LAN Systems eNewsletter - 2012 Top IT Trends

January/February 2012

We wish you the most joyous and prosperous New Year!

In this issue, we will share our predictions for the top trends of 2012 and look back at 2011 to see how we did.

It will be another big year for social media. With growing interest in Twitter and the launch of Google+, we expect to see an increase in the number of small businesses engaging online. If you don't have an online marketing campaign, 2012 will be a great year to start.

Mary

Top IT Trends for 2012

In keeping with our new year's tradition, we have compiled our list of the top technology trends for 2012. We scanned the available data, reviewed our

previous predictions and made some leaps of faith. We are optimistic about the economy and expect many delayed IT expenditures to be completed this year. Advances in business technology continue their steady progression with many smaller businesses adopting leading edge technologies. This year will be interesting for consumer electronics. Maybe Steve Jobs left his next great invention in the Apple pensieve.

Local Data Centers - As Cloud Computing gains acceptance and market share, more business will move their equipment and applications to the cloud. Companies will look for neighborhood data centers that are accessible and provide boutique services. This provides an opportunity for IT service providers and managed service providers (MSPs) because smaller businesses will be looking for help in managing their collocated equipment and cloud applications. Many small businesses are accustomed to contracting IT services rather than maintaining in-house IT expertise and will look for service providers that can meet their changing IT model.

mCommerce - Mobile commerce is not only for impulsive buyers, but for smart, savvy shoppers looking for the best deal. The 2011 holiday season broke all records for mCommerce and this will continue as increasing numbers of merchants and consumers embrace mobile applications. Powerful processors will give handhelds a big boost in acceptance for those that have been reluctant to adopt the technology. Near field communication (NFC) will take off as applications are developed that use NFC for everything from sharing contact information to reading garment labels to purchasing anything with the swipe of your phone. In 2012, if you are in the consumer market - become an expert in NFC and mCommerce.

Speech Recognition - This could be a breakout year for speech and voice technologies. Speech recognition has been used by medical and legal for years and widespread acceptance is just around the corner for all types of businesses. As mobile device users embrace speech recognition for on-the-go computing, they will bring this technology into the office for a variety of efficiency improvements.

Handhelds Replace Laptops - With more powerful CPUs, handhelds can replace many of the features of laptops. The keyboard and screen size continue to be obstacle but projection and foldable technology will bridge the gap. One day we will think and our computer (probably won't be called a computer) will translate our thoughts into input and output, but in the meantime virtual docking stations will be used to interface with our analog (hands and eyes) systems.

Another Social Media Surge - With Google+ claiming that it will have 400 million members by the end of 2012, we are expecting another surge as social media expands its audience. Online aficionados will continue to be plagued with spam and scams, but new strategies will emerge to catch and isolate the offenders. The number of users and the average time spent online will increase, but there are too many platforms for the market. Users will consolidate around the most beneficial and productive sites. Facebook may take over the world in 2012, but then again it may not.

Disclaimer: Like horoscopes, our predictions for the Top IT Trends of 2012 are general in nature and for entertainment purposes only.

If you have comments or your own 2012 trends, please send to me at mary@lansystems.com.

How Google+ Affects Your SEO

Guest author Gwen Morrison of Endurance Marketing

By now you've heard that Google has launched Google+ Pages for businesses - and you're probably wondering whether this new social network is worth your time. The answer is "YES."

Google+ is making its presence known in the Google search results. One of the main benefits of using Google+ for your business is that your Google+ posts are indexed in Google. The more you post, the more likely your content will show up in search results.

Things you can do today that will improve your visibility using Google+:

Create a Google+ page for your business. Get started on your Google Plus business page here.
Optimize your "About" page. Add keywords to your Google+ profile and links to your website using keywords as anchor text.
Add links to your website, social networks, and blog in the "recommended links" section on Google+ page.
Add a link (or icon) to your Google+ page on your website, blog, social networks, and your email signature.
Add a +1 button to your website. The number of +1s a page gets will show up in the search results, even if a searcher is not logged into Google+.
Announce your new Google+ page everywhere you communicate online, encouraging people to add your page to their circles. Your content will rank higher for specific keywords in search for those who have a connection to you on Google+.

By combining traditional SEO and social media marketing, you'll create a more powerful online presence.

Gwen Morrison is a social media strategist, SEO consultant, and owner of

Endurance Marketing, an Atlanta-based online marketing agency. Contact Gwen at: gwen@endurancemktg.com.

eNewsletter

In This Issue

Top IT Trends for 2012

How Google+ affects SEO

Grade on our 2011 IT Trends

Solutions and Services to help you grow your business

System and Network
Design & Installation
Microsoft, Linux and Unix
Servers and desktops
vCIO Strategy
Architecture review
System installation
Network security
Storage solutions
Virtualization

Service and Support
Support agreements
Onsite services
HelpDesk support
System maintenance
Emergency services

Data recovery

Managed Services
24/7 system monitoring
Real-time notification
Automatic updates
Quickly fix problems
Alarming for critical events
System health reports
Follow up action plan

Data Backup Plans
Online combined with local or offsite storage
Easy to manage
Restore individual files or entire system
Safe and affordable

Top IT Trends for 2011 - How did we do?

Cloud Computing - The Application Server Provider (ASP) and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model is Cloud Computing. More than ever, this is a technology in search of a moniker that will catch on and become a household name. We all cloud compute even if we don't quite grasp the concept. From our social media sites to our online backup to our online applications, each monthly subscription is a testament that cloud computing solutions work. This way of computing through the Internet will continue to grow offering more and improved services at competitive prices. (We give ourselves an A!)

Mobile Devices and Applications - SmartPhones are considered one of the hottest items for consumers. The use of mobile applications has gained such acceptance that an explosion of development, hoping to cash in on commercial success, will bring even more mobile apps to our handhelds. Context-aware computing which has been around for over a decade may see 2011 as its breakthrough year. (We grade this one as a B. Although mobile devices and application are booming, context-aware computing or anticipating your needs still has a ways to go.)

Business Analytics - The amount of electronic data is now over a zettabyte (that's a one with twenty-one zeroes) and there is no end in sight. But data has a shelf life and it has to be processed before expiration to make sense of or profit from the analysis. With increased computing power, a terabyte of data can be processed, measured and interpreted in real-time allowing for quick business decisions. Computer programs, algorithms and models will take advantage of the processing speed to give timely information. Business strategies and marketing tactics will be altered immediately to reflect patterns revealed by the numbers. Business acumen is essential as the numbers will continue to be governed by GIGO (Garbage In - Garbage Out). (Another A! Business analytics continues its growth in government and the enterprise.)

Work from Anywhere - Fueled by the growth and availability of bandwidth and Cloud Computing, we will be able to conduct real business from anywhere. Files and documents will be migrated into the cloud so that workers will have anytime, anywhere access. Productivity tools will aid the worker while providing efficiency measures to the employer. Communications from just about anywhere will allow us to buy, sell and converse seamlessly. Tasks considered too complicated to be mobile will be done routinely on-the-go. Speech recognition will provide the necessary hands free environment. (Probably a B! Still working on that on-the-go and speech recognition, but we haven't given up on it.)

Social Media - The transformation of the way we communicate, personally and professionally, will continue unabated. Social Media continues to be the darling of marketing. Certainly, the players will change as Fortuna spins her fickle wheel, but online social interaction is the future of human communications. We will find ways to make it more significant and efficient, but there will continue to be spam, scams and information overload, just like it was in the old way of communicating - remember junk mail! Demand for social media consulting will continue and the best opportunities are likely to be for small companies providing services to the Fortune 500. (This one is a no-brainer A+ ;)

Have a different opinion, just let us know. Send to: trends@lansystems.com