Social media trends for 2012

According to TechCrunch’s Amy Jo Martin, there are a number of emerging trends for Social Media to watch out for in 2012.

1. Social TV Integration

Many shows have already begun to integrate social TV, either through polling or integrating social elements within the show. Social media played a pivotal role in the last US presidential elections, and it will likely be more integrated into political broadcasts.

As each news channel fights hard to keep their viewers engaged, the leading TV have made significant strides to engage their audience, although some would argue that this social media integration has come at the expense of hard-hitting journalism and analysis.

2. TV Is Going Online in a Big Way

The recent Super Bowl was the first time that the mega-sporting event was streamed live to the world. Since the Super Bowl is generally viewed as the mother of all advertising spectacles, it will add a new dynamic into the digital component to advertising and social media integration.

3. Facebook Credits Take Centre stage

Facebook in 2012 has the potential to project its power and truly take Facebook credits into a viable currency. Amy put it well when she says “they’re building an online destination we’ll never need to leave, and my guess is they’re only about 8% of the way through their product roadmap.”

4. Big Business Has Woken Up

The way corporate entities approach social media is shifting. Many companies realize that setting up Twitter, YouTube and Facebook accounts is not going to cut it as their social media strategy. Brands will need to seriously shift their perspective by treating social channels more like communication channels and less like an advertising channel in order to make a difference. 

5. ROI Is Still Huge

ROI will remain a key metric to any social media strategy. The concept of engagement is now becoming more and more an excepted metric. CEO adoption of social media is improving, and more CEOs are recognizing the benefits of humanising their brand by taking to Twitter.

There have been a lot of discussions about social media fatigue and whether brands refuse to play for that reason. With over a billion people on social media it’s irresponsible for any brand not to have some sort of presence. 2012 will be the year for brands to go beyond cookie cutter campaigns and really determine how it not only adds value to their company, but how it adds value for their customers. 2012 will be crucial for companies and social media. 

http://techcrunch.com/2012/01/15/some-key-social-media-trends-to-look-for-in-2012/