Does Web 2.0 make you more or less productive?

[Peter Gold]

Lis Wilson asked an interesting question on a recent post: "How do you maintain high performance whilst promoting and mangaing Web 2.0 technologies?"

We all get way too much e-mail but what with reading blogs, adding comments, keeping in touch with our friends, updating our many profiles, twitter etc are we managing the web or is the web managing us?

Does anyone have any answers?

[Peter Gold]

I use Google reader to check on main blogs and check it in the evening.

I tend to write a bunch of blog posts for the week and then release them on a schedule.

I filter e-mail into folders.

I don't sleep very much!

[Andy Headworth]

The web is becoming a life portal. We complain intensly when it is down, and have become reliant on it. Web 2.0 is just taking the interaction further, to allowing users to generate their own content and interact even further.

There are many social networks, too many to maintain - unless you are a complete saddo and have no life!! But maintaining a small number on an ongoing basis, and being part of that particular community is what I feel is really engaging people.
Take Facebook for example. You only have to look at all the groups that are set up ranging from the serious to the totally stupid, to see that users want to generate their own content.

Twitter is another potential 'timewaster' that some people just don't get. At first when I saw it, I thought it was complete twaddle and was there just to serve the nation's timewasters. But now I use it every day (@andyheadworth) and find it a very useful tool to mix with people of my choice - I can choose who to follow, so I keep it to the business sphere I work in. It then becomes a great tool to learn with, help others and grow business relationships. And of course it is pretty much instant!

Like Peter, I use Google Reader to track all my RSS feeds from the blogs I read, and am an active blogger - Sirona Says , as well as posting on networking on sites such as this, as well as sites like LinkedIn.

My answer is to play around with a number of the networking sites, pick a few that work for you and that you enjoy being involved with and go with them. You just cannot do everything (are you reading this Peter!!), so better to more involved with a smaller selection.

Be firm with yourself and don't get cajoled into too many online networks, that is unless you are happy at not having a social life!!

Web 2.0 is about user engagement, but YOU must choose the level of engagement to manage things effectively.

[Lis Wilson]

Great advise Andy - Thanks.

Being reasonably new to this game, Google reader has certainly helped these last few weeks to keep everything in one place - listenting to you guys, I think I need to reduce the amount of RSS feeds. Less is more.

As you say, there are a few useful networks its just down to prioritising the few good & useful ones (like this one Peter).

As the majority of my day is spent selling / managing the sales team, I would be interested to hear your / anyone elses point of view on: What is an acceptable amount of time for a sales person to be spent social networking and what ROI one could expect from it. Is the face of sales changing at such a rapid rate that networking is now fundamental to the success, or are we at risk of allowing it to take over our potential performance or should it be done in spare time outside of core business hours?

[Peter Gold]

Lis

It may be that no time for some sales people whereas more for others. It depends on where their prospects/customers are and, how they engage with them. Personally, if I were running a sales team again and right now, I would have an office based sales admin or marketing person doing the research work around the various networks, twitter contacts etc to test the viability of it all.

But, how you engage with the people within these environments is different; more subtle, less direct, building a relationship. This being the case, I am doing a short report soonish about how to engage with people the web 2.0 way!!

Hope the above is useful.

Peter

[Robert Leggett]

Peter

Very new to this Web 2.0 game. It appears, as usual, the UK is somewhat behind our companions in the US! I am really interested to hear how much time people spend on Web 2.0 sites, as I am not yet sure whether the time spent will outweigh the benefits received, although am enjoying meeting new people, and learning about new techniques and methods within the industry. I have just started my own blog RPOTODAY, but please don't judge me yet - I'm still a novice!

I would love to read your report on how to engage with people the Web 2.0 way when it arrives.

Thanks - Robert

Peter Gold said:

Lis

It may be that no time for some sales people whereas more for others. It depends on where their prospects/customers are and, how they engage with them. Personally, if I were running a sales team again and right now, I would have an office based sales admin or marketing person doing the research work around the various networks, twitter contacts etc to test the viability of it all.

But, how you engage with the people within these environments is different; more subtle, less direct, building a relationship. This being the case, I am doing a short report soonish about how to engage with people the web 2.0 way!!

Hope the above is useful.

Peter