Ladies and gentlemen it is that time of year once I again where I make a bold prediction which of course I am going to look back on in years to come and wonder what the hell I was thinking after getting in so wrong, only this time will be different. Today I will be focusing on my specialist subject of social media and what I believe is coming within that industry in particular. This is something which of course is pretty close to my heart and I am not often wrong when it comes to all things social. Without further ado then, here is what I see coming. 

Growth 

 I do of course expect  the main social media companies to continuously push for growth and capitalize on what they have already managed to achieve. Truth be told me expectation is that the likes of Facebook and Twitter will not stop until there is nobody left on the planet who does not have an account. These brands have to keep pushing and capitalizing but in truth this is not where I see the number one priority. 

Value 

Social media very much reminds me of that first wave of .com successes, the notion that even chickens can fly in hurricanes, and I think that in order for some companies to prevent that situation they will look to increase the value of their sites and solidify themselves. There are some social media platforms who’s number of users does not equate whatsoever to the amount revenue which they are bringing in and that is disproportionate and will have to be addressed. I anticipate therefore that we are going to see heavier branding, stronger partnerships, potential acquisitions and a hand in glove relationship between marketing companies and social media sites. 

Connections 

My boldest prediction for the years ahead is that we will see connections across the web like we have never seen before, we are going to see apps which may not appear social at all suddenly have options like sharing and connecting with other users. We have to stop thinking about social media as just those platforms like Facebook, but look beyond that at a collection of people doing the same thing at the same time. The social media companies know too that this is where things are heading and they are going to be ready with software to make that happen. 

My final prediction is that we are going to see applications within social media channels, they are going to be lead by 3rd party companies and they will be the driving force behind the success of each platform which they work with. 

I am not often wrong when it comes to social media, having said that I wouldn’t put money on my picks, because my track record in general may not exactly be the best. What do you make of these selections? Are you in agreement? Let me know down below.