I am a new Web 2.0er. For years my knowledge of the Internet was limited to e-mail and the run-of-the-mill Google search. Until this year.

As a professional, turned communications student, I have been tossed into the seemingly bottomless waters of Web 2.0. It has been an adventure. It has been overwhelming at times. Mostly, it has been eye-opening.

There are so many tools out there. For those who are just starting out, allow me to offer you some simple guidance, a few life preservers to help you manage the fast and changing waters of the World Wide Web.

Wikis are wonderful

If you haven’t heard of wikis, I recommend checking them out. Wikipedia is the wiki that most can say they have visited, but wikis can be used for a whole lot more than definitions and descriptions. Wikis are effective and efficient tools for any type of project that entails brainstorming and group contribution. Whether used for school or for work projects wikis provide an effortless tool with which to edit and change documents or plans collaboratively.

Signing up for a wiki is simple. I have used both PB wiki and Wetpaint. For simple and clear instructions on how to use wikis, I suggest visiting the commoncraft YouTube video.

Facebook fears

Facebook is probably the most known Web 2.0 application out there. It can be a great tool to keep in touch with friends and share what is happening in your life, but can also become detrimental if you fail to consider how it could be used against you. It isn’t uncommon that an employer requests to look at your Facebook page or that you are asked to open up your Facebook account during an interview. Thus, it is important to keep your Facebook interactions as professional as possible. Make sure that your Facebook represents what you would want the employer of your dream job to see.

Bloggers can’t be choosers

Actually they can be choosers. If you want to start a blog, you should. It’s easy. It’s free and lots of people are doing it. There are too many things I want to say about blogging for this post, but stay tuned for a more in depth look at the power and the pitfalls of the blog in my next post.

Tweeting to the Twitter song

Twitter is an instant messaging tool that allows you to follow people and be a part of the conversations and ideas that inspire them. With a maximum of 140 characters per message, Twitter messaging affords you the opportunity follow a number people who inspire you and be engaged in separate conversations with all of them at the same time. Wow! That’s a lot of inspiration coming your way!

Intellects from across the globe power the Twitter communities. Got something important to say? Find the key influencers on Twitter, follow them, contribute, and if they decide to follow you – you’ve got their attention. Time to share.

Google reader: blog posts at your door step

Would you like to know exactly when your favourite blogger has posted something new? Google reader is free and it feeds you all of the updates that make your day because you are the one who chooses them. All you have to do is create a Gmail account (if you don’t have one), find the Reader heading at the top of your e-mail home page – click – follow the easy prompts and voila, interesting blogs and news at your door step.

Del.icio.us is delicious!

Book marking is a tool that can make life a lot easier. By combining bookmarking technology with Google reader feeds, you have 360 degrees of information at your finger tips. Del.icio.us bookmarks are simple to set up and allow you to not only save and revisit your favourite sites again and again, but connect you with a network of bookmarking aficionados.

Podcasts for storytelling

Some may say that the day of the podcast is as over as the day of Space Invaders – but I think otherwise. Podcasts are like books on tape. They are live recordings that can be listened to online. With visual streaming tools such as Seesmic and YouTube, you may wonder why on earth you would go the podcast route when you can use video…well because podcasting gives the receiver something different.

Podcasting is a great tool for storytelling and for creating pictures with words. It gives poetry the chance to live and breathe in the mind of the listener. Don’t underestimate the power of the imagination and how moving “the listening experience” can be with the right words.

For more information on podcasts and reasons why they should not be forgotten among the many new emerging Internet tools, I suggest visiting this site.

E-mail etiquette

Yeah I know what you are thinking…why is she talking about e-mail? There is nothing new to learn about this ancient way of communicating.

This is precisely why I wanted to include the “old” and most commonly used technology with the “new” stuff. Because we have become so accustomed to using it, we often forget how to use it effectively.

E-mailing for business can be disastrous if the message is not delivered using words that the receiver can understand and relate to. Remember that when you are using the written word as your communication vehicle you run the risk of misinterpretation. Make sure that before you hit send, you do the following things: reread the message to make sure it isn’t ambiguous or can be misinterpreted, check punctuation to ensure it reflects the tone you desire and proof read for spelling and grammar because the simplest mistake can turn a well-intentioned e-mail into a communication nightmare.

Taking the diplomatic route is the safest and most productive way to go. Always.

Seesmic lets you get it right

Seesmic is a video messaging tool. It allows you to deliver messages face-to-face. The beauty of seesmic is that you can record your message, preview it and then rerecord if you are not happy. This can be very helpful when the message is complicated, emotional or just really important so getting it right means everything.

You can keep your visual conversation private or you can make everything you say and do on video public. If you decide to go the public route – think carefully about what you post. You are what you post.

Be your most professional self

No matter which tool you decide to use remember that integrity is everything when you are online. Whether you are blogging, podcasting, editing a wiki or posting video messages, always remember that the Internet is a public space and that means your words and your actions represent you. Everything you say and post online becomes a part of your identity.

So if something you write or say does not reflect who you are, don’t hit send or post.