You only have so much time for social media sites, to create a business presence on them. So it’s important to pick and choose where to spend your limited time and resources. That said, where should you spend your time? Exactly which social media sites are hot?
Will the beautifully redesigned MySpace make a comeback with a mainstream business audience? Will Pinterest keep growing? Will Foursquare decline? What about Google+ and LinkedIn?
Recently a group of social media pros and marketers weighed in with their thoughts for the Dell Social Media Predictions eBook. Included were predictions from Ann Handley of Marketing Profs, Lee Odden of TopRank, Michael Brito of Edelman, Toby Bloomberg of Cox Media Group, and consultant-authors Rohit Bhargava and Shel Israel, to name a few.
I’m happy to report that Small Business Trends had a presence there, as my predictions made it into the ebook, on slide 4. I embed the entire ebook from Slideshare below. Beneath that, I include the full text of my own predictions. See what you think, and leave a comment with YOUR thoughts. How would you have answered the questions?
Text of Slide 4 with the predictions of Anita Campbell, Founder of Small Business Trends (@smallbiztrends):
Q: What social media channel do you feel is primed to grow its audience base the most in 2013 and which one may disappear?
A: Google+ is primed to grow the most, simply because you can’t afford to ignore it. With Google tying it to other products such as local search, and using it as a signal (however nebulously they define it) in search results, its not just another social network. It’s shaping up to be much much more.
We won’t see any major social channel completely disappear, but I will predict that MySpace’s recent redesign won’t broaden its relevance. It’s pretty much been relegated to bands and artists, and brands distinctly seeking the teen market.
Q: Can you share your best advice for a brand to connect with their audience on a one-on-one level?
A: Make yourself and/or your team visible, with names attached. That way the public, customers and prospects know there are real people behind the social accounts. For example, on Twitter, if you have a company account, identify who exactly is doing the tweeting. On a company blog, identify the writers by name (I don’t know about your company but I don’t have anyone in my company named “admin”!).
Use photos of your people too. Our engagement on one site I own increased 20% after we put up a rotating Featured Moderators box and a Moderators page listing them all.
Anita,
I was going to say pretty much the same thing when you mentioned MySpace.
I think that it’s way too late for MySpace to make a comeback. With all the social media sites that are around now, adding another one to the mix isn’t all that appealing. (To me.)
And, I agree 100% with you on Google+.
How can anyone afford to ignore it?
Great job!
The Franchise King®
Hi Joel,
It was interesting that the summary slide suggested MySpace is likely to grow. But not with small businesses, IMHO. I agree, it’s too late for a comeback. Much harder for social sites to gain a foothold with businesses these days….
– Anita
I agree with your take on MySpace. It will bounce back a bit (and it is still valid in the music field), but I don’t think it will be in the hot spot.
I am not trying to ignore Google+, but it is not always on my mind as my daily routine. When I listen to Guy Kawasaki’s rave about Google+ I am thinking I have to take another look on how to incorporate it in my workflow. The folks at Google have a master plan with Google+ as search 2.0 (3.0+?) would evolve. But will it be an established network to “hang out” (pun intended!;)) at?
Anita: I am glad to hear that my photo as a moderator on BizSugar didn’t scare away the visitors, readers, users, etc.! 😉
“Use photos of your people too. Our engagement on one site I own increased 20% after we put up a rotating Featured Moderators box and a Moderators page listing them all.”
Anita, congrats on making it into Dell’s ebook of predictions. Should we decide to develop SocialMediaPredictions.com I’d love to get back in touch with you for future social predictions or updates. Great stuff, and thanks for sharing.
Great piece, Anita. I echo you and Joel statements in regards to MySpace. I see Myspace being a suitable platform for musicians and artists, as it pretty much is now. But never for businesses or large corporations. Their time has been passed.
It’s a shame to. Letting a site like Facebook one up you and pretty much steal all of your thunder and then some has got to hurt.
Ti
Hey Tina,
Great post. When I found out a new social media like site had been rolled out by Google I immediately signed up to it thinking it would be a big hit since Google would be pushing to make it successful and I think many other social media experts thought the same. But that’s all that happened. People signed up but didn’t bother to use it. I do think in the future it will be very popular though because of the steps that you’ve mentioned Google have put into place but will it be able to topple Facebook? Honestly I just don’t think so. I think Google+ will become popular with bloggers and social media experts as a tool to promote their content/blog/business rather than a place where the masses go to for some fun or to pass the time.
Social media can be a good place to “socialize” and pick up current trends if that is all you are after.
Some of these so-called “Professional” websites can also be a good source of bad advice and derogatory remarks as my Facebook website above has shown. Some of these people are a threat to the environment and personal safety with their bull. Many cannot see the forest for trees when it comes to a problem staring them in the face. Now it can be seen on Facebook where they can “face” the music.