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In the consumer world, we are seeing a revolution in social technologies: blogs, wikis, video sharing, and so on. And some of the top properties, such as Facebook, YouTube, and MySpace, are becoming mega brands.
But there is another emerging trend: social media is making its way into the Corporate world.
I recently had a chance to talk to Reid Conrad, who is the cofounder and CEO of Near-Time. His company has a Web 2.0 platform geared mostly for corporate customers.
What are you hearing from business customers regarding Web 2.0? Is it becoming more of a priority? If so, why?
We are seeing businesses increasingly view Web 2.0 as their standard. They are quickly realizing the advantage of Web 2.0 capabilities over traditional, proprietary applications. I think the key to this has been the realization by businesses that they can deploy consumer platforms with unprecedented reach and flexibility.
A big part of your software is based on a wiki platform. What are the advantages of this?
We see wikis becoming the foundation for corporate deployments of Web 2.0. Near-Time wikis represent a simple way for users to create, share and publish information privately or on the Web. Keep in mind that early wiki users were in technology groups.
We are seeing interest in wikis broaden to line of business professionals. As an on-demand platform, Near-Time is ideally suited for the broader wiki market. Unlike many wikis, Near-Time includes management controls that businesses need to deploy.
An important trend for our wikis is pageview expansion. Our analysis indicates customers deploying Near-Time public wikis are experiencing increased pageviews per vist of 2x to 3x over traditional websites and even blogs. This analysis is early but over time we expect pageview/visit rates to grow. Needless to say, Near-Time can be a game changer for businesses looking to monetize their content on the Web.
A year ago, Google, Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) bought wiki operator, Jot. Yet, there hasn't been any news on it since. Thoughts?
There have been plenty of rumors about Google launching the Jot wiki. Time will tell. It is important to note that Joe Krause who headed up Jot is heading up Google's OpenSocial initiative. Perhaps the Google wiki will take shape with this important initiative. We presently integrate Google content through feeds. Our interoperability with Google's wiki is ready when they are.
Finally, you were able to strike a deal with John Wiley & Sons, Inc. (NYSE: JW.A)?
Wiley has a number of initiatives to extend their reach on the Web. Near-Time integrates wikis, weblogs and file sharing (forums will soon be available). We give Wiley best of class Web 2.0 interactive communities and a standards based way to deliver books. All you need is a browser on a computer or cellphone to access Near-Time - no need to buy an eBook reader. Our turnkey advertising and subscription services enable Wiley to monetize their communities and content. We have great expectations from this partnership.
Tom Taulli is the author of various books, including The Complete M&A Handbook
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