Well 2010 has nearly passed and with less than 9 hours remaining i thought i would get one last post in for the year.
As you can see it has not been a good year for my initial foray into blogging, this is mainly due to time and i have a new found respect for all the blogs and bloggers out there - its not easy. Also to note just slapping adsense on a page does not my you a millionaire over night nor does it grantee any form of income!
Right on with my predictions for 2011:
- Mobile - its slowly been gaining traction with 2010 being a bit of break through year, helped mainly by Android (its every where). 2011 looks like this trend is not going to stop and i am hoping CES showcases some good phones as i want to change (Android i think). I also believe the fact large numbers of non developed countries have better mobile networks than fixed line means there is massive potential make money on a global scale with the right site or app.
- HTML5 and CSS3 - this is sort of connected to the above as webkit already allows the use of this technology. I am looking forward seeing more growth in the sites using this technology it allows for some really great functionality such as off-line storage so you really can continue looking at or using a web site off-line! I also feel it offers enough that you don't need a native app which should reduces cost and using software such as phonegap means you have the option to app your site after if needed. The launch of IE9 in 2011 could be the big break for this technology with IE still dominating the browser market (come on Chrome).
- Location - Location based services seemed to be popping up all over the place this year some great (forusquare, facebook places) others you have to wonder why. As location is such a fundamental part of life I can only see this continuing next year. Once advertisers have a detailed understanding of where you go / live / travel and combine that with what you do online ads are going to get really specific and tailored to you as an individual although i am still yet to find an ad platform that makes me want to click. I even discussed this at work deciding I was not a typical web user but then again perhaps the ads i click are really good?
- Video - The web has come a long way since i first started using it, and i have noticed that photos / pictures are now regularly used on line where as 6 - 10 years ago it was mainly text. That's not to say i think sites are going to become more cluttered as the trend is towards clean, aesthetically pleasing designs. Following on from static imagery video is the next step Youtube is now the second largest search engine in the US and it is not just about user generated content any more i have watched a number of TV shows using it this year as well. 2011 is where i think more businesses will start to use video as a tool to market to consumers and provide a more personnel feel to their sites. Video is great for demos, reviews, ads and i think people are more willing to watch video than 500 word blog posts. Something else that will drive the explosion in video content is (once again) phones 3 years ago your phone was smart if it had a camera, today smart phones record in high definition and content can be load on to the internet at the push of a button. One channel a follow on Youtube publishes a lot of its content using just a Iphone 4!
- QR codes - OK this is a bit of a long shot but Qr codes provide a way for off-line to become on-line just by pointing a camera at a 2d bar code, i think this is great and until augmented reality becomes the norm in mobile devices. Just think about it you are reading a paper or magazine or see a bill board in the corner of the ad or page you spot a QR code point your phone at it and next thing you know your looking at the web page able to buy the product or find out more. This means no more having to remember long or short URLs and that stop at the station becomes slightly more interesting.
Well that's it hopefully i have picked a number of dead certs you will notice i did not mention social media i think 2010 may have been the high point for it and 2011 will see it become just a part of a businesses / persons marketing strategy - digital media for 2011?
Also a lot of my thoughts revolve around mobile devices, that because unlike computers / laptops i rarely meant someone who does not have a phone. They are a lot more personal and so offer better targeted advertising opportunities, people carry them almost every where a bit like house keys and there are not may things like that!
Hope 2010 has been good to you and lets hope 2010 is even better.
