Monday, June 25, 2007

Keeping Tabs on Web 2.0

Even with consolidation going on left and right, the galaxy of sites that make up what we call "web 2.0" is expanding at a frantic rate (or perhaps that elusive goal of being snapped up by a bigger fish is helping to drive it). So how do you keep up with this ever growing array of web 2.0 sites? That is, other than reading Read/WriteWeb. The answer: via the ever growing array of web 2.0 lists.

A little over a year ago, Richard MacManus posted his List of Web 2.0 Lists. Just 13 months later a lot of those links are dead, or no longer being updated, and there is a whole crop of new sites that we can now add to our arsenal. Below I will endeavor to update Richard's list with new sites and those that are still in business.

  • eConsultant: Web 2.0 Directory - It appears not to have been updated in nearly a year, and is (hopefully) the only inclusion on this list that's not up-to-date. But because eConsultant's massive list is categorized so well, it is still very helpful.
  • NEOBinaries - These guys keep a large, categorized list of web 2.0 sites on hand, updated Monday - Friday.
  • BuzzShout - BuzzShout is similar to NEOBinaries -- a big list of web 2.0 companies that you can rate and review. Nicely categorized.
  • Go2Web2.0 - A really great flash-based list organized by tags, and a displayed using a dizzying array of logos. Clicking on a logo brings up a concise overview of that company or application.
  • All Things Web 2.0 - This is where Christian Mayaud's Sacred Cow Dung list ended up. It's mostly up-to-date and obsessively categorized.
  • Web2.0List - Categorized by tags, Web2.0List is just what it sounds like.
  • Web2.0Logo - A sister site to Web2.0List, but this time with an emphasis on logos.
  • Dexly - Dexly tracks over 3,000 web 2.0 companies in 53 categories, including blogs that write about web 2.0 (like this one).
  • SimpleSpark - SimpleSpark lists web applications and is adding apps at a frenetic pace. They launched in May and earlier this month crossed the 3,000 applications mark.
  • FeedMyApp - The new kid on the block, FeedMyApp launched just this month but already lists 299 apps in 36 categories.
  • HappyCodr - HappyCodr is a list of Ruby on Rails-powered web sites. It's not strictly about web 2.0, but given web 2.0's infatuation with Rails you'll find a lot of neat web apps and social sites on the list (mixed in with the occasional content site backed by a Rails-based CMS).
  • Startup Search - Startup Search takes a different approach than the other lists in this round up, focusing on the people and funding behind web 2.0 companies rather than on the products.
  • Museum of Modern Betas - MoMB is a great daily blog by Saurier Duval about all things beta.
  • eHub - Emily Chang's eHub is another must read daily blog covering new web 2.0 sites.
  • Everything 2.0 - Bob Stumpel's link blog is yet another great daily look at new web 2.0 companies.
  • TechCrunch Company Index - Speaking of great blogs, our friends over at TechCrunch review a lot of web 2.0 companies. Luckily for us, they tag each one and arrange all the tags into a helpful company index.
  • Listio's Everything Web 2.0 Directory - Listio's directory lets anyone submit new web 2.0 sites and then vote on them digg-style. Browsable by tags.
  • KillerStartups - Another digg-style community directory of web 2.0, organized by categories.
  • Progammable Web's Mashup Directory - While this isn't a general web 2.0 directory, many things we call mashups fall under the 2.0 umbrella, so this is a great resource for web 2.0 watchers nonetheless.
  • Webware's Top 100 - The recently completed Top 100 competition from CNet's Webware blog isn't the most comprehensive list, nor the most scientific way to find the top web apps, but even so, it's a list of 100 apps that any web 2.0 fan will want to be aware of.
  • SEOmoz's Web 2.0 Awards - The 2007 edition of SEOmoz's awards lists over 200 web 2.0 sites in 41 categories.

Conclusion

I think its safe to say that there are more sites devoted to tracking web 2.0 now than there were when Richard made his original list in May 2006. More than a few entries on Richard's list were links to blog posts consisting of giant lists of web 2.0 sites, which have since evolved into full fledged directories or up-to-date daily link blogs. If you know of any other good web 2.0 directories or lists, please mention them in the comments.

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