Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS)
I have already written a few pieces addressing the disjointed nature of the Web whereby you go one place for content, another for community, and a third for commerce; the most notable of these pieces is the popular 4C: Yahoo’s Turnaround Formula.
Let’s quickly recap the terminology:
3C = Content, Commerce, Community |
4th C = Context |
P = Personalization |
VS = Vertical Search
This, I submit, is the formula for the future: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS).
Web 2.0 has been a niche-y phenomenon with hundred and thousands of microcap efforts addressing one of the Cs, lately, Community being the most popular force, producing companies like MySpace, Facebook, Piczo, Xanga, and Flixster.
In Web 1.0, Commerce had been the driving force, that produced companies like Netflix, BlueNile, Amazon, and eBay. It had also resulted in the dot-com meltdown.
The same period that is seeing the surge of Web 2.0, has also seen a great deal of investment in Vertical Search, like Sidestep for travel.
Personalization has remained limited to some unsatisfactory efforts by the MyYahoo team, their primary disadvantage being the lack of a starting Context. More recently, Netvibes has raised a lot of buzz, but it also lacks the same organizing principle: Context.
In Web 3.0, I predict, we are going to start seeing roll-ups. We will see a trunk that emerges from the Context, be it film (Netflix), music (iTunes), cooking/food, working women, single parents . . . and assembles the Web 3.0 formula that addresses the whole set of needs of a consumer in that Context.
Imagine.
- I am a petite woman, dark-skinned, dark-haired, brown-eyed. I have a distinct personal style, and only certain designers resonate with it (Context).
- I want my personal SAKS Fifth Avenue which carries clothes by those designers, in my size (Commerce).
- I want my personal Vogue, which covers articles about that style, those designers, and other emerging ones like them (Content).
- I want to exchange notes with others of my size-shape-style-psychographic and discover what else looks good. I also want the recommendation system tell me what they’re buying (Community).
- There’s also some basic principles of what looks good based on skin tone, body shape, hair color, eye color . . . I want the search engine to be able to filter and match based on an algorithm that builds in this knowledge base (Personalization, Vertical Search).
Now, imagine the same for a short, fat man, who doesn’t really have a sense of what to wear. And he doesn’t have a wife or a girlfriend. Before Web 3.0, he could go to the personal shopper at Nordstrom.
With Web 3.0, the Internet will be his personal shopper.
Related Readings:
* The Taking on Giants section of Entrepreneur Journeys (Volume One)
* Personal Finance & Web 3.0
* Online Travel & Web 3.0
* Online Jobs & Web 3.0
* Web 3.0 & Photo Sharing : Synthesis
* Newspapers: Industry in Turmoil
* Enterprise 3.0 = (SaaS + Extended Enterprise)
* Rearden Commerce: Contextual Services
* Blue Nile’s Remedy
* Segments & Lifestyles Research Reports



Great Piece…I agree with the need of better context and benefits of understanding it. I think their a huge need for making context available in social media, where users are both creating and consuming content. This lack of a reliable way to establish makes it hard for people visiting a community to understand the context of what a given user stand for, what the user supports and dislikes etc. .. This lack of context makes the overall conversation a whole lot less valuable…
[...] It is sometimes with great anticipation that I look through some of the articles in my feed. Today’s little gem is something posted on Sramana Mitra’s blog titled: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) [...]
Awesome post.
It would seem to me that the 3C’s present an “abyss of choice” online and the 4th C is by definition fluid (mother, wife, vixen, boss). Therefore you cant really put them together as the 4th C drives the usage/utility of the other 3.
Is the 4th C different from the P? The act of establishing the context (commerce, content, community) in which I interact with a site is infact personalization, isnt it. Context cant be established without personalization (i am vixen, no boss, no wife etc…) and without context the 3C’s are just a pit of options/potential.
The 4th C is very different from the P, Siddiq. Personalization is very different from Context to Context. What personalization algorithm you would apply depends entirely on which Context you are operating in. Example, Personalization for Movies is different from that in Music, which in turn is different from Personalization in Fashion. The broad categories set the context, and withint that you need to determine taxonomy, algorithms etc. to delver appropriate Personalization.
So in this sense context is “where I am” (music site, movie site etc…) not “who I am” (petite woman, shopper, boss, wife etc…). If my understanding is correct then context answers “where I am” and personalization answers “who I am”. Would you agree?
If so the relationship between the two would be uneven because C is dependent on P but P is not dependent on C. If I know where you are (music section, movie section) I cant serve you as much as if I know who you are (wife, boss etc…)
And to provide a bit of context of my own, I’m just bring this up because it seems like the formula you propose is a great framework for thinking but it doesnt seem right just yet.
Context = What is my Intent? Renting Movies, Buying Clothes …
Personalization = Who am I? Petite woman, wife, teenage boy …
The 4th C is quite different from the first 3. Context the collective representation of who am I and what I am trying to do now. I would think that the 4C+P framework is truly a “3C + P” where P represents me and my intent.
[...] propose, we look at Web 3.0 and Enterprise 3.0. Especially with Enterprise 3.0, India has a huge mass of skilled developers who [...]
[...] have written a few framework articles recently, defining Web 3.0 and Enterprise 3.0. I also wrote a piece towards the end of 2005, called What is this Sea [...]
This was a very useful exchange of views. Look forward to your Reardon commerce series. Particularly interested to see if these are just “better implementations” of the Ariba, CommerceOne, etc solutions
[...] Personal Finance is one of the top segments that draws online advertising dollars, and in this series, we will evaluate the category against the Web 3.0 framework. [...]
[...] its Personal Finance site on January 19, 2006. In this piece, we will analyze the site based on the Web 3.0 framework. The site is a part of Yahoo! Finance and has nine sub-categories. The site provides financial [...]
Nice article. Very nice view point from a customer/user standpoint. I like the fresh outlook as I am tired of reading the technical outlook of Web 3.0. I am hooked on to your blog… Keep it coming!
[...] owned subsidiary of Dow Jones & Company Inc. Here, we take a look at Marketwatch from the web 3.0 [...]
[...] Â Sramana Mitra’s post on Web 3.0 Global Investment in Web 2.0 rises [...]
[...] We have reviewed Yahoo, MSN, Marketwatch and AOL’s Personal Finance offerings in the earlier posts and today we are going to take a look at CNNMoney from the Web 3.0 perspective. [...]
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[...] a great example of a hybrid business that leverages Web 3.0 functionality to market a “physical” service: screen printing T-shirts. It’s not [...]
[...] Sramana Mitra on Strategy » Blog Archive » Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) According to Yahoo, the future is “3C = Content, Commerce, Community | 4th C = Context | P = Personalization | VS = Vertical Search”. (tags: next strategy web2.0 web3.0 norg) [...]
Yes, definitely. This is one perspective on the ultimate purpose of it all. Let me do what I want to do (with you site / tools / data).
cheers,
john
[...] about a total and absolute disrespect for Context [...]
I agree with you. But it is vertical development that you are talking about.
As an idea of horizontal development. I think generation next web should be free knowledge based where authentic informations (like book contents, free expert solutions, career and health-care assistance) are available for no charge.
Web3.0 should come with in-built facility for language translation to compact global village to further level. (Like a chat service which can convert chat messages in real time so that a Japanese politician can talk to desi Yoga guru while each of them typing-in in their own language or a search engine that searches based on ‘context of search’ and result is displayed in preferred language while actual result website was in a language other than the preferred one.)
And their is a need of high penetration of web in countries like India to realize a virtual world mimicking the real world, currently the web village is limited to tech savvy people .
-Nishant
I like your automatic translation idea, but it is a VERY difficult problem to scale. I wish some people would start working on this one.
[...] The find.com has used web 3.0 framework. [...]
This post is spot-on! I am subscribing now. The most amazing thing is that for some reason a lot of blogs between april 2-10 (April 6th is my birthday and anniversary of my idea) are describing what I have been pioneering for several years now. Back then no one would get it, now everyone is clambering to try to understand how to get it. But I got it and that’s why soon, everyone is going to get blipd!
[...] Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) – Sramana Mitra on Strategy » Blog Archive » 3C = Content, Commerce, Community | 4th C = Context | P = Personalization | VS = Vertical Search This, I submit, is the formula for the future: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS). (tags: web3.0 web2.0 definition) [...]
[...] another one that has no synergy with the Context. It offers low-cost treatment at hospitals in [...]
This already exists, and it’s enabled through RSS. But two things are making it move slow:
[...] Berater und Unternehmer im kalifornischen Silicon Valley, hat in einem hochinteressanten Blogbeitrag seine Vision von der Zukunft des Internets auf eine einfache Formel [...]
[...] 24% of online advertising dollars, and in this series, we will evaluate the category against the Web 3.0 [...]
[...] Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) Let’s quickly recap the terminology: [...]
Hi there,
Thanks for the interesting post. I can see what you are getting at. Except I’m not sure If I would call that Web 2.0.
When I think Web 2.0 I think about the technologies involved for a web 2.0 app. Not the content in detail.
To me a Web 3.0 App is one that allows offline syncing and allow you to use the app offline. We have all read about how Google is working on this.
[...] this article she summaries why it’s believed this makes it ‘Web 3.0′. …Let’s quickly recap the [...]
[...] have been discussing about the online travel industry and have covered Yahoo! Travel from a Web 3.0 perspective earlier. Here we take a look at TripAdvisor’s [...]
Beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Whatever the context, you should know what you want to see and some things catch your attention.
What’s new!, How are things? What’s changed? These are the kind of stuff which catch your attention.
What you already know, you want to see and go looking for it yourself! Why do you want someone else to second-guess? That’s the truth about personalization. It tries to cater to the lazy, who don’t ever know what they want
Like most other good ideas, this one too floated in…do I really need to know how it did? Or just be delighted that it came to me, because I happened to be “connected” or in the right context? My context was reading email
I want to see my Inbox everyday and look for things which are interesting. I never expressed an interest for an artefact like this piece of opinion.
People should be thinking web4 and get straight into Second Life type scenario – where not only – as M Mitra says will you have a personal shopper – the personal shopper will also have a personal customer …
‘one is always nearer by nor keeping still’
Very good article.
In my world, I have always put the 1st C as content, as that is what came first, simple documents hyperlinked together (thanks Tim Berners Lee inter alia).
I think of the web ‘version’ as being the number of ‘C’s minus 1, so Web 0 was pure content , Web 1 was content+commerce, Web 2 is adding the real community funk to that (although sometimes forgetting both the content and the commerce).
I do agree that context is what you are trying to achieve, which is separate from personalisation.
Given my approach, I must say that I really liked the simplicity of this formula 4C + P + VS. Fantastic!
(also liked the idea of Web4 being fully immersive, but would like to think more about that, as there may be other steps along the way)
[...] been discussing the online travel industry and have covered Yahoo! Travel and TripAdvisor from a Web 3.0 perspective earlier. Here we will take a look at Travelocity’s [...]
Immersive is good, but I sure hope that Second Life doesn’t become First Life. It’s a colossal wastage of time, unless you’re a child, and learning things in an immersive educational environment.
I am glad I came in here through Technorati and bumped into reading this one. I generally just browse through key points, but this article really interested me…kudos
As for the last two comments I second the opinion Sramana has put forth. I shudder with the thought that the coming generations- even the current generations have made second life as their first life…and I have come across numerous instances where people spend more time of their day hanging in second life
[...] travel industry and have covered Yahoo! Travel, TripAdvisor, Travelocity, Orbitz and Expedia from a Web 3.0 perspective earlier. Here we will take a look at Priceline’s [...]
How does personalization and context differ? I think “context” is very much part of “personalization” just like “time” is a part of “content” even though its an important factor.
Context to me sounds more like “current state settings” which could be small but somewhat affecting part of personalization.
[...] Mitra Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS), http://www.sramanamitra.com, February 14, [...]
awesome article.
[...] around 50 million visitors each month. In this series, we will evaluate the category against the web 3.0 [...]
Good definition of 3.0 , I think Personilisation will be a key factor
Interesting article Sramana*
I’ve been curious how Web3.0 will shape up having been a Huge Fan of Web2.0 largely as result of using Flickr + really enjoying the User experience* (for the most part!!
)
Yes i suppose being able to effectively wade thru the Massive amounts of Info that is out there will certainly be Key*
I would also like to see a New Economy created – one that Shares the Wealth + more equitably distributes it throughout the World* – i think Bloggers + Blogs can play a Big part in this!!
& i even Hope + Pray Peace might be brought to the World* There is no doubt with the various Social Networks that powerfully connect People around the World a Strong Voice for Good + Positive Change can occur*
Cheers! Billy
)
Peace*
[...] gave an example from the fashion world to illustrate my vision of Personalization in my definition of web 3.0. It uses technology to develop highly personalized understanding of users and their needs and [...]
[...] web concept: Web 3.0 [...]
[...] Editor’s note: Sramana Mitra is currently running a series on her blog reviewing the photo sharing industry. In this Read/WriteWeb post, she looks at Flickr’s offering using her Web 3.0 framework. [...]
[...] across its brands – Gap, Banana Republic, Old Navy – needs to introduce Personalization in a very big way. The benefits will pay off in scientifically managed inventory, and thus, limit [...]
This is awesome! appreciate your understanding on web2.0 to web3.0.
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[...] you hold them up against my Web 3.0 definition, besides Context, they do well on a number of other [...]
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I believe you’re right on target Sramana. What do you think of an expansion on that idea, perhaps to include the bots/agents necessary to pull in a variety of personalization from various commerce sources? I understand your examples, such as your very own Sachs tailored to your needs, etc. Do you feel the same principle could be applied on a larger scale to a portal or “priceline.com” kind of path? Or do you feel going that far makes the concept too scattered?
Also, re: Automatic Translation, there are a number of companies that have made significant progress in real-time chat translation. Rosetta Stone recently purchased a company that’s established a chat-room service and I do believe it’s free. Haven’t bothered to track it down however.
Jonathan,
Agent technology is exactly the kind of things to use in implementing personalization. So while it is not part of the formula, it is certainly part of the technology portfolio to achieve what I envision as Web 3.0.
Sramana
Hi Sramana,
Great post. I was thinking along the same lines as you about Web 3.0, so it’s nice to have such lofty company.
Talk to you soon I hope.
-Tyler
What a laugh
Steve case was espousing the three then four c s 10 years ago
Guess he was always a thought leader
[...] have written a few framework articles recently, defining Web 3.0 and Enterprise 3.0. In this article, I am going to cover a company that touches on these concepts, [...]
Whatever it is, please do not call it Web 3.0.
[...] http://www.sramanamitra.com/blog/572 [...]
[...] We have already discussed an overview of the online job industry. Now, we take a look at CareerBuilder’s offering from the Web 3.0 perspective. [...]
Here few comments, from my personal perspective, as a user:
- a framework is what it is, and naturally aims at summarizing concepts: this formula does, and I personally like the way the problem is approached
- context & personalization: no matter how you define and structure the framework, no dubts an interrelation exist; it can really change the way users’ choices are expressed and driven. A key element for business will be modelling and leveraging this. Profiled community web ventures like asmallworld or linkedin itself are a simple and smart answer to context issues.
In general, it looks like new age and old age content access will converge: personalization on web drives on the same direction where on demand TV paradigm is driving old passive TV users; it is a grey zone between fully active and fully passive users, where mass is concentrated, which has to be fully identified and exploited yet.
Also, on web and personalization, I have two personal concerns, that I would wish to clarify:
First, whatever the logic behind personalization is, it has to consider the weigth customers give to “new”. The feeling a consumer has when access content selected for him (info, movie, software, a trip etc.), shall be a mix of known and unknown, with the second being something he’s not aware to like yet. How is this approached? Can realistically be driven by an algorithm? Intense info exchange in web communities itself witnesses how much the human being still plays a role.
Second, the “ready made” paradigm works well as far as is not perceived. Would you ask to a friend of yours whose answers are always “expected”?â€
Hi GT,
Well executed Personalization solutions always take into account the notion of Recommendation. Amazon, Netflix and others use a technology called Collaborative Filtering to achieve that.
In this paradigm, “people who bought/viewed this also bought/viewed this” style recommendation is furnished. This technology has been around for 12 years or more. It was invented in Pattie Maes’ group at the MIT Media lab.
But then, this is not the only way to achieve Personalization. Expert Systems, other kinds of Learning Systems, all hold a level of promise that has not yet been exploited at all.
Basically, the notion of delegating a function to an Intelligent Agent, a “servant” of sorts, has also been around, but again, the implementations have not quite yet been that good.
Relatively speaking, only Collaborative Filtering has seen some success so far.
Thank you for the opportunity to share comments.
My take: dangerously naive.
First of all, your oversimplification that web 2.0 is a ‘nichy phenomenon’ completely disregards the sea change happening to media as a direct result of the communities being created online. Not just social networks, but everything from opinion sites to ebay where consumers are reading and learning about areas of interest (and recommending associated products that can be purchased in a click).
Second, I agree with a previous post — nothing new in the “C”s you have outlined except that you are misrepresenting Context. From the consumer’s perspective, the context is not just about personalizing searches to who you are but much more importantly: what are you searching for at any given time.
Much of what you describe as the 3 “C”s leading to context in your example already exists in Web 2.0, although one must set up their own RSS feeds. But that’s because the context in which one is making a purchase decision is continually changing. To extend your example: I may only be interested in the opinions of a particular fashion journalist, not necessarily the publication or blog. I may be searching for a wedding outfit or vacation wardrobe that may not be the specialty of ‘my favorite designers’. A cyberfriend on a message board may have posted a cute post-partum outfit I never would have considered. Similarly, for the ‘man’ in your description, he can go to a community site and get their perspective right now…web 2.0.
The context is something experienced marketers intuitively grasp because we have been producing content for years based upon the context of the medium and the message. To me, this is where the semantic web (aka web 3.0) will take us. Refinement of behavioral targeting to serve up contextually relevant content, not in the obtuse example of physical attributes but rather answering the ‘why are you online’ question. Just because I’m on a site researching fair trade coffee and jump to a site where I buy fair trade coffee doesn’t mean I should be served messaging about trips to Guatemala or Nicaragua, which is what currently happens. The semantic web will leverage technology’s promise to deliver laser-focused content that is contextually-relevant to a given search, which will change again with the next search.
Moving onto the “P”, which again, is around in web 2.0 and the continued understanding and mass acceptance of community will create an upswell in personalization. The apps have been around for at least 10 years. But the knowledge-base of marketers to understand how they work AND serve up the right information to the right visitor has been lacking. The simplest of notions that content should be served up differently to a first-time visitor versus a returning visitor still has not been widely embraced as a result. This is the continued community evolution of Web 2.0 where marketers will participate in the web conversation and better understand how to serve up content as a result.
Finally you mention vertical search, which is also an attribute of Web 1.0 that is exploding in Web 2.0 with the assistance of Chris Anderson’s highly influential book, The Long Tail. Niche content serves the context for the consumer’s search which is influenced by social media aka Web 2.0.
Web 2.0 will be around for awhile because human behavior change is disproportionate to Moore’s Law.
Lori,
Web 1.0 was also a sea change. I have no problem with Web 2.0 being a sea change. Nonetheless, it is also nichy, restricted to a generation of the population. This does not make it less important, but to the extent a Google has encompassed every generation, Web 2.0 and Social Media has not.
On Context and Personalization being the same, I explained in an earlier comment, that Context is about Intent, while Personalization is specific to a person with that Intent.
On Personalization, I am sorry to say, you don’t know enough about what’s possible, which is why you make such sweeping statements that it has been around. Ofcourse, some degree of personalization has been around. My point is, no where near enough.
On Vertical Search, give me an example from Web 1.0. All there was at the time was Comparison Shopping engines, not Vertical Search.
[...] job industry and have reviewed CareerBuilder. Here, we take a look at Monster’s offerings from Web 3.0 [...]
[...] job industry and have reviewed CareerBuilder. Here, we take a look at Monster’s offerings from Web 3.0 [...]
I am not getting this. Are you saying Web 3.0 is personalization^N and not the semantic web?
This article is complete scrap. You have no idea that the W3C and Sir Tim Berners-Lee are already working on Web 3.0?
Oh yeah? How about I have the right to disagree with them, and define my own vision of Web 3.0?
I am ABSOLUTELY saying that web 3.0 is not the Semantic web.
But if you read this piece, it is a great deal more than personalization, although personalization is a key element of it.
A VERY key element of it.
Do you have any idea what Personalization does to the future of targeted advertising?
People who have the ability and intellect to think independently, don’t accept “Sir” Tim Berners-Lee’s as the final word on the subject.
It seems like you do!
[...] and have reviewed CareerBuilder and Monster. Here, we take a look at Yahoo! HotJobs’ from the Web 3.0 [...]
[...] comme la brique essentielle du futur web 3.0, et qui propose sa propre petite formule magique :  Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS).  Les 4C pour contenu, communauté, commerce, contexte, P pour personnalisation et VS pour recherche [...]
Hi Sramama !
You seem to be a very serious writer researcher !
the way you answer to comments should be the norm ! May be you will answer me ?
It may seems that all of you are always in front of your PC … where everybody seems to have time to look at very uninteresting things.
But when you are on the move, you become much more demanding for effective search and action.
Now, many people, especially non geeks (i agree with Sramana about Web 2.0 being still a niche ), are, in a given day of 24h, mostly away from a desktop or laptop.
Web 3.0 won’t be a great thing if it does not go Mobile, really mobile.
Then, Personalization (who you are really) and Context (your intent and where you are ) will become really possible (much less a guess).
As some writers have stressed : any Web n.0 is a mix of new axis for a bigger space (web 3.0 with Sramana formula would be web 6.0 ) and how new technologies make these axis really reachable space.
Summary : Web 3.0 won’t exist until it becomes Mobile.
And it will not become mobile until the current keyboards and interaction devices really allow interaction when you are mobile (walking, riding, driving…), and with other people (who can look/listen to others while punching his Blackberry or Treo ?). Who can take notes while moving… although these notes would give a lot of information about what you are thinking about….
The mobile phone will be the web 3.0 terminal.
And Tiki® is one technology answer to the need of a good mobile interaction process then a mandatory piece for real web 3.0 .
I don’t know about Tiki, but I see no reason why any of this cannot be mobile. You should read my iPhone and the Future Series at http://sramanamitra.com/blog/999.
Who can touch type on a phone ? standing, walking, riding, driving ? and remaining with others (eyes to eyes contact) ?
Even for pure browsing phones are far from near of a good mouse,
but in web 2.0 and web 3.0 you have to write and swap between applications.
On a desktop you have around 50-90 quick commands, on a phone ? 5-10…
until an interface process give you back the desktop capability on the move and with others,
web experience and capability will be much lower on a phone, even a BlackBerry or an iPhone.
regards.
What you are raising is the issue of the keyboard form factor when the convergence device happens.
The convergence device is at least 5-7 years away from becoming mainstream, and when it does, if it does, it will be used in mobile AND stationary conditions. For one thing, no one will be using all the “Web 3.0″ functionality while driving or walking. They may be using a phone or a music player function, but those are not Web 3.0 functions.
It is the first sensible definition i read of what could become web 3.0. I will follow it. We were wrong when we thought it was going to be MOLOC. We thought that 1.0 was about publishing, 2.0 about connecting and 3.0 about industrialisation of the web (scalability, global distributed superservers etc..). That is why we chose to work with Mason, OpenID, Linux, Oracle and Catalyst. But it was beside the point, you are right, I realized that immediately when i read it. Thanks for putting us on the right path
[...] the property business. In this series, we will evaluate the online real estate category against the Web 3.0 [...]
To achieve Web 3.0 we also need a cohesive identity management system that’s user centric rather than vendor-centric. Right now, user identity is scattered across all service providers and web 2.0 microcap niche services — I have my ID at amazon, at PayPal, at Facebook, at LinkedIn, etc., etc… I have to go to these sites to get services. It’s a mirror image of the traditional brick-n-mortar where I have to ‘go there’ to get service. I hope in Web 3.0, we turn it upside down and they come to me. And an identity system is crucial to make that happen.
You are 100% correct.
[...] My definition of Web 3.0 is one of the most popular entry points into this blog. In it, I proposed the vision of a web which becomes increasingly verticalized by “Context”, and the relevant Content, Community and Commerce elements are successfully mashed up “in Context”. I also proposed 2 other elements: Vertical / Contextual Search, and Personalization. Thus, I concluded, Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS). [...]
[...] the same vein, that I have proposed a framework for Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS), I would like to discuss in this piece, a framework for Enterprise [...]
[...] have talked a lot about Web 3.0 and Context. Today, we begin an interview series with Mike Stacy, CEO of an Online Travel company called [...]
[...] have talked a lot about Web 3.0 and Context. Today, we begin an interview series with Mike Stacy, CEO of an Online Travel company called [...]
[...] by the database of suppliers that Priceline maintained. [Our recent review of Priceline against the Web 3.0 framework is [...]
[...] ihlettek engem is és aki kicsit előrehaladva a web 3.0-ról beszél. Kiemelve két cikket: első amelyben definiálja a web3.0-val kapcsolatos elképzeléseit és egy másik web3.0 publikáció [...]
[...] dimensions dans un “contexte”. Elle nous l’illustre brillamment en nous laissant imaginer la suite. Cette suite sera-t-elle celle de la prochaine génération du web? Oui, il y a de fortes [...]
[...] Sramana Mitra provides an interesting equation for Web 3.0: Web 3.0 = 4C + P + VS, where the right-hand side consists of (Content + Commerce + Community) + Context + Personalisation + Vertical Search. Her description of how this formula might work in practice is rather intriguing: [...]
Thanks for very interesting article. Can I translate your article into polish and publish at my website? I will back here and check your answer. Keep up the good work.
Hi Bank,
You can translate the article in Polish and post on your site but with appropriate links back to this piece, and acknowledge of where it originally comes from.
Regards, Sramana
[...] Mitra, in her blog post Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS), defines Web 3.0 services by means of a set of ingredients that each one of these future services [...]
[...] I will bring you back to the two fundamental articles I have written about what I see as Web 3.0: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) and Web 3.0 & the Semantic Web. In these two articles, I articulated my vision of a [...]
Hi Sramana:
I stumbled onto your blog today and was immediately sucked in by your many interesting thoughts. One post in particular caught my eye. It was your Enterprise 3.0 formula. While I know much it was a visionary description of how you believe the user experience should unfold, I was particularly interested in your formula (formula representations of the world are always entertaining).
“3C = Content, Commerce, Community | 4th C = Context | P = Personalization | VS = Vertical Search
This, I submit, is the formula for the future: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS).”
The formula has led me to a couple of questions.
If you have context, why is vertical search important? I know that vertical search has been a bit of a darling of the VC set for the past year. I just don’t know if the true mainsteam users of the internet view that google, yahoo, MS, and ask are that far off? If I have established the context of my community, such as photography, how deep a search do I need? I ask as context is arguably the single biggest challenge from a pure algorithmic perspective. By establishing a community with a context the content and commerce follow.
This leads to my next question. Do you feel there is an ordering to the 4Cs? Does community have to come before content? Context before commerce? I don’t have strong opinion on this at this point, but it came to me immediately upon reading your post.
Please keep up the great work. Your blog is very interesting.
I look forward to hearing your responses.
[...] My Web 3.0 formula definition is here. Incidentally, it uses an example from the women’s vertical to articulate my vision for Web 3.0, so if you happen to be an entrepreneur or a product manager for a women’s site, you ought to look that up. [...]
Hi Tom,
Great questions. The reason we need Vertical Search even after locking in a Context is we search differently once we decide upon the Context. Example, in Photo, Flickr allows you to search photos by Camera. Now, to be able to get there, a pure keyword search is unnecessarily cumbersome.
Similarly, in Travel, you want to look for flights in a price-range, hotels in a neighborhood … it is easier to specify these in search boxes, rather than in free flowing text, as well, it is easier on the backend that way.
In terms of whether there is an ordering to the 4 C’s, I think Context is #1. After that I think you need something on the site – Content or Application – to draw the audience (Community). The Application may be Commerce, may be something else. I don’t think there is a straightforward prioritization, besides that you in a “Contextual Hook” for the site to start gaining momentum.
Sramana
[...] we will take a look at the Web 3.0 aspects of online music [...]
[...] Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) – Sramana Mitra on Strategy Lock it in – add it up. 3.0 smackdown. (tags: blog semantic web3.0) [...]
good analysis but would like to add another C to moder and that is “Convenience” – which is the highest priority of the end user.
[...] “Web 3.0″. I’ve received IMs, Facebook questions, and most recently, this blog on what Web 3.0 really is. [...]
[...] one thing, I have zero confidence in Blockbuster’s ability to execute on a compelling online Web 3.0 strategy. That requires a completely different [...]
[...] personalization, e-commerce, community, content, and vertical search; doing so would be following Sramana Mitra’s definition of Web 3.0. Mitra’s formula for Web 3.0 is in my opinion is brilliant. Using her formula the [...]
[...] Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) [...]
Very well written and articulated. I could not agree more. Although personalization implies understanding context. The future will be held by AI engines that can capture recommendation as a function of context, both individual and social models.
[...] 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) + [...]
[...] Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) (tags: web3.0 semantic web) [...]
[...] However, a host of properties like Domania, Alsto, TravelSmith, Gifts, Home Focus Catalog, GetSmart, etc. are yet to establish themselves as strong brands. Most of these sites are haphazard and do not execute/monetize according to the Web 3.0 framework. [...]
[...] has given her overall perspective on where web is going…and calls it Web 3.0…a very attractive title indeed for all aspirants who think that [...]
[...] l’article dans son intégralité, ainsi que les articles [...]
[...] [Oct 2, 2007] : Came across Sramana’s blog which also talks about Context and Vertical Search as pillars of Web [...]
Good insights. The context and search is not relevant just to shopping, fashion et al but also to other areas like teaching ! While the thin line between context and personalization is not that clear when we talk about shopping, it is very evident when we think of developing a destination for teachers to develop lesson plans. My blog has some thoughts …
[...] to establish itself in each of its key verticals. The Company needs to integrate along the Web 3.0 framework and adopt a more aggressive strategy wrt user generated content, by encouraging more [...]
WOW!! that was first word that came out of mind after reading this post…simple outstading….you know what i have started thinking about applying web 3.0 in my projects
The problems of context described by many is easily solved, if we extend the Web 3.0 definition of Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) to include multi-directional communication. One way communication presently implemented is not truely social. For example, Commerce in the 4 C only allows one execute only a purchase transaction. To be truely social, it should allow any one to also sell their services or products from the same place or site. To clarify further the multi-directional communication on the societal level will be imperative for 3.0 to enhance the web experience. A societal timeframe, beyond the present day solar clock time, will be essential to help synchronize cultures, value systems and many other societal characteristics.
To Bala Subramanian:
What do mean by your last statement; “A societal timeframe, beyond the present day solar clock time, will be essential to help synchronize cultures, value systems and many other societal characteristics”?
I suppose there are two questions I want to ask. First, and more generally, ‘how do you suppose these interactions may happen, in the way of a new timeframe and synchronising cultures?’
Secondly, and this provoked me to respond, ‘What do you mean by and how would you expect to see value systems “synchronize”, SINCE there are many contradicting, or conflicting, cultures and value systems, worldviews and religions?’
Thank you for submitting your intriguing ideas and responding to my queries.
My idea of “Web 3.0″ would be a “social web” where in individuals/corporation/government are all networked in a virtual immersive environment supported by futuristic applications based on natural language search, context sensitive search optimization, secured personalized commercial transaction in 3D spatial environment, global data grid enabled by a super secret Google file systems like technology and ultimately loss of human qualities and ingenuities at the cost of certain ultra intillient human being who are bent on making us useless… Hopefully that doesn’t happen… Best wishes to “Web 3.0″
How would you define Travel 3.0?
Just apply the formula for Web 3.0 on Travel. We have covered the Travel segment at length here.
http://sramanamitra.com/blog/993
Very insightful. Would it be redundant to spell out the Web 3.0 definition being described herein as:
• Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS + AT)
• Wherein 3C = Content, Commerce, Community | 4th C = Context | P = Personalization | VS = Vertical Search | AT = Agent Technology
My idea of “Web 3.0″ would be a “social web†where in individuals/corporation/government are all networked in a virtual immersive environment supported by futuristic applications based on natural language search, context sensitive search optimization
Hi,
Wonderfull perspectives and analysis about future of web.
Let me put this way. Web is very desruptive technology. It has changed the way we work, communicate, learn,shop, sell and conduct business.
About your ex above, Frankly speaking no one really requires any products or services. People just want a solution to their problems. So its the web which has the potential to facilitate seamless collaboration with community and search quickly and learn more in less time and find solutions to the problems.
Regards,
Krishnamurthy
krish23456@yahoo.com
I like Thomas’ definition …
• Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS + AT)
• Wherein 3C = Content, Commerce, Community | 4th C = Context | P = Personalization | VS = Vertical Search | AT = Agent Technology
Hey,
I really liked this forumla..and infact I have covered this in my blog as well….
Thanks
Srv
very interesting.
i’m adding in RSS Reader
Web 3.0 is sometimes called Semantic Web, a term coined by Tim Berners Lee, the man who first invented www.
Web 2.0 came to describe almost any site, service, or technology that promoted sharing and collaboration right down to the Net’s grassroots as in blogs and wikis, tags and RSS feeds, del.icio.us and Flickr, My Space and You Tube. Web 3.0 will have 4 main features like a Semantic Web where a machine or robot can read a website or check our daily schedules; 3D Web-a virtual walk through unfamilier places without leaving one’s own seat; Media-centric searches understanding natural-lauguage queries or photos, and the Pervasive Web that’s everywhere-on your PC, on your cellphone, on your cloths, jewelry, your kitchen, bathroom and office. Microsoft and Google are moving to 3D. http://www.polarrose.com, http://www.riya.com, http://www.like.com are offering simple prototypes. Web 3.0 is here for sure. But it has to be experienced.
[...] would like to see LinkedIn roll-up the Online Jobs category and build an independent Web 3.0 powerhouse out of it. Indeed.com, with over 5 Million unique visitors a month, is the leader in the [...]
[...] Mitra’s (an entrepreneur and a strategy consultant in Silicon Valley) formula for future: web3.0 = (4C + P +VS) is an interesting [...]
Interesting stuff I too have a few opinions around Web 3.0. Whilst yes undoubtably a ‘Semantic Type Web’ could very well be the future I think there is hopefully some ’stuff’ that comes before it and my belief is that will be centered around the mobile platform due to the nature of that particular industry and its unparraled commercially fuelled evolution.
It would be great to get your opions on it find the posting at:
http://jamieburke.blogspot.com/2008/02/web-30-mobile.html
[...] I need your help. My now famous Web 3.0 framework needs a better [...]
Sramana – nice post. The problem is that the words we want to use to describe this potential are overused and carry too much baggage, so we get into debates about what “context” means or what “personalization” means.
That being said, when I read your post, the tag that seems missing is “identity” although, in your example, you use the tag “context” to mean at least part of what I think of as “identity.” As others have noted and you hinted in the beginning of the post, “context” means something different – where you are and what you’re doing. It should have some hint of “intent.” “Personalization” then should follow from some aspect of “context” applied to “identity”, so the equation could be P = I*C (or the PIC framework).
“Vertical search” then could be feathered in as a tool in achieving this goal, along with all of the other C’s and Web 2.0 concepts, so maybe VS is an important stepping stone to the destination (and thus becomes embedded) and not the destination itself.
But perhaps you need to invent some new language to capture all of this. I’m not feeling very creative this morning, so all that’s coming to mind are trite phrases like “MyLife” = “Me” * “MyIntent” but I’m sure you can do better.
Keep pushing the envelope!
http://www.yeefe.com/blog/?p=418
Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS)?
I thought that is not enough,
that is my answer: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS + UA).
4C = Content + Commerce + Community + Context
P = Personalization ( aggregation )
VS = Vertical Search ( data-mining )
UA = User Analyzing ( not only “user-demand†)
Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS + UA).
Internet Company 2.0 is pushing us to change!
Internet Company 2.0=Mass media effect + Information aggregator + real Business player + web platform + Search Engine
Rumors of the Death of Indian Outsourcing – Are Greatly Exaggerated…
I’ve long been a fan of Sramana Mitra – she has a terrific blog and has her own deep definition and framework for Web 3.0 . Forbes.com carries a fascinating article by her this morning: The Coming Death Of Indian…
[...] os artigos completos: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) + [...]
[...] 25, 2008 by Bala Gopalan There is a very good blog post by Sramana Mitra on what she believes web 3.0 to [...]
[...] os artigos completos: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) + Place Marketing / Estratégia, [...]
I do believe we’ll go back to this post after your predictions become correct. I think you’ve hit the exact phenomenon that will emerge as 3.0
Intriguing… I’m definitely going to keep tabs on this one.
[...] Sramanamitra , 2008 , “ Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) †, http://www.sramanamitra.com/2007/02/14/web-30-4c-p-vs/ [...]
Nice article and also comments. my 2 cents.
Context is combination of personalization, user behavior including intent, taxonomy/folksonomy, and other users behaviors. Personalization is based on user profile, more the data about user, better provisioning of content. Understanding of user behavior gives more information about user that has not been captured in the profile, also includes the intent. Taxonomy is classification of content. It enables mapping of content to personalization and user behavior. Other user behavior will enable community building and creation of actionable knowledge based on other user’s behavior with same intent, behavior and profile.
I would like debate on the 2nd C, i.e. Commerce. Commerce v/s Market place. Market place is combination of producers, consumers and enablers, which is more than just commerce.
[...] Analysis Paralysis In Internet Marketing by Brandi Cummings - April 9, 2008 [...]
Nice article no doubts…..
But dont you think there will be another C may be the 5th one which will be collate
reason being this will really ease out the consumer’s access to the market …say for eg. what makemytrip has done for airlines …if every sector is collated in a similar fashion another C is surely on the cards
please let me know your views
I think that’s a sub-category within Content.
The application sounds interesting, once you get past the equation. I would still rather shop for myself. I love sales, since I think the cost of quality items today is obscene!
Web 3.0 Platform – People
http://web3solutions.blogspot.com/
Welcome to Web 3.0
[...] itu menurut Sramana, pengertian Web 3.0 dapat dilihat dari formulasi sbb [...]
Good post with some excellent comments.
But if web 3.0 is to become our personal shopper, doesn’t it mean that commerce becomes again the driving force?
I believe that web 3.0 will be much more than just semantic web. RFID and other wireless technologies will probably bring a much bigger change, opening communications between man and machine.
Just look at Tikitag a new Belgian start-up.
You may want to add it to your “context”.
As the actual monetization system using advertising will soon show its limitations (before 3.0), I expect to see new models arriving which will push consumerism to grow even stronger.
On the other hand 2.0 is far from having achieved maturity. Aren’t we still toying around?
Not necessarily. You could have a job search assistant, or a travel agent, or a personal financial advisor.
I don’t think the mobile / RFID technologies are far enough along to become mainstream (beyond their obvious applications) in the next few years. Eventually they will be, but what I have presented here, is, more or less, viable in the immediate next few years.
I think Web 3.0 as defined here is a bit far off. Each of the three technologies we are talking about – Context, Personalization and Vertical Search are still hard research problems. We have interesting applications similar – Google Ad Sense for context, Some Google and Yahoo services that are personalized to an extent, and domain specific search engines – All good beginnings; but each falls far short of the scenarios envisaged here; the larger problem being that we dont have a roadmap for reaching there.
[...] (4C + P + VS)????? v.s Mobile 2.0 ??? ?? 29, 2008 ? Teeker ??? web 3.0=(4C+P+VS)??web [...]
web3.0 service should be mobile2.0, it could be provided the “Personalization” service and suitable for me, here,now! you can get the web3.0 in other concept: http://teeker.wordpress.com/2008/04/22/????-vs-mobile-20/
[...] Read the entire article here. [...]
Sramana Mitra, your definition about the web 3.0 is very productive and yet 3.0 is on the experimental age.
To achieve Web 3.0 we also should need semantic markup, that is equally understandable by humans and machines at the same time.
Hi Sramana,
I have a background in AI and NLP. and have thought of an idea for a web 3.0 application. I am trying to get funding to complete the proof of concept, any thoughts on who can I approach.
I am here on the east coast.
thanks
Nitin
[...] os artigos completos: Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) + [...]
[...] stages now so we can safely say it is the version of the future. I have to admit that it was Sramana Mitra’s blog that got me first intrigued by the www versions. It is an excellent way to classify Web 3.0 and it [...]
What is Web 3.0 ?
Web 3.0 is a term used for presenting “highly relevant and meaningful information to an Individual” in different languages. Its like, when you Search something on Google
or Yahoo and see results close to what you have been looking at. Web 3.0 is all about reading minds by means of software. Hence it is incredibly specific to an individual needs.
What Web 3.0 does and how it works Technically & professionally?
Web 3.0 can be defined into two categories: Professional and Personal
Web 3.0 discusses the broad spectrum of Business centric views of IT in Business especially for three invariant relevant to Business, with information separated from its artifacts as most important parameter. There are many areas being described within
Blueprint everywhere.
However, my approach to Information systems “for IT in Business” is derived from Search Engines, Social networking, and Comparison web sites which is extending
towards Web 3.0, which I would like to term as “Smart Search Engines”. The three architectural layers of Data, Investment and Transformation undoubtedly represent
the basic structure of Business models which can be extended in any direction, depending upon enterprises expertise, culture and management. For e.g., IBM
emphasis on managing data’s effectively and efficiently, from Business point of view is derived from rising demands within public and private sectors. However, Google’s
approach has been a basis of using the Open Source Business model, trying to make things meaningful from across the web, which is nearly based upon 200 factors.
In comparison, IBM Strategy of Investing confirms its huge consultations across the world. Which model is better, is debatable and depends entirely upon its management system.
Here IBM approach is more professionally targeted for companies while Google approach is personal in nature. During my Research, I came across how Search engines are tweaking their algorithms and forcing web owners to pay for driven traffic strategically, which was once free.
Comparison web sites for services or products rely heavily on their data’s or commercial agreement, in addition to any adverts, because online information remains free for end users. I am innovating and understanding this field
for Strategic implementations every month, in order to drive acquisition and monetize Business models. For e.g., London or New York can be divided into “N” number of
zones or area’s for either demographics interest targeting culturally, or transactional nature of society as a whole for products or services.
What is 3D Advertising ?
3D Advertising, a step towards Animated Advertising. Today Advertising has been dominated by Online and Print media. 3D Advertising is a leap from any existing
form of Advertising because it would be based on linking Information from “Information system, Search Engines, Social networking to Telecommunication “thereby enabling most targeted form of direct advertising in Space for the
first time. Lasers would be primary source of energy.
In UK, Companies picked up an idea of using Video’s carried by moving vehicles to advertise effectively. However, its limit is limited. 3D Advertising would be
completely in Space with the help of Projectors, sensors and lasers.
The benefit, clearly lies with the fact that, “it would clearly be an attention seeker”. something like Chinese premier opening of Olympics, but on a very low budget,
because of its limited coverage.
I am launching this Business, with Initial Invest of £ 10 Million, and I invite you all,
to be a part of this community….
cybertechnosanjay@gmail.com
Web 1.0, 2.0 or 3.0 have different definitions depending on what kind of stakeholder is given top priority amongst the many different kinds.
Let’s overgeneralize and start by pointing out that the difference between having the web and not having it is simply that the web (the “internet”) is a place a person can go to do something.
The biggest difference in stakeholders is between Producers, Providers and Receivers.
All three types are Consumers but they go to the internet to consume very different classes of “content”…
Content is simply the material that the receiver needs, that they don’t already have,
in order to execute individual tasks to a conclusion.
In every case, with the content, the task is executed to conclusion within the “workspace” of the web, without leaving the web.
A task can be anything from self-entertainment to industrial development.
Each generation of the web offers support of the task to a different degree.
In web 1.0, the recipient acquired prefabricated content in a closed package.
- Search created a transitional opportunity to web 2.0 by encouraging choice of packages.
In web 2.0, the recipient acquired prefabricated content in a modifiable package.
- Collaboration created a transitional opportunity to web 3.0 by encouraging comparative and cooperative content sourcing.
In web 3.0, the recipient acquires modifiable content in a modifiable package.
- Lacking any better term so far, Affinity strikes me as the transitional opportunity to web 4.0, as ontologies and cultures begin to take over a greater percentage of activities *such as* the creation and materialization of new products out side of conventional corporate instruments and academia.
What distinguishes one generation from another is the notion that in each generation’s degree of support,an adequate level of reliability can be taken for granted by most stakeholders.
What this means, in reality, is that at any given time, some stakeholders have been at a different generational level than others.
But the technologies and practices that emerge and mature in the internet environment level the playing field across stakeholders.
This allows individual participants to go to the web for more and more of the various things that constitute their range of interests.
As a result, they inhabit the internet environment more and more. Turn off the internet, and they go somewhere else to do all of the same things, with a lot less affordable speed and range at their disposal.
- m. ryder
http://www.archestra.com
Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) – Sramana Mitra on Strategy…
According to enterpreneur journeys’s author, Sramana Mitra, the formula to web 3.0 is … Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS)….
see it, but i want to know what about web3.0 and when it come?
Michael Dell said there may be a 4th C beyond content, commerce, and community. I think the 4th C is customization. Customizing the other 3 C’s (automatically) to fit the client. Amazon is already doing some of this by suggesting products to a specific customer based on their previous purchases, browses.
yes, here we call it personalization. the P.
Great article indeed. I want to add some more Cs. Collaboration and Communication. Collaboration and communication should be guided by context and/or content. For example if I am browsing my healthprofile online I should be able to communicate (voice, IM, note, email) with my physician with context. Its in my next product
Great article! I found another interesting angle on the web3.0 here: http://www.slideshare.net/JohannesBhakfi/web30-986081
As a short fat man with a (very busy) wife I would love to go to Nordstrom, indeed I do as I have become (in the UK) John Lewis man. They are seen respectfully joining till queues at shops, occasionally losing the plot when confronted by poor service but in general using the internet wisely but still taking the advice of new girlfriends (and also young men) who try their best at checkouts to help fashion challenged but cash rich silver surfers.
[...] 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) [...]
[...] Sramana: The definition of Web 3.0 is one of my all-time highest traffic generating post.Read it Here [...]
[...] post on How To Define Web 3.0, Sramana Mitra has submitted an interesting formula for the future Web 3.0 = (4C + P + VS) and I am sure there are many more interesting ideas and discussions about Web 3.0 out [...]