Creating a Web 2.0 Business
Whenever I recommend anything having to do with a real domain, I always get asked, “Will this work on Squidoo (or insert social networking site name of your choice here)?” People are in love with the idea of getting something for nothing, and that’s exactly what a web 2.0 business offers - a free platform.
There are pros and cons to running your business solely on the back of social networking sites. I’m a big proponent of using them, as you can tell, but I’m also an advocate for buying your own domain. It used to intimidate me - until I found out how easy it is to register a domain (under 10 bucks for a dot com and 99 cents for a dot info at GoDaddy).
Hosting was not complicated, either. Hostgator makes it very easy to operate your own domain. I use the Legacy File option which is very functional - you choose your folder to upload in, click upload files, and you’re done. You can also use an FTP program if you want to.
But the question remains - “Can you operate a web 2.0 business without taking the domain route?” The answer is simple - Yes!
It is possible and you can even have a great deal of success with it. Let’s look at the pros and cons of this option so you can make an informed decision:
Pros to running a web 2.0 business:
1.) It’s FREE! (And in the case of some sites like Squidoo, Hub Pages, Knol - you get unlimited pages)
2.) It’s easy (Squidoo has point and click modules to choose to build your pages)
3.) It brings an instant audience to your pages (because you’re part of the community)
4.) You ride the coattails of the site’s search engine ranking power
Cons to running a web 2.0 business:
1.) You’re at the mercy of the site owners. (If they close your page, alter its layout, etc., you have no control.)
2.) Marketing may not be accepted as widely (ie: Hub Pages, where your links are limited)
3.) It can appear unprofessional. (while web 2.0 platforms serve as good branding tools, some consumers consider this a pitstop only and want to go on to your “real” site if they’re going to trust you).
I’m sure there are many more you can think of yourself. My advice is to utilize web 2.0 platforms as your funnel to your main domains. From time to time I sell directly from these sites, but I always have links to my authority domains (like this one at TiffanyDow.com) for good measure.
My recommendation is if you have ZERO funds and are a newbie, start with a web 2.0 business. Branch out from there and get your own hosting and domain as soon as possible. Stick a good WordPress theme on your domain if you’re not familiar with web design.
Tiff 
Written by tiffadmin on November 12th, 2008 with
1 comment.
Read more articles on Web 2.0 in General.
- [+] Digg: Feature this article
- [+] Del.icio.us: Bookmark this article
- [+] Furl: Bookmark this article
#1. November 12th, 2008, at 9:13 PM.
Tiffany,
This is sound practical advice for those looking to build their online business with free Web 2.0 platforms. It is important to be aware of the pro’s and con’s and how not owning your domain and having ownership control could create potential future problems.