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While the uninitiated might guess that “web 2.0” is the title of a Spiderman sequel, for professionals like Melissa Attree, it means a changing world full of promise, opportunity and excitement. It entails integrated video, text and graphics, and media convergence like never before. It allows business to be done faster and more efficiently. And it represents a career with job security. Getting paid to do what you love is a truly rewarding experience, and Attree has managed to achieve that through online jobs with her company, GetOn eMarketing. The social media strategist, blogger, and WebPR professional networks with – and on behalf of – businesses worldwide from her office in South Africa. “There’s nothing I don’t really enjoy,” Attree says of her career. “It’s the future of communication and I enjoy being able to develop new concepts and learn new techniques.” The Internet could be considered the great equalizer, with the vast variety of online jobs offering opportunities for success regardless of education and experience. The necessary skills for web writing and networking can be developed with hard work, practice and dedication. Attree’s solid background in communications has served her well, from studying journalism and English in college to working as a copywriter, marketing and public relations professional for several years thereafter. “My experience with traditional PR opened the door to social media,” Attree said, adding that her background was useful, though not essential, in starting her career. What is essential is an interest in and working knowledge of technology, strong writing skills, and the ability to multi-task. As with any media niche, online jobs also require keeping abreast of the latest developments in technology and the news in general. “If you’re on e-mail, catching up on your RSS feeds, writing a blog post and instant messaging and Twittering at the same time, things get interesting,” she explains, illustrating a typical day for a social media strategist. “Things change within a few hours – make sure you know what’s happening.” Blogging is one of the most popular technological developments to overtake the cyber world in recent years. It is a skill required in many online jobs, and some professionals also choose to set up their own blog as a form of self-marketing. There are numerous ways to increase “traffic,” or readership, for a blog, which is where networking sites like Technorati, StumbleUpon and Digg come in handy. Well-developed blogs with high traffic can be “monetized,” or made profitable through ad revenues. To reach that point, Attree suggests that bloggers “have an opinion and share thoughts with others, comment on blogs, build online networks and exchange key information.” Video is also quickly supplanting mere graphics as the illustration of choice, largely due to its interactive quality. This is the point of web 2.0, to engage the user and get them actively involved in the media they are using. It is a challenge to which many traditional media outlets are rising. The New York Times has even revamped its classic motto in order to promote the company’s online content: “All the news that’s fit to click.” Media outlets can also benefit from the Internet revolution in that it is now easier than ever before to directly contact expert sources for information and interviews through sites like Twitter, LinkedIn and Facebook. There is no doubt that all media professionals can benefit from adding blogging, video, and social networking skills to their repertoire. But professionals who really “get it,” like Attree, have the opportunity to turn their Internet savvy into an innovative and profitable consulting business that will thrive for a long time to come.

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