3. PrairieFoxWeb.com
In 2013:
Apple launches its iPad air with retina display.
Twitter adds photo previews into your feed.
Large images became a popular trend in web
design. It's clear that high-quality visual content
is on the rise. As our social feeds get more and
more polluted, we're going to need higher quality
images to catch our audience's attention.
5. PrairieFoxWeb.com
In 2013:
Twitter launched Vine, and the app was very
successful. Not long after, Instagram followed by
adding a short video feature of its own. Facebook
also recently rolled out auto-play video
advertisements. Video content, especially shorter
videos, will help you engage your customers in
2014.
7. PrairieFoxWeb.com
In 2013:
Google bough Waze, a location-based mapping
service, for $1.3 billion. Macy's begins testing
Apple's iBeacon. Twitter is now rolling out a
"nearby" feature. I think we're really going to see
a steady rise in location-based marketing in 2014
and in ways that marketers can use it (great news
for local businesses!).
9. PrairieFoxWeb.com
In 2013:
Snapchat's popularity skyrocketed in 2013,
particularly among younger social media users.
Instagram also recently added a direct message
feature, very similar to Snapchat. I think we will
likely see this trend continue in 2014 with more
one-on-one social media instead of just public
posting.
11. PrairieFoxWeb.com
In 2013:
Oreo's infamous superbowl blackout tweet
wowed the social media world. Many brands
tried to emulate this success, many of them
tactlessly using holidays and other events to
promote their products. Hopefully in 2014,
brands will get better at this.
13. PrairieFoxWeb.com
In 2013:
Facebook pages saw a decline in reach among
their fans, encouraging more of them to pay for
advertisements. Other platforms rolled out
advertising including Pinterest and Instagram.
Social media has proved itself a viable and
effective form of advertising and so the free ride
is nearing an end. Businesses should be
prepared to get out their wallets in 2014.