Social Media Predictions 2009

Former Forrester analyst and Friend, Peter Kim has aggregated a list of 2009 predictions from a few minds he trusts and has produced a wonderful year-end artifact in the form of a PDF which you can download. I'm glad I could be a part of it. Enjoy.

Community and collaboration are wonderful things.

Fourteen great minds on social media have shared thoughts on what 2009 may have in store for us. Here's some of what they're thinking:

• "Although it is now cheaper to launch an initiative leveraging Web 2.0 technology - it requires qualified and passionate people to make them successful." - David Armano
• "You may not always start the year as a leader, but you can certainly finish it that way." - Rohit Bhargava
• "Intimacy touches emotion; emotion powers conversation." - Pete Blackshaw
• "Doors are going to close all over the social web. Why? Because the money didn't come the way people thought it would." - Chris Brogan
• "The tipping point has not only *not* been reached, but could still tilt *away* from Social Media." - Todd Defren
• "There's a lot of fixing that needs to be done." - Jason Falls
• "Dwindling budgets suddenly make low-cost social media look like the pretty girl at the ball." - Ann Handley
• "We're going to develop a set of better metrics to help guide, direct and validate 'commitment'." - Joseph Jaffe
• "The movement is rooted in a desire to have quality, not quantity, as people cocoon in the face of the economic crisis." - Charlene Li
• "After a pre-qualifying wrestling match..." - Ben McConnell
• "These will be cumulative events and interactions that will build brand loyalty for the companies that pay attention to them." - Scott Monty
• "The recession will force revenue results out of social technologies." - Jeremiah Owyang
• "Companies that focus on earning love will thrive during hard times, and kick ass when good times return." - Andy Sernovitz
• "Suddenly, being Facebook friends with your mom will seem less ridiculous than following 4,000 strangers on Twitter." - Greg Verdino

Everyone's thoughts have been assembled in this PDF. You can also read the document in-line below.

Your feedback is appreciated and I'd love to hear your thoughts on this.

Comments

[Corey James]

Amen David. I've actually taken your quote and put it up at the office. Folks often need a reminder that new social technologies also require qualified, passionate people to run & grow them successfully.

[BJ Cook]

I second that comment from Corey and would say that there are going to be many companies looking to rebuild their first entrance into the social media space. Like any new buzzword or trend, there has been an increase in snake oil ;)

[Stuart Glendinning Hall]

Great post, thanks. My two cents worth? To beat the competition it helps to be in the right time, at the right place. Social media can help you do this.

[Daniel Oyston]

I found you comment the most relevant David and it is something I ma wrestling with at my current work at the moment.

We have staff that create absolute fans of their/our work and products. We do nothing to harness that and I ma currently pushing the social media barrow.

The problem lies in getting them to understand the space and be passionate about it. It is a slow process but I am chipping away ...

[wanna develop]

Those are some pretty good predictions... Advertising and profits should be priority #1 on everybody's list :)

Best,
Mike

http://www.wannadevelop.com

[Karl Long]

hey David, here's mine I put together on christmas day :)
http://experiencecurve.com/archives/my-2009-prediction-on-social-media-and-beyond-the-flight-from-growth-to-value

You are one of the winners in 2008 for me man, you put great stuff out there that provides a different view on what we're all trying to work out now.