How will 2015 rank in terms of technology?

The mid-point of the decade has seen many refinements in terms of products from past years, plus the planting of seeds of potential for future tech innovation.

It has seen more people utilizing mobile devices, not just domestically but internationally. There’s nearly limitless potential for advertising sponsorships on everything from a Facebook photo to a news clip to an entire TV episode.

The start of fourth quarter is a good opportunity to recap the year’s achievements.

1. More people using mobile vs. desktop. In spring, Google officially confirmed that the searching threshold was finally crossed.
2. More mobile tools. Google also announced Automobile Ads and Hotel Ads, two services that make it easy for mobile users to find cars and lodging.
3. Wearables. Devices that let you record yourself caught on, like wristbands that measure heart rate, or smart watches that let you check email.
4. Apple Watch. The new watch from Apple deserves its own listing since pretty much any new Apple hardware is worth mentioning. Some early users reported functionality problems from those with wrist tattoos or lefties, but anything from Apple gets people buying.
5. More app development. For a long time, companies used third parties or basic templates to create apps. This year, Business 2 Community says that there has been an increase in companies creating their own.
6. Responsive design. Rather than creating one site that only looks good in one format but crummy in another, more developers are creating sites where stories and ads look good on any browser.
7. More videos. Contently reports that the number of video ads purchased and uploaded has increased dramatically. More people are also spending more time at video sites instead of social media sites.
8. More choices for video viewing. YouTube was the prime video hosting source, but now they can also be hosted at Snapchat, Vine and other locations, along with sponsorship opportunities and ad targeting.
9. Longer videos. This reverses an ongoing digital trend of shorter videos. Contently’s research found longer videos like episodes of TV shows distributed by Amazon Prime and Netflix or Hulu Plus, are increasing in popularity
10. More choices for social networks. Facebook is still the dominant force worldwide, with 46.5 percent of market share. YouTube, with 21.2 percent, followed by Twitter and Reddit. Marketers can plan what channels to concentrate marketing efforts on – or consider focusing on niche networks like LinkedIn.
11. Social network videos. Many businesses are now posting videos, and then paying to boost or sponsor the page and extend reach.
12. More music. Some streaming services offer a “music only” premium rate, or for free but with ads. In 2015, Apple introduced its own streaming service, which still hasn’t gained a lot of traction, but offers Apple fans an impressive library, and opportunity for sponsors.
13. Location-based services. Hyper-local promotions work well with mobile devices. Retailers like Macy’s use it to contact users through their smartphones when they enter the store.
14. More live video streaming. Two new services recently emerged that allowed longer live broadcasts. One is Periscope and the other Meerkat. The demand grew for these when celebrities like Dwayne Johnson or Katy Perry adopted one or the other.
15. More news. Though newspapers are still struggling, there’s no slow-down in how online news stories are consumed, especially through social media. News flashes can also include a sponsor’s pre-roll.
16. More subtle marketing. Who’d suspect that a fun quiz would help advertisers? More sponsors are creating quizzes and surveys through Facebook – users have fun while the sponsor, like Hilton Hotel, gets the word out plus marketing data.
17. Enhanced email. Traditional messages, such as email blasts and newsletter, received extra enhancements. A Forrester study showed that emails with video link saw increased open rates.
18. Teens prefer texting. Survey after survey shows that teens are prolific texters, sometimes more than double the amount sent and received by adults.
19. Less telco. Smartphones continue to sell well, and people keep texting. But the original purpose of a phone, voice-to-voice talking, has declined.
20. Native ads. This year has seen rapid growth of sponsored content, or stories written by or about an advertiser. It’s something readers don’t seem to mind and advertisers love.
21. More cloud. Interest is growing in off-site storage solutions, and other inexpensive remote activity.

For more information about integrating technology in your business, including SMS marketing options, contact Trumpia.

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