New, hip, cool websites are launching daily. Many, unfortunately, add absolutely no value to our lives. They offer a brief moment of entertainment & they are quickly forgotten. However, some websites offer a truly enriching, emersive experience and will make their mark on us forever. Here are some of the sites that have made their mark on me:
WOW! Build your own free website online. As the MD of a company that offers web development, I have to admit that Synthasite offers a compelling service that appears to be aimed at the SME market. Build your own website online through your web browser & Synthasite will host it free of charge – what’s the catch? None! I was fortunate to meet Vinny Lingham, the founder of Synthasite recently. Vinny’s energy & vision for Synthasite is contagious – and best of all – it’s a business born within South Africa!
Think you’re good at solving problems? Join InnoCentive’s online community & receive cash bounties from companies who post their challenges online. Companies are harnessing the power of mass collaboration and are allowing anyone to participate in helping them innovate.
If you’ve ever explored the possibility of publishing a book you would have discovered how little the publishers share with their authors. Lulu allows you to self publish your book online – you determine the price the book is sold at and the margin you want to make. Lulu will automatically make the book available on Amazon and will assign you an ISBN number. Another great service offered is the ability to generate custom printed photo albums – I recently generated a fully printed wedding album for my brother & sister in law using Lulu. With a small amount of effort I was able to provide a uniquely personal, high quality gift.
One of the longest existing B2B sites that I know of. Elance matches contractors with contract jobs – bid for work online & perform freelance work. You can access an international resource pool online – instantly.
Plan your holiday based on other travellers actual experiences! It doesn’t stop there – like what you see? Go ahead & book your entire trip in one place!
Love photography? Share your photos online, view other peoples photos.
Really love photography? What to earn revenue from your hobby? Signup at Shutterstock as a photographer and earn cash each time your photo is purchased.
Apologies for this cliche – but Wikipedia really is a site that has made an impact on my daily life. The information is surprisingly thorough, accurate, and well constructed. If you have to become an expert on any subject matter in 2 minutes – this is the ONLY place to start.
Are there some websites that have changed your life? Please post a comment & let us know!
by Sean Riley
