As the online world continues develop, now is a good time to step back and look at the major Internet Marketing Trends are going to be effecting your business this year. With this new year, and the start of another decade, expect change, expect innovation and expect new opportunities for your business. In order to help you prepare to capitalize on everything to come, here is a list of the main Internet Marketing Trends you should understand and address in your overall marketing planning for the new year.
#1 Digital Portfolios
Whether you like it or not, you are in the process of developing a unique digital portfolio for your business. This may include your website, your blog and your email newsletter. It may include your Twitter feed, your Facebook page and your Yelp profile page.Expect 2010 to be the year that successful companies stop conducting random digital tactics, and instead start developing holistic digital strategies that showcase the company's identity and tell the most effective story.
#2 Customer Voice
Customer and product reviews are highly valued by consumers and have a major impact on purchasing decisions. Expect the customer voice to get louder and louder in 2010.
#3 Google & Bing Innovation
Microsoft introduced their new search engine Bing in June 2009, and soon afterward entered into an agreement with Yahoo! to power the latter's future organic and paid search results. Bing keeps gaining incremental marketshare, while Yahoo!'s continually deteriorates. The innovation battle between Bing and Google has officially started.
#4 Real-Time Web
The pace of Internet Marketing quickened rapidly this past year, and there's no turning back. Twitter is all about real-time communication. Facebook and LinkedIn offer real-time updates. Real-time web puts new demands on a small business, and successful companies will find a strategy and sustainable process that enables them to have an authentic, consistent real-time voice in the marketplace in 2010.
#5 Mobile
The mobile market is exploding. According to the Mobile Marketing Association (MMA), mobile marketing expenditures are expected to exceed $2 billion in 2010.
#6 Location-Based Marketing
With an explosion in the mobile market, local based marketing is following close behind. There are already several services like Google Latitude and Loopt that are offering location-based marketing and it is expected that this trend will continue to grow in 2010.
#7 Social
Social marketing was the big thing in 2009 and is a trend that continues to steadily grow. Expect to see this market to become less of a tactic or novelty and to become a sincere way for businesses to listen and engage with current and potential customers.
#8 Video Blogs
People like video and currently over 78% of the US internet marketing view online videos. Technology for viewing videos has progressed dramatically through the iPhone 3GS, The Flip and You Tube. Expect a rise in video blogs and embedded videos this year.
#9 US Hispanic Market
Hispanics are the fastest growing segment of US population. Currently, research today reports that more HIspanics spend time on the internet than non-Hispanics. 70% of Hispanic internet users describe themselves as being online "frequently" or "Always". Be prepared and plan ahead to accommodate this fast growing market, remembering that 88% of Hispanics learn Spanish as their first language.
#10 Marketing Integration
Successful businesses this year will be integrating their marketing efforts. Consumers today do not stop to differentiate between offline and online like marketers do. Marketers will have to be prepared to take more of a messy, zig-zag process rather than a sterile straight line with one message.
