The digital interactive marketplace will continue to take shape and even make strides in 2009. MediaPost recently identified five trend areas to watch next year related to browsers, conversation, transmission, retail and consumer tech.
George Assimakopoulos
Principal Manager
The following are five areas that businesses should watch as the digital marketplace continues to penetrate various vertical industries. These five trends were pulled from a recent article in MediaPost. To view the entire article – CLICK HERE - or visit www.MediaPost.com.
1) The Semantic Web will create more sophisticated and intuitive browsers that are equipped to filter information and services, based on users’ personal preferences. It is digital intelligence to the next degree.
2) Conversation is king in 2009 because Web presence alone no longer is enough for individuals or brands. Now it’s about engaging customers in conversation and managing relationships online. The new ROI is Return on Involvement
3) The speed with which conversations and content spread everywhere like rapid-fire will be beyond the reach of editorial controls, sites or institutions. Just look at "The Twitter Phenomenon".
4) Brands must keep pace with consumers with a presence at every stage of the conversation. They also should be developing their content and other strategies across all platforms: mobile, digital, out-of-home, broadcast, broadband and social media.
5) The consumer will want to be digitally connected on their own terms. Consumers are opting more for single-purpose applications that provide easy, more cost-efficient solutions. In fact, they are using technology to save money in a down economy. For example, one in five households is cutting their landlines to cut spending in at least one area of communications during the New Year.
DIGITAL SUSTAINABILITY will be the key differentiator in 2009.

