Here is the latest Brit mums blog post about their blogging predictions. All very interesting:-
A lot can happen in 12 months. Last year we wouldn’t have predicted that everyone would be creating hangouts videos using Google+, that “pinning” would have been all the rage, that the first BritMums Live would have been such a terrific success with so many friends there (actually, we kinda’ thought that would happen, but still).
There are a lot of changes to come. Here are some of the things we’re expecting:
1. Baby news from the Royal Family…and everyone else – Parenting will be under the microscope and on the front page/home page more than ever when the Duchess of Cambridge gives birth. We’ll get old-fashioned stories telling the Duchess (and the rest of us) “how it should be done”. That means on blogs we’ll get some great analysis and — we’re betting — opinions that make the mainstream pundits look a bit wooden and old-fashioned by comparison.
2. Video explodes – Traditionally shot videos will continue to proliferate. In addition, because of the ease of using Google Hangouts to create video captured directly onto a YouTube channel, we’re going to see more bloggers using it to create group videos and even “shows”. (We’re doing regular video hangouts on our BritMumsTV channel and on our G+ page.) Additionally, more folks will happily identify themselves as YouTubers, using their YouTube channel as much as their blog to build a following.
3. Bloggers gather together in the real world again, again, and again – When we organized our first blogging conference, we knew there would be others. Now they’re catching on in a big way. This year will see more blogger events taking place all around the UK. As usual BritMums will be there, listening to what you want, not only with high-calibre sessions, inspiring speakers and professional polish at BritMums Live — the blogger event of the year (ahem) — but with our expanding rota of BritMums Meet-ups at other times of the year for casual coffee and chat. It will be easier than ever to connect.
4. Blogger-created communities flourish – Bloggers are passionate people and love to focus on a topic they’re passionate about and motivating a bunch of other people to get excited too. This year we’ve seen bloggers creating communities around various topics, such as crafting and children’s blogging as well as different blogger groups. Instead of one place to go to talk about blogging issues, there’s a growing list of Facebook and G+ Communities – making it easier to find one to suit your blogging personality.
5. Pinterest makes the blogging world even more beautiful – Its growth sparked headlines in the tech community. This year, Pinterest will gain even more traction and bloggers will look for more inventive ways to make gorgeous and helpful pins.
6. Top bloggers will create new ways to work with brands and/or make money – It used to be ads and sponsored posts. Now bloggers from all different content areas are creating a wide range of ways to monetize. Jennifer wrote earlier this year about some used by travel bloggers, including creating themed projects, making an online magazine, and doing personal consulting for users. Top bloggers will work out how to create relationships with their favourite brands and make those more innovative and exciting.
7. Reaching across the aisle – In the past bloggers have shared their frustrations about PR programmes that they don’t find, er, up to snuff. Things have moved on. This year we expect to see less frustration and more discussions about what works on both sides. Think about it as coalition blogging.
8. More leaders will emerge – Currently there are few high-profile bloggers, a lot of well-known ones and a huge amount of new ones. People will get a lot more comfortable with the idea that they’re blogging for the love of it and – hey, guess what! – looking to get paid for it too in some form. Those new to blogging see less of a divide to getting into the game with several goals and using blogging to support a business or carve out a brand of their own. Those most open to new ideas, wherever they come from, will be the ones who we know by name by the end of the year.
9. People will get over the “mum blogging” tag – Too frequently we’ve seen this phrase used a label to put parent bloggers over HERE while the rest of the blogging world is over THERE. We are parents, we are bloggers, we create lifestyle content about all kinds of things. Our hope is that this year people stop running from the mum or dad blogging tag, understand its power and use it as another arrow in their quiver to position their blog where they want it.
10. The “social influencer” will rise – We love blogging. We do it all the time. But it’s not just about that anymore. It’s about becoming a social influencer. That means using your voice and your followers on a variety of platforms to share content, create a message, motivate people to do something. The industry still doesn’t know quite how to measure all this activity so expect a lot of debate on that aspect but it’s growing power is unmistakable.
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