Social Networking, Communications Predictions for 2011

Social Networking, Communications Predictions for 2011 

Click here http://bit.ly/h77z9N for the full article.

NewMediaPlus.Net is the leading blog for social media marketing information, click here to view the website.

Written by Freddy Wahler | 15 December 2010

 

 

Many industry and marketing professionals have been asking what to expect in 2011. Here are some thoughts based on my own experience and research.

The notion of doing business without social media in the coming years will be as antiquated as doing business without using email. It is no longer a buzzword or a fad. It is the future of marketing, and those who don't plan on integrating it into their model will be wondering why they're the last company to get on board and experience the same fate as the cassette tape and the buggy whip.

Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is considered by many to be the world's leading information technology research and advisory company.

It highlighted the top 10 technologies and trends that will be strategic for most organizations in 2011.

Gartner defines a strategic technology as, "one with the potential for significant impact on the enterprise in the next three years. Factors that denote significant impact include a high potential for disruption to IT or the business, the need for a major dollar investment, or the risk of being late to adopt."

Social media is one of these technologies and will need to be integrated with everything from websites to blogs and all other forms of marketing and media to be effective.

In the same manner that businesses currently use sales forecasting and other metrics, there will be a massive flight of companies looking not just for social media strategies but also for the metrics by which to measure their effectiveness.

Someone once told me that you cannot manage what you cannot measure. Some companies may be familiar with Web analytics that measure things like impressions and unique visitors, but when this is tied in with new marketing analytics which can measure calls to action, influence and reach, the impact of social media becomes well-defined and understood.

The only question that remains is who will be the industry leaders in utilizing this tool and how can smaller businesses avail themselves of these technologies and methodologies in their current models. And the answers to who will capitalize and who will be left behind set the stage for an exciting 2011.

Click here http://bit.ly/h77z9N for the full article.