What programs and API’s are out there for starting web 2.0 company?

Over 400 publicly available API’s covering everything from chat and blogging to IM and e-mail are available for you to choose from.

The resources that are available to build out your web 2.0 company are many, you still have to have the original good idea, or something compelling to grab users. So the DIY toolbar, or twitter, or elgg, or other technology that is essentially out there already, can you do it better faster or cheaper than free?

The best list of publicly available API’s is at Programmable web here http://blog.programmableweb.com/2007/03/27/400-web-apis/. You can browse the API’s by type and by function.

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Web marketers face special challenges when they are writing headlines and copy – not only do they have to deal with all of the concerns that print writers contend with in trying to create copy that sells, but they have to worry about search performance, too.

In order to maximize site traffic, or sometimes just to be found at all, web copy writers must uses words and phrases that people interested in their product might type into Google. A print writer can use creative substitutions and clever turns of phrase, while web writers often must use popular, lowest-common-denominator terms.

At first glance, Words that Work: It’s Not What You Say, It’s What People Hear wouldn’t seem to have much to offer web marketers. After all, author Frank Luntz earned his reputation by identifying new terms for old ideas. His research showed, for example, that people didn’t like the idea of “oil drilling” in pristine wilderness, but that “energy exploration” was far more acceptable. Nobody cares much for taxes of any variety, but ending the “death tax” was found to be much more palatable than killing the “estate tax.” In fact, there’s plenty of wisdom in this volume for all marketers, including those who write for the Web.
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As we wrapped up a project and delivered our final report, why wasn’t management surprised by what we found?

There is nothing better than finishing up a project and delivering your final report, then move on to do something equally or more interesting in the longer run. We were running a management consultant contract to determine why turn over in the company was so high and so continual over a long period of time.

This involved going back, talking to employees who left, talking to employees and finding out what they were thinking of doing in the next 1 to 5 years, and what their thoughts were on staying with the company. As well as their thoughts on the future of the company if things changed or if things stayed the same, and getting to know the needs, wants, desires, and frustrations of the employees of the company.
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