Social Media Predictions in 2010

I spent most of 2009 trying to acclimate myself managing time between family, work and school (I started classes to earn my MBA in 2009.) Unfortunately, I forgot to keep up with my blog. Given that, I want start off 2010 right by adding post to my blog on this wonderful New Year's Day!

The New Year brings lots of hope and joy for many people around the world. Last year's problems and events appear to be in the rear-view mirror as we march forward. New challenges and opportunities will arise in 2010. For me, I want to continue to learn more about the fascinating world of social media.

Social media had its fair share of challenges and obstacles in 2009. Former social media giant, Myspace.com, saw its website traffic lower. But the rise in popularity of Twitter, Google Wave and mobile applications in 2009 will give way to continued growth in 2010. Given that, I have a few social trends I'd like to predict for 2010.

Social Media Predictions in 2010

• Mobile News Apps will Gain Popularity - Do I really think social media will replace current media outlets (e.g., CNN, ABC, Fox News, etc...)? No! But I do think social media will change the way we receive our news. A declining customer base has led to thousands of newspapers and media outlets closing their doors. Personally, I think media will find new ways to reach consumers in 2010. More mobile apps will be created so consumers can access news content easily from mobile devices in 2010. Additionally, I think media outlets will create apps to help consumers share data more efficiently.
  

• Mobile Usage Increases in 2010- Given the current growth in cellular technology and usage, mobile usage will continue to increase. More people will be accessing the internet via mobile devices 2010. (Hey, I had to throw an easy prediction in here somewhere!)

• Video Blogging Increases and Gains Popularity - You Tube's continued growth helps support my theory that video is the ultimate social media platform. I think the technology is still developing though. You Tube needs to find a better way for consumers to interact on the site (e.g., allow consumers to instant message when logged into YouTube). Overall, I think companies and consumers alike will begin to utilize video more on blogs and social media networks in 2010. If you think about it, almost every successful viral campaign has had a video component. Really, what is "Dove Evolution" without the video? Nothing? Exactly! Online video will be the bees neez of social media in 2010. Expanding the way people interact on YouTube (or an equivalent site) will be the key to longevity.

• E-mail will become more "Real-Time" - The advent of tools like Google Wave bring a lot of promise to "real time" online discussion. E-mail will become the new "snail mail" by 2020 (maybe sooner).
  

I hope everyone likes my predictions. I tried to be a little bold, especially with video and e-mail. I simply added mobile apps in so I could get at least one of my predictions right. What are your predictions for social media in 2010? I'd love to hear.