of_web_­30
• Web 3.0 will be about cheeseburgers
  http://www­.3point7de­signs.com/­blog/2006/08/10/web-30-will-be-about­-cheeseburg­ers/
• London mashup* Semantic Web or Web 3.0?
  http://seg­ala.com/blog/london-mashup-semantic-web-or-web­-30/
• Does SEO Die on Web 3.0?
  http://www­.seo.com/b­log/google/does-seo-die-on-web-3-point­-0/
• 60 Semantic Web Blogs (List)
  http://www­.semanticf­ocus.com/b­log/entry/title/60-semantic-web-blogs­-list/
• Screw the Trademark, Move on to Web 4.0
  http://www­.zoliblog.­com/2006/05/25/screw-the-trademark-move-on-to-web­-40/

 When we talk about some of the other technological changes, such as high-speed, always available internet - we are already getting there we are even getting to a more portable Internet thanks to smart phones - you know, devices such as the Apple iPhone, RIM BlackBerry, Samsung BlackJack and the many more similar devices out there. 

When it comes to devices, although you don’t get a true experience you have the ability to perform simple tasks - so you are connected all the time.  What will vastly improve internet access via phones is further reductions in the cost to purchase devices, shorter contract terms and better rates.

The other change is software as a service.  I also remember reading about this years ago, and seem to recollect a discussion that was perhaps initiated by Microsoft that at some point in the future people would no longer purchase MS WORD or Excel but would lease it or use it on an as-need basis and pay-per-use.  However we’ve seen that model come to fruition except that it’s FREE - think Google Docs.  We’ve also seen applications like Open Office which compete directly with Microsofts Office suite of products.  Having used these products I can tell that they are as good as Microsofts - though I do miss the look and feel of the Microsoft products.  In the end you can’t beat FREE.

The web is going through a lot of changes.  We are seeing more sites adopt video, we are seeing the entertainment industry slowly adopt and accept video and allow visitors to watch television shows on-line.  This does eat into their profits somewhat as some will no longer want to purchase an entire season if all they want to watch are one or two episodes. 

This will force the industry to look at new ways to monetize their expensive content - it may be through more product placements within the programming.  But it won’t come down to users paying for the content.  It’s being proven that this does not work, and only causes more outrage.

What do you expect from Web 3.0?  I would love to hear your thoughts.

Introduction Web 2.0

The wave of the future is here, actually it has been here for some time and while most people think of things like MySpace, FaceBook and even YouTube there is a more technical term for it and it is called Web 2.0.

In “times of old” people relied on the Internet as a one-way tool for communicating with others - think static websites (there are still a lot of them around).  Most business entrepreneurs will set up a website, then offer their opinions, advice and more to anyone willing to listen, pay attention or chime in — and BUY STUFF from them.

That has all changed.  Now people are relying on a relatively old concept to change the way they do business on the Web.  Instead of using the Internet as a one-way tool for communicating, people are now realizing the Web’s potential for creating an interactive, dynamic environment.  In this environment, individuals, consumers and businesses can collaborate and communicate in new and simpler ways.

First popularized in 2004 and coined by O’Reilly Media, Web 2.0 is the “next generation” web.  If features more collaboration between parties and more interaction between the site owner and the readers/visitors to the site.  In reality it’s not really that new - think blogs.  Blogs permitted two-way interaction between the writer and the readers.  Think forums.  Forums also provide the same two-way interaction.

Web 2.0 allows more of the social interaction with multiple users through sharing of information.

When we think of the term “next generation”, we automatically think of something new and innovative. The way se use the Web is new, but the technology supporting what people do with the Web has existed for decades.

While 2.0 isn’t exactly new, the next generation user or modern web users are using the technology supporting it in new ways. Long gone are the days of old where reading information on the Web was much like reading a book. Today people use the web for various purposes, including sharing information with others and to collaborate and communicate with others. To understand this, you must understand Web 2.0.

What Is Web 2.0?

Web 2.0 is a broad term describing many different kinds of websites, websites that provide a platform where end-users have control over the content of sites.  Web 2.0 includes social networking sites, wikis, sites like Squidoo.com and MySpace.com, folksonomies, Blogs, RSS Feeds and other sites that emphasize collaboration and sharing among users.

Web 2.0 isn’t a NEW Internet, but a new way of communicating using the World Wide Web. It focuses on building communities where people come together to share their ideas, passions and interests. Some people used collaborative and community-based sites since the dawn of the Web. Only recently have people other than consumers begun realizing the true potential of collaborative networking.

The “old” way of doing things focused on individual users creating applications from which they presented visitors information.

For example, a person sat at their computer, created a website and provided information to visitors. They sold product to visitors. They allowed feedback, usually in the form of a one-way email communication, web form or other application.

Web 2.0 encourages an approach to the Web where people form communities and collaborate to provide information on the Web. Instead of one person sitting at the end of a computer terminal, there are multiple people at many terminals all capable of accessing the same information, like a list of your favorites you bookmark on the Web.

Consider for example, Wikipedia.org. This is an ideal example of how the Web is transforming. This modern-day encyclopedia of information is a collection of insights and information gathered from people across the world. There is no one “editor” or author, rather people share and collaborate to create a resource that includes insights from all walks of life. The technology supporting this site allows users to collaborate and edit information using some formal and informal guidelines. The community works to approve or disprove new information, but overall, just about anyone can place information on the site.

To understand Web 2.0, it will help to explore some of the common sites and terms used in conjunction with this new web platform.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Web_2.0_Map.svg

Wikipedia Entry: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_2.0

Additional Web 2.0 Resource: http://techwatch.reviewk.com/2008/04/web-20s-top-1000-list-2/

Next day we will look at Web 2.0 websites and will spend some time exploring the different sites that make up Web 2.0, and how you can use them to your benefit.

However before we jump into the next topic tomorrow, I am going to take you on a short detour to explain Web 3.0 — yah, just when we were all figuring out what the heck Web 2.0 is, someone up and coined Web 3.0.  We’re already seeing the start of the technological revolution that is Web 3.0.  It’s great, and it’s very exciting.

Resources - Other Posts In This Series

• Web 2.0 For Newbies
• Web 2.0 For Newbies - What Is Web 2.0?

Have you read this post - Start Your Own YouTube Service WITHOUT OpenSource yet?  You should.  I get a lot of visitors to that particular page based on several search strings.  I can only guess what a lot of people have in mind.

So if you are thinking of starting your own YouTube business, I’d like to say STOP.

Lets look at the competition that you will face in the video sharing space:

YouTube

The “grand daddy” of all the video sharing websites out there.  With close to 100 million videos, 79 million users visiting the site and over 3 billion views - it will be tough to out do them.  Consider the amount of space needed to host that many videos and the bandwidth required to view them.  You can see why YouTube isn’t very worried.

Read more - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YouTube.

Yahoo! Video

Did you know Yahoo! has video sharing?  I couldn’t find stats as to the number of videos, views or users but they’ve been around since 2006 initially as a video search engine and they finally got into the video hosting/sharing business.  Again another company with DEEEEP pockets.

Blip.TV

While still in BETA, Blip.TV is more than video sharing:

A new class of entertainment is emerging that is being made by the people without the support of billion-dollar multinationals. Our mission is to support these people by taking care of all the problems a budding videoblogger, podcaster or Internet TV producer tends to run into. We’ll take care of the servers, the software, the workflow, the advertising and the distribution. We leave you free to focus on creativity.

Again I could not find any stats on the number of videos, user base, views etc.,

Something that did catch my eye was what I found in their FAQ:

Tons of people come to blip.tv to watch great original programming, but that’s not the end of it. We’ve got a distribution network that reaches hundreds of millions: built-in syndication to AOL Video, Yahoo! Video, MySpace, Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, MSN Video, Google Video, Blinkx, iTunes and the Apple TV, Blogger, WordPress.com and much more.

I wish they would qualify “tons of people”.

Photobucket

Normally associated with image sharing, PhotoBucket also allows video hosting/storage.  They are not like Yahoo! Videos, or YouTube.  You can use PhotoBucket to store your videos, but with free accounts the service is limiting.

Who else it out there?  LOTS!  Check out the list:

• AniBOOM
• AtomUploads (part of AtomFilms)
• Big Think
• Blinkx
• Blip.tv
• Break.com
• Buzznet
• Crackle
• Dailymotion
• EngageMedia
• GameVideos.com
• GoFish
• Google Video
• Hulu
• iFilm
• imeem
• JibJab
• Kewego
• Liveleak
• Metacafe
• MSN Soapbox
• Myspace
• MyVideo
• OneWorldTV
• Ourmedia
• pandora tv
• Peekvid.com
• Photobucket
• Phpmotion
• Rambler Vision
• ReelTime.com
• RuTube
• Sapo Videos (only portuguese)
• Sevenload
• Stage6 (closed)
• Twango
• Vbox7
• Veoh
• Vimeo
• Vuze
• Yahoo! Video
• YouAreTV
• YouTube

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_video_sharing_websites

So now that you see the amount of competition, why would you want to start your own YouTube service?  Thinking the porn route?  There are quite a few similar services out there that allow user contributed videos and images (yes, you read correctly USER CONTRIBUTED porn).  Porn is big money and looking at some auctions taking place on DigitalPoint even the smallest sites are 1-3 thousand visitors per day.  If you can effectively monetize that traffic you could make a lot of money.

But listen I am NOT saying you should start-up a x-rated video sharing site.  I wouldn’t as it goes against what I believe in - but there is no denying that there is money to be made in these types of videos.

So what do you do?  You want to start your own YouTube service.

Consider a mashup.

A mashup is taking what several other services offer and making a new service out of it.  Here is what WikiPedia has to say about mashups:

In technology, a mashup is a web application that combines data from more than one source into a single integrated tool; an example is the use of cartographic data from Google Maps to add location information to real-estate data, thereby creating a new and distinct web service that was not originally provided by either source.

For example, you’ve seen individuals that take Google Maps data, combine it with information available from law enforcement agencies to map out areas that have high crime rates that can be seen visually.

That’s a mashup.

Rather than try and develop your own YouTube styled service, consider a mashup.  What information have you tried to find on the internet but had to go to 2, 3, 4 or multiple sources for the same data?  Is that information relavent to lots of people?  You have just got your mashup.  Now go and code.

See the beauty of the mashup is that you’ve probably got APIs that you can use.  You don’t need to host any of the videos or information - but you are pulling that data in from multiple sources and presenting the data to the visitor in a format that is better utilized.  You just need to hit upon something that will be popular.

Again as with any venture, if you expect to get thousands of visitors per day you need to find some way to monetize those visitors. 

The key is monetization.

What next?

Mashups not your style, or too much work?  Consider niche video sharing websites.  The examples are endless:

• Cooking
• DIY (do it yourself)
• Gardening/landscaping
• Woodwork
• Sports How-To i.e., soccer techniques
• Animation
• Technology

You would probably have more success in a niche area when it comes to video sharing since there are some key areas that people are always looking for information.  Example - right now, I’m doing my own cooking.  Recipe books suck.  The food never turns out right, but I learned a long time ago that it’s not always the recipe it’s also the person cooking.  The recipe may say 1tsp of something but in practice it’s more/less than needed.  Also the method in which the food is prepared also makes a difference.  Now if I could see someone making something, I can follow that.

DIY video sites are popular, I mentioned one in a post I made a few days ago How Do They Do That?! talks about one site where you can find just about anything under the sun.

Before you decide that running a video site is a bad idea, sit down and brainstorm about the types of videos you could host, think about mashups and niche video websites.  Yes there is a lot of competition out there, but if an idea is well developed, and executed and you can capture even a small segment of the market it could translate into significant profits.