Web 2.0 ignited an explosion of user-generated words, voices and video on the Internet.

It also expanded the boundaries of online communities from static message boards into a seemingly boundary-free zone of rapid-fire, real-time social media.

Networking, both social and professional, is increasingly likely to happen online during the day, not just pau hana, at bars. MySpace, LinkedIn and Twitter are a few social media sites that allow connections across interests and each works differently.

So how do you join in and market your business and engage your customers, promote your canoe club's fundraiser, or play in the inviting social media waters if you don't know how to blog or create a podcast, let alone write code or design a Web site?

Answers will swirl at PodCamp Hawaii 2008 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 24 and 25 with a concurrent WordCamp at the Hawaii Convention Center.

The uninitiated, newbies, veterans and the elite are invited to attend for free to learn to blog, podcast and otherwise maximize their online presence.

There will be some luminary guest speakers, including Matt Mullenweg, founder of free blog creation site WordPress.com, but PodCamp is a licensed event that follows a sort of unconference model.

That is, “;instead of having the speaker-attendee hierarchy, it's very peer to peer,”; said Roxanne Darling, one of the volunteer organizers.

Anyone can sign up online to speak, and a speaker for one topic likely will be an attendee for others. Speaking is not required, however.

If multiple speakers sign up for one topic, organizers can form them into a panel.

“;We are hoping ... to attract some attention from the business community,”; Darling said.

With the economic downturn and slashing of advertising budgets, “;time is the new money,”; she said. Local businesses, nonprofits and individuals can learn no-cost and low-cost techniques to build an online presence and how to pull Web traffic to them.

It is expensive to set up, so several sponsors are underwriting the event with cash or deep discounts on services. More are sought.

The venue itself is among them, since many PodCampers will be blogging, talking about and showing off Hawaii online.

Attendance is free but registration is required. About 135 people have signed up and “;we'll be really happy if we have 200 to 250,”; Darling said.

Separately, Darling is involved launching a Hawaii Chapter of the Social Media Club, which began in San Francisco. It plans a fee-based immersion class Oct. 23 for those wanting to fast-track into social media.