When 2011 began, we fought to get our clients listed with Google Places. This was just the start of a very busy year for the Internet marketing industry. As 2011 comes to a close, we reflect on how our roles have changed in the fast-paced nature of the Internet. We wanted to take the time to summarize the top 10 game changers of this past year. These trends are sure to continue in 2012 and with that we present:
The Top 10 Internet Marketing Game Changers of 2011
Social Media used to be all about maintaining friendships but now these connections can change the way your browser views search results. If you’re signed into your Google account, Social Search has the ability to gather relevant data based on the reviews, blogs, images and more about what you and your mutual friends are viewing and discussing.
2. Google +1 Button and the Google+ Network
The Google +1 feature allows users to tell searchers which web pages they like, and needless to say, using this feature can give your website a boost in search rankings.
3. Google Panda / Freshness Algorithm Update
The Google Panda and Freshness update means that websites with original recent and relevant content will be given a priority in the Google search engine.
4. Facebook Likes in Bing Search Results
Bing knows that search engine users trust their friends and family, and are now offering personalized search results, based on which websites their friends have “liked” on Facebook.
5. Interactive Social Advertising
The ads are "interactive" because they involve a mutual action taking place between the promoter and the customer. This includes ads that are designed as polls, Flash presentations, surveys or any advertisement that will get your target market engaged.
6. Remarketing
Remarketing displays ads to people that have already visited your website. It allows businesses to communicate with potential customers in a powerful new way, matching the right market with the right message.
7. Mobile and Apps Skyrocketing
Consumers are using their mobile devices for everything from shopping to banking, and most companies are considering releasing a mobile site, if they haven’t already.
8. Ad Extensions on Pay Per Click
This new PPC feature works toward a stronger connection between PPC ads and the visitor by sending consumers to specific landing pages, allowing the lead to call the business directly with a single click, and enabling contact forms right from the PPC ad.
9. HTML 5
With HTML 5, (Hyper Text Markup Language) site designers will have more flexibility to create interactive websites and powerful and efficient applications including: managing data, drawing, video and audio and providing websites that deliver what users want better and faster. It has already allowed developers to create cross-browser, web-based applications for portable devices.
10. Video Marketing
2011 saw a huge leap in the number of businesses that are supplementing their advertising strategy with video marketing. This advertising method has the ability to accurately demonstrate how a product works, and provides an “on-demand” quality that appeals to many customers, more than a wall of text.
2011 has proven to be a huge year for Internet development and by staying on the leading-edge of trends; your business has the advantage in this fast-paced digital marketplace.
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Hey Valerie,
This is a pretty good list. I remember the impact that a lot of these changes had on the market. I spend a lot of time in the Warrior Forum and you can tell when there’s a change in the market because a bunch of marketers will be pushing new products on it. It amazing how much Internet Marketing changes each year. Its kid of cool to be apart of an industry that really keeps you on your toes. At same time, this can be a huge headache. Its a lot of stuff to take in and you can never really be on top of it all. I tried to keep up with as much as I could last year. Now I realize I’m much better if i just outsource all of that stuff. Its so much easier to just pay someone else to do it if you have the money to do so.