As 2013 comes to a close, it is important to identify the trends in the social media universe that will be relevant in 2014. Online marketers can utilize these strategies to attract and retain more traffic. Here is some social media news that show trends that will continue into 2014.

1. Content Marketing Will Not Be Optional

Content marketing establishes credibility with audiences. A successful company builds a reputation in their industry. “Feel good” ads are becoming less important. Instead, prove that your company knows your product in and out. Target your audience and impress them. As Google moves its focus even further from keywords and bases its search rankings on popularity, the shift to producing unique and helpful content is important to keep your site ranking.

2. Mobile Friendly

According to Regan Communications, almost half the U.S. population currently uses a smart phone. By 2017, approximately 68% of the U.S. will be rocking a smartphone. While we are at it, let’s examine a few more statistics:

• Facebook is the third most popular app, only being beat by email and web browsing apps.
• On average, a person spends an average of 132 minutes per day on their smartphone.

Get the picture? Developing mobile friendly content is essential. Optimizing your material for smartphone users will bring convenience to your target market, and therefore more traffic to your site.

3. Video Production

Approximately 1 billion users visit YouTube each month. More search engines, like Google (that acquired YouTube in 2006 for $1.65 billion), are giving more attention to video search results. This is a good opportunity for businesses of all sizes to focus on delivering informative, powerful material to their audiences.

4. Increased Opportunity for Small Businesses in Social Media

Instead of buying the biggest billboard on the highway or largest ad in a newspaper, small companies can compete online with larger companies by getting creative. The internet marketing world is about directing traffic with tools and systems, not necessarily with the biggest budgets.

5. Diversity is Key

Twitter and Facebook are not the only battlefields. Other social networks are becoming more important. Online marketers can no longer avoid using these venues.

• Instagram has 150 million weekly users.
• Google+ is now over a billion users.
• Pinterest has 70 million users.
• There are over 300 million businesses on LinkedIn.
• LinkedIn recently launched University Pages, further developing the higher learning marketplace.

The social media universe is always changing. Companies that want a competitive advantage will do their research and get creative.

Here at Vision Advertising, our team specializes in internet marketing. Instead of providing a cookie cutter service to each of our clients, we work with you to develop a unique, comprehensive approach to your specific business needs. Explore the rest of our website or give us a call at (508) 754-3643. We would love to hear from you. Be sure to connect with us on Facebook!

What is your 2014 internet marketing strategy?