As the year and our course comes to an end, I found myself reflecting on how much has changed in social media and digital marketing just in a year. This also led me to do some research prediction for 2015 and here is a summary of predictions from websites such as Mashable, Social Media Today and Offerpop.

1. Google+ Will be Extinct: Personally I was quite surprised by this, probably because I still have hope that google can turn it around. However, since launching in 2011, it still hasn’t quite kicked off especially for brands and at the moment it could go either way for Google but it seems majority of sites predict in the near future no longer exist
2. Mobile Payments becoming mainstream: It is no surprise with developments of the google wallet and features of the iphone 6 that mobile payments are on the rise and will surely increase in 205.
3. 50% of web sales to come from social media: with an increase of people being more inclined to buy from a brand’s Facebook page, it is expected that from 2015 each year will bring approximately $30 billion of social media commerce sales.
4. Video will be number one: it should be obvious by now that unique content is so important for a strong social presence. Video is predicted to be the number one marketing tool that brands will expand to in 2015.
5. Mobile will take over computer internet usage: likely driven by the introduction of the phablet, mobile is predicted to take over which has been said for quite some time, 2015 could see this as a reality.

One of my favourite parts of working in a communications agency was when we got to brainstorm new ideas for a new client or new product launches. Once we started to have an increase in new clients and continuous product launches the more and more we met for creativity brainstorms. I often found that it wasn’t a very comfortable environment to express ideas that are outside of the digital ideas that were always in mind. This got me researching and thinking of ways to foster creativity in the workforce which I think is a particularly important part of a workforce when working with online content. Taking these things in mind can sure avoid creative ideas being stale.

1. Brief in Advance: before a group brainstorm, make sure each member has adequate time to think about the brief and come up with ideas as inspiration can come from various things and ideas can spark at the most unexpected time.
2. Reward Creativity: Employees will have little motivation if they feel their ideas will never be used so it is important to reward them so that they can think outside of the box.
3. Allow of Anonymity: Not all people are comfortable with expressing their ideas in front of a group of people and they may the best ideas. Allow for anonymity by perhaps allowing people to submit their ideas in written form into an online file or a suggestions box.
4. Support Creativity: if you are a manager it is important to remember to not shut down any ideas during a brainstorming session. Ideas often bounce off each other and if they are shut down, it can stop most people from contributing in fear of disapproval. Support creativity by allowing for interchange of thoughts and diversity.
5. Colour in the office: Inject the office with colour this can be by paintings, furnishings and lights. Certain colours such as blues and greens are said to be inspiring for creative thoughts so consider adding splashes of these colours around the office.

Below is an infographic that further highlights why the above points are important in the workforce.

After our crash course in personal branding last week, I reflected on my own branding and how I could improve on it. I remembered a conversation with my old boss on how much they will review a person online before even considering hiring them, she confirmed that it is true, they will check all social media platforms and websites that are related to you before even considering you for an interview. I started to review all my channels and make sure my privacy settings were appropriate, most things were kept private that needed to be and my linked in gave away enough information to be recognised. After this course, there were some key takeaways that I will surely be doing when I start applying for new jobs.

1. Consistency across your social media channels: Keep things like your profile picture and your interests the same across your social media channels so a potential employer can recognize that it is you and that you truly have a passion and are not just stating it on your LinkedIn profile to get the job you want.
2. Have your own website: Having your own website can really capture what you have accomplished and who you are. It can act as a support to your interests or hobbies although it can also act as an online CV.
3. Define your purpose: Your tagline on LinkedIn, twitter and any other networks or websites you use should clearly define what you are all about and detail your expertise and interests. No one will hire you if you cannot be enthusiastic about your passions online as you would be as an employee.
4. Keep your profiles fresh: don’t let your profiles go stale, it is important to keep relevant by updating your profiles continuously. Keep them fresh by also sharing relevant content and getting in touch with influencers in your desired industry.

In the past few classes, we have really focused on the power of listening when starting out on social media. It is difficult to ever know what your audience wants or will engage with if you begin your social media strategy by just throwing content at your followers. The beauty of HootSuite is that it makes it easy for brands to monitor the conversations that are going on within the brand’s industry. We can track these conversations through location and using certain hashtags or specific searchers. Being able to then understand how others are talking about your brand, industry or products can help you connect to the right people who are most likely to engage.

By listening and monitoring particular conversations you can engage with the right people which can ultimately lead to a stronger social media presence. One thing in particular that often stands out for me personally, is when a brand can answer or respond to any comments made on their social pages. For example, A & W do an excellent job of this even when there are negative comments, they still manage to engage with everyone. It makes the experience more personal and can make the person feel less like a statistic. In addition, listening is extremely important for localisation. As more and more brands want to introduce their products into new countries, it is often comment to mirror the same content from their original location. However, this can lead to less engagement as the brand won’t resonate with the people or the culture unless they begin with listening and monitoring conversations.