You knew this was coming. How could we let January pass without doing a trend prediction? Here is what we’ll be watching for as 2011 passes by:
1. Most new websites will be mobile friendly
With more and more smart phones showing up in the hands of consumers, it now seems like a bad business plan to design a site that won’t work with a smart phone. Look for companies everywhere to make this a top priority.
2. More social media
It seems like that isn’t possible, but a Mashable post in May showed that only 24% of small businesses are using social media. While that number many have increased in the past seven months, look for it to keep climbing through 2011.
3. Shorter web content
As consumers continue to get busier and busier and marketing messaging inundate them constantly, look for the messages to get shorter. The ability to deliver a message in as few words as possible will become a true asset.
4. Personalized web marketing
More companies will follow in the footsteps of Amazon and make suggestions based off what you recently bought or looked at. Perhaps it will seem big brother, but many companies will know what you want to buy and chase after you so that you buy it from them.
Those are just a few trends we’re expecting to see in 2011. What do you think will happen in the next twelve months? Do you have any to add?