The StyleSheet - For businesses that use the internet

Five Web Trends for 2010

Posted January 19, 2010 By Nick Weynand |

It’s the beginning of a new decade and the Web has come a long way. Still in its infancy though, it has some maturing to do. In 2010, just like any other year, you’ll see some major changes in how people use and interact with the Internet. Here are the top five trends you’ll notice this year.

1. Convergence

With information overload at an all-time high, people are constantly looking for ways to simplify their lives. Convergence is one way to reduce the clutter, and you’ll see a major push toward consolidation of information in 2010. Why do people need an email account, Twitter account and a Facebook page? Answer is: they don’t. These applications have just evolved separately, but they all essentially do the same thing: communicate. In 2010, you’ll see more applications developed to converge communications.

2. Cloud Computing

Computing on the cloud has been on its way for a very long time and anyone who keeps up with this stuff knows that this is the direction we’re heading. But in 2010, cloud computing becomes a real reality. For real. In July of last year, Google released Chrome OS, an operating system meant to work exclusively with Web applications. This software product leaves desktop applications behind and does all of its computing on the cloud. In 2010, you’ll see more and more applications developed to work on the cloud and with operating systems such as Chrome OS.

3. Measurable Results

For a while, one thing people loved about Web marketing was the ability to measure the results. Click-throughs and conversion rates were easy to calculate. Then came social media. With the advent of Twitter, Facebook and the like, measuring your marketing dollars became very difficult. It wasn’t impossible; there were plenty of great Web applications that allowed you to measure your social marketing efforts. It just became way more difficult to do than pulling up your traditional analytics software.

In 2010, you’ll see marketers really start to get the hang of measuring online initiatives. New applications will arrive that will consolidate the data and make it easy to understand. As a result, you’ll see brands spend their marketing dollars more wisely. Some will realize that social media is not for them, and some will make an even greater push towards this new advertising market. 2010 is the year that we start to make sense of it all.

4. Location-Based Applications

We seem to spend more and more of our time “in the cloud”, yet no one can deny the importance that physical location has on our day-to-day lives. In 2010, it will still matter where you are and what’s around you.

This year, you’ll see more emphasis placed on this. GPS-based Web applications will emerge that will allow you to instantly connect with people in your immediate area. You’ll also be able to experience an “augmented reality” using your mobile device. See a restaurant you’d like to try? Point your cell-phone at it and get reviews, ratings and menu choices. See a home for sale? Use your handheld device to view price, square footage and days on market. With an abundance of GPS and Web-enabled mobile devices, 2010 is the year that location matters more than ever before.

5. The Real-Time Web

Last year, Facebook released its “Live News Feed” that allowed users to see activity from all their friends in real time. In 2010, we’ll be no more patient than we were last year and results in real time will be a priority. This year, more and more applications will emerge that will allow us to interact with the Web and the people on it instantaneously. No longer will you read a restaurant review from four months ago. Instead, you’ll interact with someone who just ate there through a real-time review site. Search will go real-time in 2010 as well. The results you pull up on Google or Bing may very well be sites that are publishing content as you search, rather than content that was indexed months ago. In 2010, the Web will get up to date.

As it did last year, the Web will grow up a little bit in 2010. It will become simpler, easier to use, more measureable, more instantaneous and an all-around better and more enjoyable medium.

« Return to current issue

Let's get the discussion going. Please comment on this article.

Leave a Comment

Name (required)

E-mail Address (will not be published) (required)

Website