We make resolutions to get thinner, be healthier, spend more time with friends and finish that 2,000 page book – why not make one internet marketing resolution for 2013?
Not sure which resolution should be top priority for you or your business? Here are the top areas to pay attention to:
MOBILE BOOM
Though it’s been repeated for a few years now, the PC may finally die in 2013. PC shipments declined for the first time ever in 2012, so I foresee mobile advertising – and with it, responsive – becoming the new norm as everyone switches to tablets, laptops or just mobile phones.
LOCAL FOCUS
The only place to start online to acquire new business as a local business is to be present in maps and have reviews readily available to prospective customers. Companies without reviews will be burned simply by the lack of reviews, whether they are positive or negative. This trend can only continue as the importance of customer feedback grows.
SOCIAL MEDIA IMPACTS
Social media’s impact will also spread wider within business infrastructures as brand advocates gain importance and influence over their friends, turning fans into marketers themselves.
EXPANDED DIGITAL WALLET
– Adobe Systems called Cyber Monday 2012 a record day, estimating $1.98 billion in web sales. More and more people spend their time and money online each year, and I don’t foresee this trend slipping.
SOCIAL SEARCH
Facebook, YouTube, Twitter will inevitably become closely aligned with online search and take it to the next level. Of course, Google+ has begun to tap into the social graph and return results based on connections. In 2013, be sure your company can be found on these platforms.
SEMANTIC SEARCH
What if Google knew you couldn’t eat gluten while you were searching for restaurants? Semantic mark-up allows Google to understand these secondary requirements without you typing them in. They do, after all, want to be the ‘answer engine’. It is only a matter of time before the other engines follow.
TEST, MEASURE, REPORT
Whatever you choose to include in your internet marketing strategy for 2013, stick with it! If you’re making a small change, be sure to measure it. Trying new things inevitably creates hurdles, but do your best to see it through. In most cases, you will be generously rewarded for being one of the first adopters.
