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This year has seen a bevy of big time changes on the web. What is mentioned below may not have been born of this year, but they certainly have come into their own in 2011.
- Facebook has changed the world with their social network with everything from toppling dictators, revealing criminals, to changing how surfing the web is done.
- Google it seems was moving away from the one that brought them to the dance. That is search. Their product line up was at times a virtual mess of products, many without much relevance to one another. They ranged from various technical time wasters, to super sophisticated analytical wares for the ecommerce specialist. Until lately that is. As the giant is seemingly putting everything under one banner called their +1 social network. This should help to make things look less disorganized by them. And will perhaps be a better product offering than what Facebook does.
- Group / Coupon / Daily deals advertising/buying. Groupon has spawned a number of copycat group buying services and offshoots. Even Facebook and Google have gotten into the game. Forcing the commoditization of the webs products and services. Further bringing more consumers to expect everything to be closer and closer to free. But I digress.
- Mobile. By the end of this year the only phones sold will be smart phones. Since 33% of Facebook users use mobile to post. This number should grow as more people own phones and do with them what their older brother did with laptops. Is your website mobile friendly? If not call us and we can take care of that for you.
- Reviews. Online marketing has become a reputation management activity. People can effect your reputation by links, likes, reviews, comments, posts and a number of other dastardly actions that I care not to reveal. Suffice it to say the consumer is in command. Choosing to treat your reputation online with less than serious attention can be a devastating endeavor.
