People also love to come up with cool NEW labels for new things, and stick those in boxes too.

It’s nice, it’s neat, it fits, and allows us to cope with uncomfortable or new ideas. Plus, if you’re the person who “coins” the label in the first place, and it well, sticks, you get the prestige of having named the next big thing. Cool, eh?

At the moment that’s what’s happening as people try to get their heads around the next evolution of online technologies. Whether you’re calling it Web 3.0, Web Squared, or The Semantic Web (See what I did there? Semantics, Semantic Web? Annnyway, moving along…) the idea is that a bunch of new technologies and standards are emerging that will, we hope, change the way we do things.

Again. Just like Web 2.0.

Please, don’t get me wrong. Progress is great, better understanding, better resources, context — these are all great things, and they’re all things that “Web 3.0″ is probably going to offer us.

But here’s the thing:

A large amount of people still have -absolutely- no idea what Web 2.0 means. Very few people have even heard of Web 3.0 (or whatever you want to call it). In order to decipher the geek speak, people need a frame of reference to their world, and better yet, they need to know the benefits. They need to know what it will do for them.

A name like “Web 3.0″ or “The Semantic Web” doesn’t give anyone any perspective. In fact, it just clouds the issue.

A while back, when I was asked “So what is this Web 2.0 thing, anyway?” my answer was generally something like this, “Oh, that’s just a name that people give all the new social technologies available online. Things like Facebook, twitter. Things that let you share and communicate and collaborate with others.”

If the person I was speaking with was of the less tech-focused persuasion, I’d normally get a smirk, and, “I have a phone, I can do that already.”

Annnd, we’ve just hit the flaw in my explanation. No one cares about that.

What people want to know is how it’ll change things for them, how it’ll make things more like Steve Austin (For everyone reading that’s my age or younger, that’s the 6 million dollar man, “Better, Faster, Stronger”). Unless I can explain, or better yet, demonstrate, how this is of benefit, they’re really not that interested.

There’s no point in telling someone what something does unless you tell them what it can do for them.

Web 3.0 faces challenges just like Web 2.0 did. Coming up with a cool name for it isn’t one of them. Proving value, demonstrating the benefits — that’s where the challenge lies in bringing the idea mainstream.

Frankly, I think we’d almost be better off without the goofy names entirely. They confuse people, and sometimes even make them feel stupid. I mean, really who wants to ask the Internet Marketing guy at the next Lancaster Chamber of Commerce mixer what Web 3.0 is?

Designed for those who are already familiar with or running a blog, “Beyond Blogging Basics” is a whirlwind look at ways to improve your content, build readership, generate discussion, and generally get more attention. So, if you’re ready to take your person or business blog to the next level, this is the class for you!

Oh yes, we’ll also be covering the all important monetization as well.

When people visit Lancaster City, however, they’re often pleasantly surprised to find a collection of excellent galleries, an up-and-coming arts scene, great coffee houses, fine dining, strong greening and sustainability initiatives, and a community committed to the continued growth of Lancaster as a thriving and vibrant city.

I’ll admit that when I first came here over 4 years ago, I had a bit of a snicker at the “I love city life” bumper stickers I saw from time the time. Coming from Christchurch, New Zealand, a city of about 350,000 people (Oh, how cosmopolitan I thought myself!), Lancaster seemed quiet. I may’ve been guilty of using the word “Dying”.

I’m the first to admit that I was incorrect in my assumptions. The community and energy that embodies downtown Lancaster is something special.

Over the past 4 years, the continued growth and development of Lancaster City has been great to watch. I’ve been particularly impressed by the work of neighborhood organizations such as the James Street Improvement District and the East King Improvement District. Likewise, the amount of green, local, and sustainable efforts in the city, such as that of the Susquehanna Sustainable Business Network (Insert shameless plug — Kiwi is currently working with SSBN on their Social Media campaign), Live Green, and Buy Fresh Buy Local.

And, because Lancaster City is relatively closely knit, word gets around pretty quickly. Which brings me to my point…

The driving forces behind Lancaster’s success -a sense of community, regular (interesting) events, sharing experiences, discussions, communication- are an essential part of what makes Social Media so popular, and so powerful. That’s why a number of Lancaster businesses, organizations, and initiatives have had such great success with services such as Twitter, or Facebook -which are the two channels that downtown Lancastrians seem to be flocking to.

Discussion within our own communities is great. It’s powerful, and it brings results. But, in my opinion, the best is yet to come. All of us have connections outside of Lancaster. Some of them reach into neighboring counties, others to larger cities on the east and west coasts. Some reach all the way around the world to Christchurch, New Zealand. (By the way, Prince Street Cafe, my family still talks about your baked oatmeal). As more and more people flock to Social Media services, these connections are going to be mirrored in our online interactions. And, with technology breaking down or eliminating distance and cost barriers, it makes sense then that any organization backed by a strong offline community can benefit immensely from a strong online one.

So, kudos to those already making their mark in Social Media and through other online methods. If this isn’t you (yet), it can be. There are lots of good examples to follow, even (and especially) here in Lancaster.

Unfortunately, this kind of commitment is misleading at best. It’s certainly not professional.

Why? Because the only “people” that can guarantee you’ll be -anywhere- in Google is, well, Google.

There are many things we can do to help you get ranked. There are tactics and strategies that have worked in the past. At Kiwi, we can even say, “Yeah mate, no worries. We’ve got a pretty good shot at getting you there.” we know that it’s possible because we’ve done it repeatedly for our other customers. But we can’t. and won’t, promise that you’ll reach the first page.

Getting your website to the first page of Google is a great goal. It’s achievable, and can have a large impact on your business. There are too many factors involved that are beyond your control, however, for anyone to promise it.

Even Google itself agrees:

“Beware of SEOs that claim to guarantee rankings, allege a “special relationship” with Google, or advertise a “priority submit” to Google. There is no priority submit for Google. In fact, the only way to submit a site to Google directly is through our Add URL page or by submitting a Sitemap and you can do this yourself at no cost whatsoever.”
Google.com

(By the way, we don’t try to charge you for submitting to Google, either.)

Next time someone promises their Internet Marketing efforts will get you first place on Google, my advice would be to run away screaming. Barring that, take a second look and ask them how they’re going to walk their talk.

Sound like greek to you? Here’s your chance to fix that! Social Media has helped people reconnect with long-lost friends, find employment, and promote their business. Join us as we explore the world of Social Media.
HACC Lancaster
9/14 @ 6:30pm to 8:30pm
10/12 @ 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Lancaster Campus, Room RE 202
Registration Required

Library System of Lancaster Count — Greenfield Office
10/1 – Time Not Yet Decided
For more information contact Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, at 717-207-0500 x1225 or kleiman@lancasterlibraries.org.

Sound like greek to you? Here’s your chance to fix that! Social Media has helped people reconnect with long-lost friends, find employment, and promote their business. Join us as we explore the world of Social Media.
HACC Lancaster
9/14 @ 6:30pm to 8:30pm
10/12 @ 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Lancaster Campus, Room RE 202
Registration Required

Here’s what we’re up to in the next couple of months:

To Tweet or not to Tweet

A chance to learn more about Social Media, focusing on Facebook, Linkedin, and Twitter.
HACC Lancaster
9/14 @ 6:30pm to 8:30pm
10/12 @ 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Lancaster Campus, Room RE 202
Registration Required

60 Minute Web Magic

Last time we taught this, it was packed. Learn how to better promote your website via the search engines. Improve usability and monitor your online reputation.

Library System of Lancaster Count — Greenfield Office
10/1 – Time Not Yet Decided
For more information contact Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, at 717-207-0500 x1225 or kleiman@lancasterlibraries.org.

Beyond Blogging Basics

The more advanced version of “Blogging Basics”. We’ll cover things such as using WordPress to host your own blog, generating traffic, creating good content, and monetizing your blog. This course is designed for more advanced bloggers.

Library System of Lancaster Count — Greenfield Office
11/19- Time Not Yet Decided
For more information contact Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, at 717-207-0500 x1225 or kleiman@lancasterlibraries.org.

Who should come? Anyone interested in learning the basics of blogging: How to choose a topic, where to run it, how to set up a blog account, and more.

Blogging has become a great way to let off steam, get an audience for your work and even profoundly impact the lives of others. With all the free and simple tools available, there’s no better time to get started. We’ll cover the basics of blogging: where and how to set up a blog, how to choose a topic, how to write compelling content, and more. This course is best suited for those with little or no blogging experience. CD of tools included. Limit is 15 people.

It will be held at the Library System office in Greenfield Corporate Center at 1866 Colonial Village Lane, Suite 107. For more information contact Rhonda Kleiman, Economic Development Manager, at 717-207-0500 x1225 or kleiman@lancasterlibraries.org.