Business 2 CommunityThe Coming of Age of Social Media in 2014
It’s always fun to make New Year’s Resolutions and Predictions of hot trends for 2014. Some things are easier to predict like earthquakes, the weather and even global warming – others topics are not so “predictable” like human behavior and the stock market! All kidding aside, it’s my turn to chime in to what to look forward to in the coming new year.
Social Media – from fringe to mainstream
Businesses have finally realized that the eyes, ears and wallets are widening, listening and opening because of the influence of social media. Madison Avenue will be taken over by Main Street USA. Businesses must integrate a social media into their marketing strategy or they will lose sales to the competition.
Social Media – real people are the new influencers
We the People are sharing information, experiences and digital friends. Want a good restaurant or find a bargain go to Yelp, Trip Advisor or Travelzoo. People want the power of freedom of choice.
Social Media – on the go!
The growth of mobile marketing will explode in 2014. Forbes predicts in 3 short years, mobile sales will grow by 87%. Guess where people will turn to influence their shopping patterns. You guessed it – mobile. Websites must be responsive to mobile.
Social Media – the growth of Selfies
We are a narcissistic society and as a result images will be even more prevalent throughout the Internet. Pinterest and Instagram will see dramatic growth and marketers will use these platforms to push their products and services. Why read when you can be entertained!
Social Media – seeing is believing
Video will continue to capture our imagination and our attention. YouTube will continue its path of steady growth as brands push entertaining and informative content with the hopes viral sharing. Google (which owns YouTube) has made Google+ Hangouts user friendly in creating videos with it.
Social Media – Cheap is the new FREE!
Facebook and Twitter will continue to pick our pockets as they monetize their platforms. Cheap is the new Free – buying it now in 2014 will seem like a bargain come 2015.
Check back with me in 2015 for an update on how my predictions fared. Would love to get your predictions! It’s almost as fun as New Year’s Resolutions without the unpredictable weight loss!
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