The Big List: 226 Marketing Trends, Predictions & Resolutions For 2012

Here we are, just about two weeks into 2012, and I’m willing to bet a lot of us have already broken a New Year’s resolution or had one of our 2012 predictions proven wrong. (Did you predict that Google would get through the year without any controversy? Wrong. Wrong. And wrong again. Better luck next […]

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2012Here we are, just about two weeks into 2012, and I’m willing to bet a lot of us have already broken a New Year’s resolution or had one of our 2012 predictions proven wrong. (Did you predict that Google would get through the year without any controversy? Wrong. Wrong. And wrong again. Better luck next year.)

If you didn’t make any resolutions or predictions of your own, you’re almost alone. You work in an industry that seems to love them: resolutions, predictions, trends and tips — from practically every corner of the online marketing industry. And not just the industry, but mainstream sources like TIME, CNN and the Washington Post.

For the third consecutive year, we’ve collected all the articles we could find related to online marketing tips, trends, predictions and resolutions in 2012. We had 80 links in 2010 and 168 last year. We shattered that collectively this year. Here’s our 2012 Big List: 226 articles covering tips, trends, resolutions and predictions about online marketing in the new year.

Affiliate Marketing

  1. AffiliatePrograms.com: Top Affiliate Marketing Predictions for 2012
  2. AM Navigator: 40 Affiliate Marketing Predictions for 2012
  3. Marketing Land: How 2012’s Rise Of The Affiliate Channel Will Impact The $300B Ecommerce Industry

Analytics

  1. e-Nor: 5 Tips for Web Analytics New Year’s Resolutions
  2. iMedia Connection: Reality Bites Back: 10 Digital Measurement Predictions for 2012
  3. MediaPost: 2012: Rise Of Metrics, End Of Click-Through Rates

B2B Marketing

  1. B2B Bliss: 10 Predictions for B2B Marketing in 2012 (Part 1)
  2. B2B Bliss: 10 Predictions for B2B Marketing in 2012 (Part 2)
  3. Business 2 Community: 2012 B2B Marketing Predictions – Will Marketers Leave Sales Behind?
  4. Business 2 Community: 10 Predictions for B2B Marketing in 2012 (Part 1)
  5. Business 2 Community: 10 Predictions for B2B Marketing in 2012 (Part 2)
  6. Business 2 Community: 12 B2B Marketing Predictions for 2012
  7. Business 2 Community: 32 Resolutions To Prepare For Your 2012 B2B Lead Generation Program
  8. Customer Think: 4 Things B2B Marketers Should Focus on in 2012
  9. Customer Think: 5 Ways New Buyer Behaviors Will Affect B2B Marketers in 2012
  10. Customer Think: 11 B2B marketing trends to watch (or wish) for in 2012
  11. Folio: 60 Percent of B-to-B Marketers Plan Increased Spend on Content Marketing in 2012
  12. iMedia Connection: Four B2B Marketing Fantasies That Will Be Reality in 2012
  13. Kwanzoo: B2B Marketing 2012 Trends Part 1: Maximize Your RPM Investment
  14. Kwanzoo: B2B Marketing 2012 Trends Part 2: Campaign and Funnel Automation
  15. Search Engine Land: 5 B2B Search Engine Marketing Resolutions For 2012
  16. Search Engine Land: 6 New Year’s Resolutions For The Modern-Day B2B Community Manager

Content Marketing

  1. Business 2 Community: Content Marketing Prediction 2012: Interactive Content
  2. Heidi Cohen: 2012 Content Marketing and Blogging Resolutions
  3. Content Marketing Institute: 150+ Content Marketing & Social Media Predictions for 2012
  4. CustomerThink: 2012 Content Marketing Trends for Manufacturers and Industrial Companies
  5. Junta42: Top 15 Content Marketing Predictions for 2012
  6. MarketingProfs: 2012 Content Marketing Benchmarks, Budgets, and Trends
  7. Unbounce: Why 2012 Will Be the Year of Content Marketing [with 2 Bonus Infographics]
  8. Windmill Networking: Content Marketing New Year’s Resolutions

Email Marketing

  1. BizReport: Marketers plan biggest 2012 budget increases for email marketing
  2. Business 2 Community: Email Marketing in 2012: 5 Striking Predictions
  3. eMarketing & Commerce: 6 Email Marketing Predictions for 2012
  4. Fourth Source: Email Marketing Trends 2012
  5. Return Path: Four Unpredictions for 2012
  6. Small Biz Technology: Will Email Marketing Be Dead In 2012? A Sales Guru Gives His 5 Predictions

Local & Mobile

  1. BIA/Kelsey: Topline “Local Marketplace” Predictions for 2012
  2. BIA/Kelsey: What’s in Store for Global Yellow Pages in 2012?
  3. BizReport: 2012: Year of Mobile?
  4. Business 2 Community: 8 Mobile Marketing Trends You Should Track In 2012
  5. eMarketer: 2012 Trends: Checking In on Checking Out
  6. Eye for Travel: Why 2012 is going to be “The Year of SoLoMo”
  7. IT Pro Portal: 5 Mobile Predictions in 2012 : RIM, A Flash In The Pan
  8. Lonelybrand: Mobile Marketing: 2012 Predictions from lonelybrand
  9. Marketing Land: Twelve Mobile Predictions for 2012
  10. MediaPost: Mobile First In 2012
  11. MediaPost: Local Search: Light Speed Ahead
  12. Memeburn: Five mobile trends to look out for in 2012
  13. Mobile Commerce News: The talk on the street for mobile 2012 trends
  14. PC World: 2012: The Year of the Tablet (Finally)?
  15. PC World: Mobile Payments to Make Slow Progress in 2012
  16. ReadWriteWeb: 2012 Predictions, Mobile Edition: Dan Rowinski
  17. Search Engine Land: Five Steps To Capturing Mobile Customers In 2012
  18. Search Engine Land: SEO Considerations For Google Mobile Search In 2012
  19. Search Engine Land: Predictions For Local Search In 2012 – Year Of The Dragon
  20. Search Engine Land: 6 Mobile Search Optimization Trends For 2012
  21. Search Engine Watch: 10 MoLo Predictions for 2012: Deals, Social Sharing & Bloodbaths
  22. Search Marketing Standard: 5 Local Marketing Trends To Focus On In 2012
  23. Street Fight: 6 Trends That Will Impact Hyperlocal in 2012
  24. Street Fight: Hyperlocal Execs’ 2012 Predictions: Webster, Tolles, Priebatsch and More…
  25. Street Fight: From Deep Data to Human Help, 2012 Continues the Local Revolution
  26. Street Fight: Hyperlocal in 2012: More Consolidation and Scale, Less ‘Free’
  27. Street Fight: Street Fight Staff and Friends Predict 2012’s Top Stories
  28. VentureBeat: 2012 mobile predictions: Microsoft purchases Spotify, Google spins off Motorola, and more
  29. Where 2 Get It: 3 Local Marketing Predictions for 2012

Online Marketing General/Miscellaneous

  1. Brand New, Brand You: Marketing Strategies for Entrepreneurs in 2012
  2. BtoB: Tech marketers to boost spending next year, focus on digital
  3. Business 2 Community: Anvil Media’s 2012 Search Engine Marketing Predictions (Part 1)
  4. Business 2 Community: Anvil Media’s 2012 Search Engine Marketing Predictions (Part 2)
  5. Business News Daily: 30 Big Ideas, Trends and Predictions for 2012
  6. Business Review Australia: Ring in the Digital New Year with 2012 Predictions
  7. CIO: 5 CRM trends to seize on in 2012
  8. CMSWire: 4 CRM Predictions for 2012: Integration, Acquisitions, Assertions & Mistakes
  9. Heidi Cohen: 7 Marketing Predictions for 2012
  10. Crain’s: Gini Dietrich: 8 PR, marketing and social-media trends coming your way in 2012
  11. Customer Think: 2 CRM Trends That Will Improve Your Business in 2012
  12. Customer Think: What to Watch for in Marketing 2012
  13. Direct Marketing Observations: The Top 5 Challenges for Digital Brands in 2012
  14. The Drum: Experian’s digital and marketing predictions for 2012
  15. Duct Tape Marketing: 5 Trends That Will Shape Small Business in 2012
  16. Dynamic Business: 7 marketing trends for small business in 2012
  17. eConsultancy: Five key marketing trends for 2012: Are you being served?
  18. eConsultancy: 2012: The trends every marketer should be aware of
  19. eConsultancy: 11 things Santa won’t bring you this year
  20. Entrepreneur: Top 10 Small Business Predictions for 2012
  21. Entrepreneur: 10 Trends for Online Marketers in 2012
  22. Every Marketing Thing: Pinterest, Gaming and Mobile: Hot Trends for Marketing in 2012
  23. Forrester: 2012 Interactive Marketing Predictions: I Give You The Year Of The Social-Mobile Customer
  24. FyreSite: 2012 Web Design Trends
  25. Globe and Mail: How the social media conversation will change in 2012
  26. Hubspot: 18 Insightful 2012 Marketing Predictions From the Experts
  27. iNeedHits: Online Marketing Trends for 2012
  28. Inkhouse: 10 PR Predictions for 2012
  29. MarketingProfs: 12 Marketing Predictions for 2012
  30. MarketingProfs: Top 5 Marketing Trends for 2012
  31. Marketing Week: 3 trends in digital that will rock 2012
  32. MediaPost: How Search Marketers Expect To Use Data In 2012
  33. MediaPost: 3 Marketing Mega Trends For 2012
  34. MediaPost: Five SEM Predictions For 2012
  35. Miami Herald: 5 online marketing trends worth watching in 2012
  36. Multichannel Merchant: Online Marketing New Year’s Resolutions for 2012
  37. OPEN Forum: 6 Important Marketing Trends to Watch in 2012
  38. PC World: Five Tips For Your 2012 Social Media Strategy
  39. Portfolio: Ask Shama: Online Marketing Trends for 2012?
  40. PureMatter: Top Five 2012 Predictions: Year of the Digital Marketer. Are you Prepared?
  41. Reliable Networks: SEO, Search, Social Media, Blogging and Web Design Trends in 2012
  42. Search Engine Land: Search Vs. Display: Which Will Come Out On Top In 2012?
  43. Search Engine Land: Digital Marketing Trends To Watch Out For In 2012
  44. Search Engine Land: 10 Search & Website Usability New Year Resolutions for 2012
  45. Search Engine Watch: Top 5 Trends for Search & Social Media Marketing in 2012
  46. SEOptimise: 30 Web Trends for 2012: How SEO, Search, Social Media, Blogging, Web Design & Analytics Will Change
  47. Andy Sernovitz: Great advice for earning customer love in 2012
  48. Small Business Computing: Online Marketing Trends for Small Businesses to Know in 2012
  49. Small Business Trends: 5 Internet Marketing Trends for SMBs to Watch in 2012
  50. Small Business Trends: Hot or Not: Sales and Marketing Trends in 2012
  51. Small Business Trends: 5 Internet Marketing Predictions for 2012
  52. State of Search: 2012 and the trends every marketer should be aware of
  53. TopRank: Future Trends: 2012 Online Marketing & Technology Predictions
  54. Trada: 2012 New Year’s Marketing Resolutions
  55. ZippyCart: 6 Emerging Ecommerce Trends for 2012

Online Marketing Industry

  1. AdAge: The Biggest Marketing Challenge of 2012: How Can You Keep Your Job?
  2. Evan Carmichael: The Top 50 Marketing Blogs to Watch in 2012
  3. Mashable: 5 Ways to Boost Your Digital Media Career in 2012

Paid Search & Display Ads

  1. Amplify Interactive: 5 New Year’s Resolutions for PPC Ad Testing in 2012
  2. Business 2 Community: Online Ad Predictions for 2012: Thoughts on ROI, Privacy, and Yes, More Acquisitions
  3. Clickworks Marketing: PPC Resolutions for 2012
  4. eMarketer: 2012 Trends: Video Leads Online Ad Growth
  5. eMarketer: Pre-Roll, Mobile Top Video Ad Formats for 2012
  6. Google: 5 New Year’s Resolutions for Display Advertisers
  7. Marketing Land: The Future Of Display: What’s Ahead For 2012
  8. MediaPost: 3 Online Advertising Trends To Watch In ’12
  9. PPC Hero: Our Favorite 2011 PPC Changes & Predictions For 2012
  10. Search Engine Land: A Visit From Saint Click & Landing Pages In 2012

SEO

  1. AffiliatePrograms.com: Top SEO Predictions for 2012
  2. Business 2 Community: 2012 Will Divide SEO Practitioners Into Two Camps
  3. Dejan SEO: SEO Predictions and Advice for 2012
  4. eConsultancy: 2012 search predictions: the experts’ view
  5. Fourth Source: Search Marketing Trends 2012
  6. Freelance Writing Dreams: 2012 New Year SEO Predictions and Trends
  7. Harvard Business Review: Google Will Change Web Marketing in 2012
  8. Kaiserthesage: SEO Strategies and Inbound Marketing Best Practices for 2012
  9. Outspoken Media: Build SEO Momentum in 2012, Not Resolutions
  10. PromotionWorld: 12 SEO Resolutions for 2012
  11. Search Engine Journal: 5 New Year Resolutions for SEO Consultants
  12. Search Engine Land: An SEO Playbook For 2012
  13. Search Engine Land: A Few Link Building Predictions For 2012
  14. Search Engine Land: 9 New Year’s Resolutions For Link Building In 2012
  15. Search Engine Watch: Biggest Search Events of 2011 & Predictions for 2012
  16. Search Engine Watch: Search & Mobile Marketing Trends: SEO Apocalypse 2012
  17. Search Engine Watch: 7 Quick Tips to Keep Your SEO On Track in 2012
  18. SEOAndy.com: 18 Trends Which Will Change SEO in 2012
  19. SEOmoz: 8 Predictions for SEO in 2012
  20. Smart Traffic: Smart Traffic’s SEO Trends for 2012
  21. StartupSmart: Five SEO trends to lookout for in 2012
  22. State of Search: SEO 2012 – Will Schema Be A Factor
  23. Straight Up Search: SEO Predictions for 2012
  24. Vertical Measures: New Year’s Link-a-Lutions: Quality Link Building in 2012
  25. Web Marketing Group: SEO Predictions for 2012 – Don’t Get Left Behind!

Social Media

  1. Affect Strategies: Top Ten Public Relations and Social Media Predictions for 2012
  2. Akamai Marketing: 9 social media trends to keep your eye on in 2012
  3. BizReport: Why 2012 may be even bigger for social marketing
  4. BostInno: 5 Social Media Predictions for 2012
  5. Business 2 Community: Social Media Marketing: 5 Predictions for 2012
  6. Business 2 Community: Social Media Trends 2012 – Analytics and Measurement
  7. Business 2 Community: Top 5 Social Media Trends for 2012
  8. Business 2 Community: 9 Social Media Trends to Keep Your Eye on in 2012
  9. CNET: 5 social network predictions for 2012
  10. Brendan Cooper: 2012 social media predictions: Part One
  11. Customer Think: The Social Media Trend for 2012 – the End of Social Media Groups?
  12. eConsultancy: Bazaarvoice highlights four key social trends for 2012
  13. eConsultancy: Social media in 2012: the experts’ view
  14. Edelman Digital: Six Social Media Trends for 2012
  15. eMarketer: 2012 Trends: Social Media Metrics Take Center Stage
  16. EverythingPR: Trends: 2012, the Year of Social Media
  17. Fast Company: A CEO’s Guide To Social Media In 2012
  18. Forbes: Social Media Predictions For 2012
  19. Fourth Source: Social Media Marketing Trends 2012
  20. Fresh Egg: 2012 Social Media Predictions
  21. Harvard Business Review: Six Social Media Trends for 2012
  22. iNeedHits: Top 5 Social Media Trends for 2012
  23. It Thing: Social Media Predictions For 2012
  24. IT World Canada: Predictions 2012: Does Google Plus get big?
  25. Jeff Korhan: 2012 Social Media Predictions for Mainstream Small Business
  26. Charlene Li: Predictions and Priorities for Social Business in 2012 – Part I
  27. Charlene Li: Predictions for Social Business in 2012, Part II: Knowing Your Customer
  28. Charlene Li: Predictions Social Business in 2012, Part III: Transforming Your Organization
  29. Likeable Media: Social Media Predictions For 2012
  30. Lonelybrand: Social Media & Content Marketing: 2012 Predictions from lonelybrand
  31. Mashable: Facebook 2012: What the Future Holds for the Social Media Powerhouse
  32. Mashable: 7 Social Media Predictions for 2012
  33. Postano: 12 Social Media Marketing Predictions for 2012
  34. Pushing Social: 5 Totally SWAG Social Media Predictions for 2012
  35. Search Engine Watch: How Advanced Marketers Will Use Facebook in 2012
  36. SmallBizTechnology: Small Biz New Year’s Resolution: Improve Your Social Media Presence
  37. Small Business Trends: 10 Social Media Resolutions for 2012
  38. Social Media Examiner: 30 Social Media Predictions for 2012 From the Pros
  39. Social Media Today: Trends for 2012: Social Media Intelligence
  40. Social Media Today: 140 Predictions About Social Marketing – 34 Experts on 2012
  41. Social Media Today: 4 Nearly Guaranteed 2012 Social Media Predictions
  42. Social Media Today: Social Networking in 2012
  43. Social Media Today: 2012: 7 New Trends in Social Media
  44. Social Media Today: Top Five LinkedIn New Year Resolutions for 2012
  45. Sprout Insights: Which Trends Will Shape Social Media Marketing in 2012?
  46. TIME: What Will 2012 Mean for Social Media?

Tech General/Miscellaneous

  1. AllBusiness: 10 Small-Business Tech Trends for 2012
  2. Channelpro: Tech Preview: The Top 2012 Technology Trends
  3. CIO: Top Ten Tech Predictions for 2012
  4. CNN: The Top 10 tech trends for 2012
  5. Computer Business Review: Emerging tech trends in 2012
  6. Deloitte: Deloitte Predicts the Top 10 Technology Trends for 2012
  7. Gartner: Gartner Reveals Top Predictions for IT Organizations and Users for 2012 and Beyond
  8. GetElastic: 6 Tech Trends to Watch in 2012
  9. Huffington Post: 10 Technology and Business Trends for 2012
  10. Information Week: 5 Twists On 2012’s Big Tech Trends
  11. Mashable: 6 Tech Trends That Won’t Happen in 2012
  12. Mashable: 6 Crazy Tech Predictions for 2012
  13. Mashable: Mashable’s Digital Predictions for 2012
  14. Silicon Republic: The tech predictions for 2012
  15. Washington Post: Five tech predictions for 2012
  16. ZDNet: Time for some 2012 predictions…

Video

  1. BizReport: Top 3 Video trends for 2012
  2. Reel SEO: Three New Media & Video Predictions For 2012
  3. Reel SEO: 2012 Online Video Advertising Forecast – Industry Experts’ Predictions
  4. Reel SEO: 2012 Online Video Forecast – All About Connecting And Connections
  5. Search Engine Watch: Video Marketing Trends in 2012
  6. VideoMind: Expect More Broadcast Quality Original Online Video in 2012

If I missed anything, feel free to let us know in the comments.

(2012 photo via Shutterstock.)

Opinions expressed in this article are those of the guest author and not necessarily MarTech. Staff authors are listed here.


About the author

Matt McGee
Contributor
Matt McGee joined Third Door Media as a writer/reporter/editor in September 2008. He served as Editor-In-Chief from January 2013 until his departure in July 2017. He can be found on Twitter at @MattMcGee.

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