I’m not sure I can put an actual date on when my mood and feelings toward Facebook changed. It used to be all the rage – checking up on friends, sharing photos and getting input on important life decisions from your closest friends.

Today, Facebook feels like a chore – blocking and hiding irritating “friends” who seeming take to Facebook for two reasons – (1) to bitch about the horrible experience they had at {insert store here} or (2) to play {insert annoying game here}. I’m no longer leaning toward my screen, engrossed in the content, but instead covering my eyes and holding my nose from the rancid stench of rotting brains.

Retailers aren’t fairing much better. Lame post after lame post has me nearly comatose. I mean, the only reason I liked you is because you offered me a free chicken sandwich. Why not go clean the restrooms that I complained about on your page last week?

Facebook put themselves in this position. Before they introduced sponsored stories and apps that leaked all your information to third parties, they essentially decided to play both sides of the fence. The site began with only user profiles, but then businesses wanted in. The fan page was created and marketers rejoiced. They could interact and “engage” in conversations with their customer. Facebook liked (see the pun there) this because businesses meant deep pockets and lots of revenues.

See, the thing is, for every change that Facebook makes to their platform (which they have every right to do), they take something away from either the users or the advertisers. Rarely has a change benefited both parties. And since Facebook has plenty of users who are addicted out of their mind, the changes usually benefit the advertisers. It’s like the cigarette industry is behind this or something.

I could get all cliche’ and use the “It’s not you, it’s me” line, but I think it’s actually you (Facebook) this time. I’m not worried that I’m being tracked or what you might do with my data, it’s just that I’ve got too many problems of my own. I no longer want to spend my precious time lining someone else’s pockets and cleaning up the social mess you’ve made. I think I’ll be deleting my Facebook account soon… if that’s even possible.

Update:

The Atlantic Wire has a piece with updated information about the addition of ads in your stream.

The downfall of Facebook is a post from Bob Hazlett, a digital marketer who writes at One Half Amazing!

1. Everyone becomes a media company
Wow, Bob that’s pretty broad. So, here’s where I’m coming from. Consumers are adapting to the way businesses are using social media. When they feel like they’re being sold or that the information is no longer relevant or valuable to them, they move on.

Companies are falling back into their old media ways of business. The companies that evolve and ultimately win are those that will be able to create original, non-salesy and valuable content that speaks directly to that individual and not a mass market. Status updates, videos, email, tweets, etc will all need to be on target.

Content is king may be cliche, but it will be ever so true in 2011 as companies show greater focus on the what rather than the where.

As a side note, watch the “social media gurus” of 2008 become the “content gurus” of 2011.

2. Privacy
Facebook had some small issues in 2010 about user privacy, but I think you’ll see larger groups exposed in 2011. I see this as a blow-up from a major social site that could expose lots of user personal data. The technology is evolving too fast and users are naive and overly trustworthy.

You may even see the government step in ala the “Do Not Track” regulation to help protect consumers. Hide yo kids, hide yo wife, hide yo data.

3. Question and answer sites will be the break out stars
People are making real/major decisions based upon what their real/virtual friends think. The sites you’ll be talking about this time next year are question and answer sites like Quora and Facebook Questions.

4. Group buying gets better
Groupon hit mainstream in 2010, but they still have a lot of opportunity to grow. I think you’ll see better personalization in Groupon deals such that they won’t be necessarily city-wide offers but rather deals that appeal to the demographics and psychographics of their audience. For example, a man living in downtown Memphis who likes football won’t necessarily see the same deal as a man living in East Memphis who enjoys baking.

5. Hot sites to watch
Sort of miscellaneous hodgepodge of predictions at #5.

• I think VYou.com has lots of potential in the social space and fits nicely with prediction #3 above. VYou is a mix of twitter, youtube and a dash of chatroulette (the good part).
• Watch for big developments from Google  in 2011 and maybe in Q1.  In 2008, I wrote that I thought Google had the biggest opportunity and the best pieces in place to really blow the doors off of social. Even though some of their latest ventures have fizzled out, I still think they are better positioned than the likes of Facebook, Twitter and maybe even Apple. Rumors of their +1 project have been swirling in the recent months.
• Niche and personal sites like Path and Instagram will flourish.

By the way, if you’re interested, check out my predictions from 2009 and 2010.

5 digital marketing and social media predictions for 2011 is a post from Bob Hazlett, a digital marketer who writes at One Half Amazing!

My predictions

• Everybody gets their own iPhone and mobile app.  Sites like MotherApp, GameSalad and Swebapps make it too easy.
• Apple, Facebook or Google will open up and allow publishers to do micro transactions across web with ID & buy digital content everywhere.
• Google Nexus One phone = game changer.  Google will disrupt wireless industry, create new business model for cell phones.
• Buzzword of the year will be “experience.” Companies figure how to create engaging touches  &  inject customer love in every level/dept.
• ^^ above companies forced to create small hybrid groups of PR, Mkting, HR & Cust Service focused on set of clients rather than specific duty
• Adwords gets a 2010 upgrade – smarter, better customer choice, maybe even image ads in results…gasp.  Advertisers forced to get better.
• Advertisers & Marketers will put QR codes everywhere – ads, websites, physical products. Objects will all be connected & enhance experience.
• SEO gets disrupted because of personalized search and Google Caffeine.  Folks who dominated will whine as they lose position.

Predictions from friends

• @clayhebert - Consolidation, mainstream adoption, snake oil exposed, budgets shift from trad to digital, real experts valued & rewarded
• @buckdaddy – Whrrl beat FourSqaure in location based social network. FTC rules will hurt 1 person badly like w music piracy. Available SM jobs will grow
• @jtrigsby – Multiple feeds will converge and enable filtering to produce a more usable life stream of information. Some are doing it now, look for more
• @skippytpe – Social games continue further into meat-space. Mobile media consumption continues to outstrip capacity. Revolution: there’s an app for that.
• @jtrigsby – Number of followers will become less important than quality of friends. Numbers will still be important though, so maybe friend tiers?

Give me your thoughts/predictions/wishes in the comments below.

2010 Digital Marketing Predictions in 140 Characters is a post from Bob Hazlett, a digital marketer who writes at One Half Amazing!