Predictions for 2008

Widgets will rule!  Social media portals -- big, SLOW, dense sites like Facebook and MySpace in particular -- will lose market share to blogs stocked with smart widgets, including advertising-networked widgets, apps that allow for communication (think Twitter and well beyond)  and community building (see BigTent.com) as an example.  In other words, I believe that centralized social media communication's center won't hold much longer.

For my full blatherings on the subject feel free to look at my more-detailed piece on the subject, MySpace Vs. Facebook: A Battle Neither Can Win (http://whatmattersonline.wordpress.com/2007/12/28/myspace-vs-facebook-a-battle-neither-will-win/).

Looked at another way, if you're thinking about how to sell through social media channels, it will become increasingly important to understand how widgets tie communities together, and how to jump into those media.

If you saw the 60 minutes article, I think Charlene Li of Forrester Research pointed out that Facebook or other similar networks have the potential to impact search engine marketing. It's the next step for personalized search and referrals that Google/Yahoo doesn't provide. For example, I go to Angie's List for contractor search, not Google. So I can use Facebook for other types of personal recommendation / search.

• Increasing use of Mobile Apps
• Continued growth of online marketing spend to the detriment of tv and print
• More pay for performance models