Duncan, Mike, and I were discussing 2012 and what we’re looking forward to. I will tell you that we don’t predict for the world to end, but we may see some things begin to fall off that seem tried and true today. Enjoy my 2012 marketing predictions and listen live to our podcast 12/20/2012 at 5:00 p.m. EST to hear more.
Social
Niche social sites (ie- Instagram, Pinterest, Path, Quora, etc.) will gather more momentum, but stay niche much like Tumblr. Facebook currency may take on another dimension, but more importantly Google+ will finally become something that we can’t afford to ignore.
Local
Local businesses that seize the opportunity to leverage Google, Foursquare, Yelp, etc. will begin seeing distinctive advantages in those efforts. And, we’ll find out if Groupon and LivingSocial can compete with Google Offers. I still don’t understand the deep discount craze, so I can’t predict if there will be a winner or if the whole concept will blow up.
Mobile
If you haven’t really explored this space or put much effort into it as yet don’t get left behind. It’s so much more than text messaging, so dive in. However, be smart with what you invest in here. We don’t need an app for everything, and from what I’m seeing you don’t need a separate mobile website either.
Search
Page 1 of Google isn’t as important if you can leverage social discovery over search discovery. Search engines are still important, but the social factors are becoming critical. There is more than one way to skin a cat, but SEO is evolving. Updating your status on Facebook, Twitter, or other channels with a question is now part of the search process, and marketers need to understand and leverage that in 2012. One could even say that what people share is more important than what people find.
Apartment Marketing
Marketing budgets are shifting because we’re measuring everything and eliminating waste. Commodity marketing won’t cut it in the consumer’s eyes, and they want more than listings. Craigslists success may begin to fade. We’ll continue to measure more and more of our marketing efforts and communications. And finally, the ideas today for using a tablet or smartphone in the leasing process will look much different by the end of 2012. Make sure what you invest in today can evolve with the trends and your needs.
Would love your thoughts on these topics as well! Thanks for following in 2011, and cheers to 2012!!!
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In case you missed it, check out the Best of MarkJuleen.com 2011.
And if you really want to be overwhelmed by where technology is going, watch this video. Networked Society ‘On the Brink’
