2011 is fully gone, and 2012 has rolled in without missing a beat. The social media industry keeps growing in leaps and bounds. I often hear business people say social networking is similar to the Wild Wild West! So answer this question for me. Would it be valuable in the event that you knew the future social media marketing trends for 2012? How wonderful would it be to learn what trends are in store for the year ahead? Could you adequately plan this rapidly changing industry? In the following paragraphs, I provide my 2012 predictions for the evolving trends in the social-networking industry. It certainly is gratifying when my predictions come true. My predictions are not based on any kind of special powers. They are predicated on my industry research, what I read and what I see happening each day in my work. My accuracy rate in the social media industry has been about 97 percent. However, even though I’m wrong it’s only because my timeline finished up being longer than I thought it was going to be. I’ve a knack for spotting social media trends. And this article lists four powerful trends unfolding right now. You can profit from what I say or ignore me, the choice is yours. In any event these trends will unfold because the year progresses. So continue reading and heed my advice. Ready your social media marketing campaigns to make the most these trends for 2012 and beyond.

Luxury Travel Experiences #1) Social Media Networks and Marketing will continue steadily to grow at an alarming rate.

Last year Facebook grew from around 600 million to 800 million users depending on whose numbers you believe. Twitter and LinkedIn also both showed growth and added many new features, (in addition they both acquired several new partners and internet assets). Increase this, Google started Google+, and Microsoft is said to be in the works of creating their own social networking. The adoption rate of small business will lead the way, but expenditures by large corporations will exceed that of both small and medium-size businesses. My first advice for you is; create and implement “an employee social media use policy” to control business hour usage. Second, create a social media marketing intend to reach and engage this enormous market. Combining both engagement and ppc campaigns work best.

Prediction #2) One of the largest players in the social media marketing arena will make a “miss step” in 2012.

I believe that one of the top four SOCIAL MEDIA MARKETING Network companies will make a costly mistake causing them to lose significant market share. Right now several of the larger social media marketing giants like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn all share one crucial flaw. They make an effort to make it almost impossible to talk to them. Take Facebook, for instance. They do not list any contact information apart from a Facebook page. Sure they will have plenty of help pages. Yes, Facebook has a blog, lots of YouTube videos, but provides no contact number where you could call and speak to a individual? They do have a Facebook page it is possible to enter suggestions about, but that’s it. What happens when you get a strange message from Facebook, or you’re having difficulty together with your account? You post a message and never get a reply! Twitter and LinkedIn are not much better. They don’t really list a contact phone number or address either. However, I have found that they do reply to your email and posted messages, though it sometimes takes so long as seven days to get a reply.

In my opinion, of the top three social media marketing companies, LinkedIn supplies the best service. Google is new in this game. It’s not as easy to lump them in with the rest of the social media marketing giants yet. However, I can tell you that Google includes a notoriously poor customer service reputation. It’s been my experience with Google that the grade of service you receive depends upon the person you get on the phone. The good news is that you may get someone on the phone! Google does list contact numbers. My advice to any business is simple, be ready to make changes to your social media campaign if need be. Furthermore, if you’re using the top four social media marketing services, make a backup of your data. This is just in case you decide to make “the switch” and ditch one of these players.

Prediction #3) Google+ can be one of the top 3, in the social networking arena by the end of 2012.

I know I’m going from a limb here, but I believe that is inevitable. Google’s share size and current customer base will allow Google+ to grow at a considerably faster pace than other social media marketing sites. The exact number of Gmail users isn’t public, but we do know that it is huge! I have read estimates which range from about 190 million to 250 million accounts. Furthermore, Google owns so many internet properties, that they can easily integrate the use of these properties into their social network. This adds value with their social network. Increase this, the fact that Google owns Google Search, Google AdWords, YouTube, Blogger and Picasa. Are you currently starting to get the picture? Google is gigantic. Google controls the lion’s share of internet traffic and advertising dollars.

Google has also been able to make a social-networking product that is easy to use, search engine friendly and innovative. These qualities’ have made them the web leader they are today. I’m not sure they can keep this frantic pace forever, but also for 2012, it is a done deal. My advice for you is to review where you are spending your advertising money and see if it makes sense using the Google properties. If you’re a person, and have been waiting on the sideline with Google+, stop what you’re doing and take the 10 minutes to create a Gmail and Google+ account. In the event that you curently have a Gmail account, this can only take you about five minutes. The bonus here is you can also create a Google+ Brand page with out a lot of fuss.