Making Mediation Your Day Job, Part 5: Creating Dialogue Online

Blogs. Vlogs. Podcasts. RSS. And don’t forget wikis. To the uninitiated, these terms seem more likely to be spoken by a Star Wars character than a mediator. To the wise marketer, they’re terms that signal the future. And the future is now.

Collectively, this new generation of web-based tools is part of “Web 2.0,” a dynamic version of the Internet that’s palpably different than the “old” web. Static websites, which are essentially in-depth online brochures, are becoming less and less relevant. Web 2.0 is all about social media, those tools designed to help people collaborate, share information and engage in dynamic, ongoing conversation.

Web 2.0 is so much more in line with the way mediators think and work than the outdated Web 1.0. I suspect that once you have clear, accessible information about these tools, you’ll find yourself feeling right at home. And, dare I say, even a little bit energized about putting some of them to work for you.

In this section of the blook you’ll learn about the following tools, how you can use them to build your ADR practice, and how to get started, even if you know little about technology:

• Blogs and vlogs
• Podcasts
• Wikis
• Message boards
• Social networking sites

Copyright © 2006 by Tammy Lenski. All rights reserved.