I asked some of our contributors if they wanted to share some predictions for 2011 and their New Year's Resolutions …
From Mark Nicholson
Social media – Quora will not live up to the early hype.
Advertising – Facebook will introduce another advertising format option
Also – geo location advertising will make significant gains and mobile will continue to be faster growing area.
From Barb Sawyers
My predictions:
While content will still matter, it will be shorter, thanks to the rise of social media, mobile computing and shrinking attention spans. People will have to be clear and focused because they’ll have to say more in fewer words if they want to be heard in the noisy crowd.
E-books will gain market share from paper. E-book writers will also start to use technology to create a richer reading experience.
The choices in how we communicate will continue to multiply.
My New Year’s Resolutions
Get more people to buy my e-book, Write like you talk—only better, to help both writers and readers enjoy written communication more and buy me some time to write an e-book that goes beyond the next page.
Lose 10 pounds, the same resolution I’ve had for 15 years.
From Monica Hamburg
Not really a prediction, but Monica is a certified Trend Maker
Formspring comes to public transit allowing you anonymously ask your fellow commuters what odor they are exhibiting.
New Years Resolution:
Slow down in spite of (assumed) expectations. Social media etc. expects immediacy, but most replies to Twitter DMS etc. require thought. I shall apply: "Let me think about it." more often.
From Erica Glasier
Prediction:
I predict that marketing departments everywhere will be restructured as the seriousness of new media as a channel gets noticed by CMOs. Organizations that have implemented social media positions will realize that the online face of brand can’t be a junior communications person or an intern flying without a map. New media bandaids will need to get ripped off and replaced with precision surgical work (ie genuine, holistic strategies that incorporate the PR, customer service, communications, branding, advertising, marketing and engagement functions of new media). Direct mail, however, will not die.
See: Jeremiah Owyang on switching from ‘evangelist’ to ‘program manager’ http://mashable.com/2010/12/08/social-media-strategist/
New Year’s Resolution:
Drink more water. I make this resolution every year, but this time I mean it.
I am not much of a gambler, nor one for making predictions, well at least predictions that are not outright goofy – but I will tell ya, here are …
the Top 5 Things I DO NOT want to see in 2011
# 5- Net Neutrality in Canada defeated – Net now run by Revenue Canada – They get 90% we get 10%
# 4 – LinkedIn and Lavalife merge = we now have very, very happy unemployed sales guys and gals!
# 3 – FourSquare owner's mother grounds him. Becomes Mayor of his bedroom.
# 2 – Farmville and Cityville are invaded by Mafia Wars and users now have to pay for "protection"
(Thanks Mark!)
And the #1 Thing I definitely DO NOT want to see in 2011
– Twitter being purchased by Rogers and each Tweet now costs $37.50. Roaming charges may apply!
I do believe 2011 will be the year of FaceBook and such like sites.