The Seven Symptoms of Web 3.0
1) The Rise of the Digital Identity
Cookies only get us a very small part of the way there. In the future, we
will carry our identities with us like digital ID cards. The web
experience will cater to these unique digital personalities. Increasingly
powerful security measures will make it possible to do this with a high level
of privacy, which will help to mainstream this capability.
2) Increased Usability & Controllability
The next generation will usher in the end of flash intros, interstitials and
pop-ups. No longer will our computers be hijacked by flash and pain in
the ass navigation. Now, sites will be a function of the user, not those who
made it. Using our digital identities, sites will tailor themselves to
the individual, and no one page will look the same from one user to the next.
This doesn't mean mere segmentation, but customization to the distinctive wants and needs of each consumer.
3) The Long Tail of Everything
A function of personalization, the consumer will be allowed infinite choice we
can now only imagine. The surface has barely been scratched by Amazon,
Netflix, and Itunes. Technology will bring consumers a paradise of choice
down to every detail.
4) Filter Functionality
This explosion of selection will increase the need for more and more powerful
filters. These filters will be filtered. Information will pass a
system of funnels based on our own and our community’s preferences.
5) Integration Across Platforms
Web 3.0 will bring total integration of digital devices. All information
will be contained in a central hub, with all other devices (phones, music
players, car keys, etc) as an extension of that hub. We can extend our
digital experiences anywhere in the world with equal capability in the palm of
our hand.
6) The Rise of Voice Technology
Keyboards will become less and less necessary as voice recognition technology
becomes more capable, allowing phones, PDA's, IPods and other devices to be
much smaller while retaining functionality.
7) The Third Dimension
While the third dimension has remained rather Jetson-esque in the past, in the
future, our experiences on the web will more closely mirror our experiences in
the real world, with, of course, better personalization. We will move
past only our ears' and eyes' engagement, to other senses. Touch, smell,
and taste will all become important additions to this new web experience.
So what does this all mean for Web 3.0? It means the environment will become increasingly personalized, with a base in community, and an experience yielded by integration and multi-sensory engagement. These changes will drive marketing further and further down the path towards personal conversations, and precise targeting in accordance with the actual wants and needs of individuals and communities, based not on demographics, but personalities and behavior.
To Sum Up:
1.0 : One-Way
2.0 : Communal
3.0 : Socio-personalization
What about you? What do you think the mark of Web 3.0 will be?
photo from still searching via flickr