Future prognosis SoLoMo – What to expect in the next few years

A deep look into the crystal ball reveals it: The future of the Internet is always networked and social. Today’s parallel universe becomes one with the real world. Opportunities that are currently being dismissed as a gimmick for a few “technology freaks” will be ubiquitous tomorrow. You will soon find out why this is the case!

The development of the main communication media

Social media is the next stage in the (r) evolution of communication. In the last few years, the communication habits of hundreds of millions of people around the world have adapted to the new possibilities. These fundamentally change the way we communicate and offer everyone the opportunity to realize themselves online – be it as a musician, author, entrepreneur, etc.

The (mobile) telephone or the use of e-mail took time to be used by the masses. This is also the case with the spread of social media, because despite the large number of users, this new form of dialogue is not yet in widespread use. However, the more people and companies recognize the potential and, above all, the real advantages, the more they will also participate in social media.

In the next 5 years these new media will achieve a penetration of society similar to that of cell phones or e-mail today. But this doesn’t happen overnight, because people and organizations need some time to learn new behavior patterns.
The future is called SoLoMo!

From my point of view, however, the future will clearly run under the motto “SoLoMo”. “What does SoLoMo mean?” You might ask.

• Social – The social network of relationships between offline and online merges thanks to high-speed internet access, you are “always on”. People exchange ideas with your social network. On the Internet, too, websites are becoming more social and personalized, based on one’s own interests or those of one’s own network. 80% of Americans are online – and 50% use at least one social network. 30 billion pieces of content are shared on Facebook every month, and well over 1 billion tweets are published every week.
• Location – depending on the current location, you will receive relevant interaction options with the environment. This virtual network of offers is mainly driven by cell phones, which are of course lightning-fast computers. Networked objects (objects, people, places) allow the virtual and real world to be networked and mutually influenced. On Google Maps, 40% of all mobile searches are already local search queries, and on the Google website around 20% of the queries relate to local aspects.
• Mobile – Mobile devices are becoming more popular than stationary devices! Development began with the laptops over a decade ago, and today everyone puts their mobile phone in their pocket before leaving the house. The devices are getting lighter and lighter and at the same time offer more functions, you always have the computer in your pocket. Comprehensive mobility is ensured by a dense coverage of mobile and stationary nodes, so that you can maintain contact anytime and anywhere and access the desired data. 1.8 billion Internet users are compared to around 5.5 billion mobile phone users. In other words: 3/4 of the world’s population is already mobile, but only one in three is on the Internet.

How to stay one step ahead of the rest

You have to deal with new technologies and trends on a regular basis! To be successful, you have to be one step ahead of your competitors. In the area of ​​social networks, you have the option of positioning yourself first. I assure you that now is the time to take action as a company and as a private person.

About the author: Reto Stuber is Swiss and lives in New York. He is the author of the bestseller “Successful Social Media Marketing with Facebook, Twitter, XING and Co.”. His company offers social media services for German and international customers in the areas of online marketing and social media.