To say that the web 2.0 has revolutionized the way people use the Net is quickly becoming an understatement. Massive online communities such as MySpace, YouTube, and Facebook now dominate the Web, rivaling more conventional Internet giants such as Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft for traffic. As social networking sites command an ever-larger portion of the world’s internet traffic, advertisers are taking notice.

The harsh reality for advertisers is that their traditional methods of reaching consumers are failing. It’s hard to push your message out to an intended audience when the audience is in control of their media experience. YouTube and other social networking sites let the users decide what they see, when they see it, and where. If advertisers want their messages heard they must learn to attract customers with engaging content that pulls them in.

Take television, where time shifting, downloadable content, and streaming video are rapidly changing media viewing habits and making television an interactive experience. A recent study in Britain found that 28% of 16-24 year-olds watch video online more than once each week. 43% of Britons who watch video on the Internet, moreover, said they watched less TV as a result. In this new media world companies can’t pay for prime time spots, they must earn them instead.