Deepak Pershad's blog post summarizes several predictions for social media and digital marketing trends in 2012 from various sources. Key predictions included marketers focusing on stronger ROI metrics for social and digital efforts beyond just follower counts. Businesses were predicted to consolidate their social media activities and learn real-time engagement. Experimentation with social networking was predicted to evolve into more strategic use, and businesses would increasingly outsource content creation. Advanced analytics tools and tablet advertising were also predicted to grow in importance.

1. Deepak Pershad’s Blog
Social and Digital Predictions for 2012
As is usual for this time of year, there’s been a flurry of articles featuring 2012 predictions for all things
social and digital, and with good reason. 2012 represents a tipping point where the virtuous circle of
consumer adaptation and technological growth will accelerate the expansion of social networking, on-
line advertising, and mobile media usage. For marketers, this will present both opportunities and
challenges. I’ve selected some key predictions from different sources, below.
Some Key Predictions
Marketers will look for Harder ROI Metrics for Digital and Social Networking Effortsi
Social networking metrics will need to move from counting followers and “likes” to harder metrics to
gauge social and digital marketing ROI, as internal stakeholders’ expectations focus on going beyond
experimentation.
Businesses will Consolidate Their Social Networking Activitiesii
Businesses will focus more on where it matters most for their business, rather than trying to be
everywhere at once.
Brands will Increasingly Learn to Engage in Real-timeiii
Brands will need to master “the art of opportunistic marketing and the art of real-time response.” This
will require an unprecedented level of agility, the right infrastructure, processes, and agency partners to
make it happen.
Experimentation with Social Networking will evolve into its More Strategic Useiv
Many businesses will “get it” in 2012 and begin developing and implementing social networking
strategies, thus growing out of their experimentation stage.
Businesses will Increasingly Outsource Content Creationv
A need for efficiency, and limited resources for providing increased content for maturing social
networks, will necessitate the need to increasingly outsource content creation.
Advanced Analytics will become More Widely Availablevi
While advanced analytics are already being performed inside large agencies, brands and social
networking sites, we will see social media analytics companies releasing simplified “SaaS” (software as a
service) tools for smaller agencies and brands to perform similar, less complex analytical functions.
Video Content Will Become Even More Pervasivevii
YouTube will continue to blur the line separating “offline television” and online entertainment, and
increasing ease of video production will improve production and entertainment quality across the
board.

2. 2012 Will be the Year of Tablet Advertisingviii
The explosive growth of tablet use will further drive consumers’ and businesses’ use of mobile
marketing. Advertisers will focus more strategically on exploiting the larger screen and richer media
experiences that tablets offer.
To view an even wider list of predictions, just click on the references below.
References
i
http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?id=1008717&R=1008717
ii
Michael Stelzner, founder and CEO of Social Media Examiner.
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-thepros/
iii
Ekaterina Walter, social media strategist at Intel.
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-thepros/
iv
Jason Falls, principal of Social Media Explorer and author of No Bullshit Social Media.
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-thepros/
v
Nichole Kelly, founder of FullFrontalROI.com.
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-thepros/
vi
Dag Holmboe, CEO of Klurig Analytics.
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-thepros/
vii
James Wedmore, founder of Video Traffic Academy
http://www.socialmediaexaminer.com/30-social-media-predictions-for-2012-from-thepros/
viii
Chantal Tode, Mobile Marketer MOBILE OUTLOOK 2012
http://www.mobilemarketer.com/cms/opinion/classic-guides/11725.html