How Social Media Uses, Trends and Gadgets Will Shape 2011

2010 has been a big year for digital innovation, new technology and product launches. Even though it means bigger, faster and more productive products, for marketers, it means a lot of planning for 2011. Ideally, technological innovation and social trends (i.e. Foursquare, Groupon, etc.) should be utilized in 2011 planning as they are set to be the most influential indicators of the upcoming year. As 2009 and 2010 have shown, businesses of all sizes have benefited from up-to-date social media campaigns and current content. 2011 is projected to be the year of social media integration, and businesses only have a short period of time to jump on board.

The Year of Social Media may seem more like the Year of Facebook integration. According to a Covario report, the integration of search technology will be the #1 priority among advertisers, especially in the mobile market. This makes a lot of sense considering the already hyped about Rockmelt browser that is designed around social media integration and increasing the ability to share. Browsers aren’t the only ones jumping on board; instant messenger services like Skype have already integrated a live, Facebook feed tab and carries users to in-browser sessions if they want to share things bigger than comments and updates. The point is- the everyday things that have been around “for a while” with proven use, like IM’s and internet browsers or search engines, are enhancing their abilities to keep their products fresh and relevant, because, like all business, it’s all about competition. We may always use messaging or have to enter queries into an address bar, but what we ultimately choose for such actions will not depend on which product out-competes, it will depend on who out-integrates.

The Mobile Marketing Association (MMA) has reported some substantial statistics regarding 2011 marketing focuses – hands down, the common themes are mobility and integration. Mobile marketing budgets have increased 124% from 2010 and into 2011, leaving mobile technology with 4% of the total budget, and generally, digital marketing budgets are increasing from 30% to 32.3%. Unsurprisingly, outdoor, newspaper and direct mail campaigns are moving in the opposite direction and have all seen significant decreases in budgetary allowances. Researchers may need statistical evidence to know how viable mobile marketing and social media are, but with the quick trend turnover rates, it is reassuring to see billion dollar budgetary increases (2011 mobile marketing budgets equal $5.5 billion, compared with $2.3 in 2010).

Marketers should continue to pay close attention to the gadgets being purchased this holiday season, and released in 2011; Smartphone ownership is up (86% for Blackberry and Android; 77.5% for iPhone), and devices like tablet computers (22.5% to 44%), e-readers (2.5% to 18.75%), and netbooks (6.25% to 20%) are all replacing their less mobile counterparts.  Again it’s the mobility factor that is setting the standard. But even with the ease of information sharing in the mobile, digital age, it still means a company needs to understand their target audience. Location based features and applications are letting businesses do just that - Facebook Places, Foursquare and FB/Skype mobile integration allow a user to share their location, purchases and opinions as they happen, in real time, which is all facilitating purchases.  Companies would be well advised to understand their mobile marketing options now and enlist the help of such programs as Groupon or Scoutmob to propel them through the New Year and into 2011 ready to hit the ground running.

About Solar Velocity

Solar Velocity is an award winning, interactive marketing agency that provides innovative and creative results-orientated solutions that maximize profits for clients. Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Solar Velocity designs and develops wide-ranging marketing and technology solutions for clients, from creative web designs and complex web development to developing marketing strategies and branding, services are designed to achieve optimal brand awareness, along with increased sales, profitability, and high client satisfaction.