Simren Deogun

January 3, 2011
By Simren Deogun
1 Comment
in Business, Thoughts

Did Your 2010 Marketing Predictions Come True?

In January 2010, I made my first set of predictions on what the year would hold for the 'wonderful world of marketing' (a la Disney!). Read my 2010 predictions post here.

I wanted to take this opportunity to review how wrong I was -- and in some instances right!

2010 Prediction Review

1. Social Media Integration
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube. Now add Foursquare, mobile applications, QR codes and Groupon. Marketing campaigns strived to integrate across the board digitally.
FUTURE: Is 2011 the year when businesses start taking social media seriously?

2. Social Media Failure
VERICT: False (Somewhat)
WHAT HAPPENED: Facebook grew exponentially by being the most visited site on the Internet passing Google, fuelled by the widespread adoption of Login and Like Buttons, reaching over 500 million users, and the introduction of Single Sign-on. Twitter continued to hold steady with increased funding, an influx of 100 millions users in 2010 and a new interface. LinkedIn remains a constant in the social media game, and quite depressingly added a 'Share' button. Foursquare -- the biggest trend (dare I say) of the year -- looks like it might just flop after all.
FUTURE: Will anyone really care about LBS-based apps? Will Twitter be able to sustain its social viability for another 12 months?

3. The Next Google
VERDICT: False (Maybe a bit early for this prediction)
WHAT HAPPENED: Launch of Google Instant. Launch of the Google eBookstore. Facebook became more 'popular' than Google. Chrome continues to rule. Buzz and Wave fall flat.
FUTURE: Is Google becoming too big? Is Google too diversified?

4. Content Ownership
VERDICT: False (Too early again)
WHAT HAPPENED: Web 2.0, though ancient in digital years, is still a learning curve for many. With social media as the major distraction of 2010, content licensing never became a real legal concern. And then there is the prickly issue of what kind of content -- blog, video, social, etc.
FUTURE: Will it take until Web 3.0 to push for stricter content regulations online?

5. Mobile Marketing
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: Apple stays in strong contention with its massive media-hog, iPhone 4, survives Antennagate, goes ape for iAds and revolutionizes yet another market with iPad. Google's Android beats iPhone in growth and hits it big with HTC and Samsung. BlackBerry goes Torch with lacklustre results but keeps interest piqued with PlayBook announcement. Oh, and Microsoft releases Windows Phone 7.
FUTURE: As mobile continues to grow, how will marketers use this new platform to reach their audience outside of display ads?

6. Conversation Conversion
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: Have a look at number 1 and 2. Social media integration was big and it will continue to grow, businesses became savvier with tracking and measuring and they will continue to get savvier, and marketers worked to capture data and keep the conversation going even after a visitor hit their landing page.
FUTURE: How will marketers respond to the overwhelming demands of social media and keep the conversation simple and relevant?

7. Video and, of course, YouTube
VERDICT: True
WHAT HAPPENED: YouTube is THE place for video and has become synonymous with viral. Viral is not something you can strategize and you certainly shouldn't try. Everyone loves video and they REALLY loved YouTube in 2010 with over 700 Billion videos viewed!
FUTURE: Will YouTube streamline its advertising options? Can the YouTube Brand channel become more flexible to marketers (think Facebook Pages and Apps)?

8. AdWords are Dead
VERDICT: False
WHAT HAPPENED: AdWords is the word in online advertising. Brand integrity, loyalty and first-entry advantage. 2010 did not dispel any of this.
FUTURE: Will Facebook ads become a more viable, easier-to-use and more fruitful alternative to Google's AdWords?

9. Traditional Marketing Continues to Endure A Painful Death
VERDICT: True & False
WHAT HAPPENED: Publishing continues to suffer, as do Print ads what with carrying a heftier price tag when compared to digital offerings. TV, Radio, Direct and the like continue on ... though perhaps on eggshells.
FUTURE: Can 'integration' of online and offline truly be the overarching marketing theme for 2011?

10. Web 3.0
VERDICT: False
WHAT HAPPENED: Web 2.0 lives on with the help of social media.
FUTURE: Maybe 2012, 2015 or 2020. "Web 3.0 is coming around the mountain ... Web 3.0 will be trying to make the web personal period. Personified by the ongoing, never-ending conversation between customer and provider, the intelligence of the web, and the ultimate in personalization and customization."

What do you think 2011 be like?

January 3, 2010
By Simren Deogun
2 Comments
in Business

What Does 2010 Hold for Marketing?

Here's my Top 10 for 2010:

1. Social Media Integration - In '09 we saw Twitter and LinkedIn join forces (which has actually had a lacklustre outcome). We'll see more of this integration across the board, with Facebook Connect becoming more popular and social media outlets needing to ensure longevity, watch for some more widespread integration and collaboration. Plus, and I'm throwing it under this heading, businesses will be forced to learn how to really measure social media, pre- and post-launch. (How does that well-formed social media relationship impact conversions?)

2. Social Media Failure - At some point, one of the major social media forums has to fall. It's inevitable that the novelty of one service will prove to be a fad. I think Twitter should be scared because it won't be long until a new, more creative way to communicate is unveiled.

3. The Next Google - Google's afraid to acknowledge the pink elephant in the room because that unclaimed elephant wants a share of Google's pie. The only question: is it one of those cute harmless fluffy ones or is it one that will stomp Google away like Bing tried but failed to do?

4. Content Ownership - Search engines have access to all content on the web like pickpockets taking whatever they please. Organizations and people will begin demanding ownership of content and restricting its availability. This leads to a not-so-pretty road of licensing content online.

5. Mobile Marketing - The as-of-yet barely touched mobile world of marketing is set to explode. With display ads making barely a splash, watch for market leaders to use social media, the internet in general and SMS/MMS to talk to their targets via their mobile device. Let's call it "new-school push marketing".

6. Conversation Conversion - They're tweeting the hell out of you, your Facebook page is 'fanned' up, blogs are lighting up your site with inbound links but you keep wondering where the conversions are. Time for those B2Bs in particular to be more proactive about communicating with prospects -- live communication online and offline. Think live chat, follow-up calls, immediate data capture.

7. Video and, of course, YouTube - I'm a little sick of hearing about YouTube but it's not going away. It was the first to successfully bring video sharing with ease of use to the masses. The power now lies within the 90-second spot (especially for businesses). It's essentially a cheap TV commercial with a longer runtime. Use videos as attention-grabbers online and to instigate viral heaven aka word-of-mouth.

8. AdWords are Dead - More my pipe dream than anything close to reality. AdWords are the reason Google makes the big bucks but, for many businesses, they are a waste of money. Building search visibility, reputability and recognition naturally means paying attention to your online presence. Take the thousands of dollars you're spending on AdWords every month and hold an event instead.

9. Traditional Marketing Continues to Endure A Painful Death - Saying goodbye to print, direct, radio and TV (among others) has been difficult. Everyone's spending less and will continue to do so over the next year. A resurgence will occur in these mediums once marketers realize that it's the whole package NOT just online that will reap them the more extravagant benefits.

10. Web 3.0 - Maybe 2010, 2012 or 2015. Web 3.0 is coming around the mountain. HP's trying to make the computer personal again, Web 3.0 will be trying to make the web personal period. Personified by the ongoing, never-ending conversation between customer and provider, the intelligence of the web, and the ultimate in personalization and customization. See labnol.org for more.

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