One of the things that we are going to continue to see as we get closer to the end of the year and begin 2013 are posts and other predictions about what we are going to see trending with emerging media for the upcoming year.  We saw this just a year ago about what professionals and others are going to say is going to be the next big thing with brands and social media.

What we are seeing here as we enter the upcoming year is not necessarily a focus on tools, but more on strategies.  Understanding not only what are some of the platforms that brands and others have to be aware of, but how to use these effectively within a PR or Marketing campaign.

Here are some other emerging trends I think we are going to see for the upcoming year:

  • Data, data, and more data:  The focus on understanding the vast amount of information that is circulating via social media is amazing.  The ability of taking this information and translating this into measurable metrics that can be used to provide insight into the power of online conversations to offline behavior will be the name of the game. This is one of the key components that is being shared and discussed in social media marketing – which does tie in the strategies with measurable data that fits the overall objectives and goals of a brand.
  • Transmedia and transdisciplinary: We are going to be working with seamless integration across platforms not only in social media terms, but also when it comes to social media research teams.  We are all studying the same phenomenon as researchers, so we have to make sure to bring together leading experts from other disciplines to fully understand what is going on here.  We are seeing a stronger presence of teams made up of public relations, marketing, systems, psychology, business, and anthropology come together with their research.
  • Power of information can be reached through social media education:  The increase in social media classes, workshops, training, and conferences will continue to be present in 2013. More books and resources will be available – but it is how you interpret and comprehend the information that is out there to be effective in your own work. Becoming a student of the technology will not only be just an option, but more of an expectation.
  • Dominant presence of mobile: Second screen focus on not only TV (social media) but also translated into shopping and other PR practices (ex. crisis communications) will be trending also in 2013. More focus on targeted local ads, messaging, and information will also be apparent on your mobile devices and other emerging technologies will continue to be present and important for the upcoming year (ex. augmented reality).
  • Photos and videos will continue to be social currency for consumers, but will be more integrated to form a more comprehensive digital story:  Visuals are a powerful tool for brands and PR professionals, but what we will continue to see is the seamless integration of these not only across these platforms, but the focus will be to share the experience and brand story of the company or individual involved.

In summary, these are just a few things I see for the upcoming year.  While it is good to see what others are saying about what to expect for the upcoming year, it is always good to do your own research and determine which ones you will follow and what are going to be some strategies you will take to explore other possibilities.

Hope you all are having a great day!

Best Wishes,

Karen