In the midst of all new technology and social media platforms being created these days, I want to briefly reflect on this year’s social media trends and how they will affect the marketing and PR realm in 2012.

Tumblr: While many organizations have opted to use the standard Blogger or Word Press to blog, I think Tumblr will begin to rise in professional use. With Tumblr, you can upload ANYTHING (photos, videos, links) to the site from any device, and whatever is uploaded can be built-in to your blog post whereas with Word Press, it costs money annually to plant videos in specific posts. Visual integration is a must, and this tool provides every opportunity to embed your media.

Google+: Since June, Google+ has been a hot topic and with good reason. Google+ allows users to have a profile, upload photos and update statuses similar to Facebook, but offers other options too. Users can send out messages to specific groups of people called “circles,” identified by the user and can initiate “hangouts,” where groups of up to ten Google+ users can video chat together (but anyone on the web can join the hangout…but that’s a different blog post) among other differences. In October 2011, the service reached 40 million users (although, it’s unclear how many are active) and in November launched Google+ pages for businesses. Many organizations are still getting their feet wet with Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, three big players in social media, so this puts Google+ on the backburner for companies, since it’s still testing out successful marketing strategies. The service can be great for reaching out to groups e.g. tradeshow exhibitors via hangouts or producing webinars, and an easier way to group clients participating in different programs. Google+ is giving Facebook a run for its money, just at a slower rate, and I think organizations will realize how valuable and user-friendly the tool is in 2012 once their target audiences buy in.

Pinterest: If you haven’t used Pinterest yet, proceed with caution, because once you start browsing the constantly updated and attractive photo pins on Pinterest, you won’t be able to stop. This addicting website allows users to “pin” items found on the Internet to their personal boards, and users can follow their friends or users who have similar interests and browse their pins as well as pins placed in pre-set categories. It’s currently a haven for craft and retail products, weddings and home décor- and I think (and hope) the intimate and personal setting will keep it that way and not overturn it with advertisements. With associations and marketers, I imagine it could be a place where event professionals take note of unique giveaways or exhibit designs, and even get speaker ideas. It is a great place to share and find a creative spark, and I imagine more people catching on this upcoming year.

And there you have it, my 2012 watch list; what’s on yours?