This shift toward online data collaboration and interactive content sharing quite simply makes us, the users, cogs of sustainability and growth. Our input creates business, and the regularity of our contribution determines its success. Most Web 2.0 applications focus on specialised database driven content, which harnesses community to build context through data humanisation and better results through drawn conclusions of that data – which leads to Tim O’Reilly’s famous coining of the phrase “data is the next intel inside”.

Examples can be found in services across the board – Amazon, eBay, Bing, Flickr, Last.fm, del.icio.us, and Twitter, just to name a few. For businesses, the onus is on them to develop a competitive advantage that deals with data strategy just as much as product strategy. To successfully integrate Web 2 is to identify your unique niche of user needs and capitalise in the techniques/ services that might integrate with yours – being able to harness that data for a new outcome ensures long-term product utilisation.

Last.fm

Let’s take Last.fm as our example. User-generated content in the form of recognized listened-to music creates a list of personal recommendations. As a result, the data becomes substantially more valuable in a shared application context, where system infrastructure uses free and readily accessible data for both community and individual benefit.

The application consists of:

  • Event recommendations, with the latest about upcoming events in locations near to you
  • A host of free downloads on rotation
  • RSS feeds and subscription via iTunes is readily available
  • View/ edit capabilities for your own list of recommendations
  • Build and play listings options within your personal library
  • Artist and track charts according to Last.fm user play rate
  • Group radios by assigning tracks to a live stream
  • Content browsing via tagging
  • Access to an inbuilt message box
  • A friend list of users for convenience of communication and user updates (their music, comments, personal information etc)
  • Join/ create group capabilities
  • An online forum community for support and general discussion
  • Contests and promotions
  • Access to a regularly updated Last.fm official blog

The software works on the basis of a free trial system for the first thirty played tracks, after which you’ll need to subscribe for $3.00(US) a month.

Integration Methods

The Scrobbler is open source software that works to automatically update your library with whatever you’ve listened to on your computer or iPod, creating personal top charts, music recommendations (MP3 and video), and connectivity to like-minded users. It’ll also update your Twitter and Facebook pages (widgetised for blogs) with your track favourites, recently played, etc. Developers also have a chance to show off their innovative talents with Last.fm’s API, whether they’re for the web, desktop or mobile devices.

I’ve got to say, the degree to which Last.fm utilises user participation for ever-changing content, extensibility, personalisation and recommendations for a unique music experience really pulls its weight as a prime example of Web 2 integration with a traditional concept.