Online Trend predictions for 2009!

Due to the current global credit crisis, the online predictions are that there will be a whole lot of new online web entrepreneurs in 2009!

Publishing & e-commerce sites as social networks:

-          Sites will have network layers allowing users to connect to each other.

EG: Times New York has created:  TimesPeople – which does just this!

-          Involves sharing of content & send to a friend functions.

-          Prediction involved here is that differences between a social network and a publishing/media site will diminish over the years.

More niche social networks:

I.E you can focus on a certain topic of interest ie. medical, technological etc.

The problem with facebook is that there is no privacy and these the niche sites will give the user more privacy without the knowledge of others knowing his personal interests.

-          Apple will also be launching a social network similar to facebook, but initially mobile driven from the iphone.

-          Twitter (the online social messaging facility) will also be bringing about more social networking features.

Greater development in Applications:

-           Predictions are that there is a possibility of a full on war between Microsoft & Google.

-          Google just launched Google docs which works like an Microsoft word & excel   -       Microsoft will now in turn will be launching an online version of excel, word & powerpoint!  There is even the possibility of Microsoft turning Outlook into a social network.  In this retaliation, it is predicted that Google might even consider bringing about their very own GooglePC  – this is a stab in the heart of Microsoft!

Greater explosion of mobile content & advertising – this is obvious with our ever-developing broadband! (digital cameras, phones, car radios & even microwaves!)

Increase in Multimedia advertising is also on the cards – as our broadband strives, so will the development in interactive video advertising.

Read Matthew Buckland’s original article on Bizcommunity

By Tracy