Now that we’re into 2011, it’s definitely time to think about your marketing efforts for the year if you haven’t already. Keeping your marketing up-to-date is key to it being successful, and in order to keep it up-to-date, you need to know what’s coming in 2011!

1. Google Search Results are still important

Google isn’t going anywhere… as a matter of fact, they’re still getting bigger! Google accounts for 66.2% of organic searches in North America alone, according to comScore, Inc in November of 2010 [source]. According to data from a sample done by the Chitika network, the top Google result spot drove 34.35% of all traffic [source]. Of course, don’t forget about Yahoo! and Bing… combined, they account for 28.2% of organic searches [source].

So what does this mean for 2011? That search engine rankings are going to stay an important part of the internet marketing world, so work on improving your SEO for 2011.

2. Direct Mail vs. Email Marketing

According to a study done by The Direct Marketing Association (DMA) mid 2010 [source], response rates for direct mail have held steady for the past four years, with letter-sized envelopes receiving a response rate of 3.42% for a house list and 1.38% for a prospect list. However, email to a house list averaged a 19.47% open rate, a 6.64% click-through rate, and a 1.73% conversion rate (The bounce-back rate was 3.72% and the unsubscribe rate was .77%).

So what does this mean for 2011? If you’ve had success with direct mail marketing, don’t stop! However, email marketing can be cheaper (no printing or mailing costs), and it’s got a higher open rate.

3. Focus on Value

The last few years have been tough on both businesses and consumers, and we are still seeing the effects in people’s reluctance to spend. This trend will continue, and people will still hold tight to their money until they can be convinced that what is being sold to them is really worth it. Even if sale items are scrutinized, as the excitement over saving money has been replaced with a worry of spending it unnecessarily.

So what does this mean for 2011? You need to make sure that what you are selling or providing has true value that your customers can see. Take a hard look at your products and services and make changes where necessary to improve value so you can market with a focus on that value. Consumers will be looking closely and will see through any false marketing of claimed value.

4. Social Media is Taking Over

Facebook and Twitter have grown in leaps and bounds, and will continue to do so in 2011. New social media is popping up as well in the form of services such as Groupon. An important point to consider: not only is your target market on these sites, they’re exchanging information with each other about what they like. Yeah, that’s right… they’re talking about you! Or they could be if you start the conversation. Consumers like to talk and are influenced by their friends.

So what does this mean for 2011? Social media is going to keep growing, and it will continue to be a great place for internet marketing if you do it right. If you don’t already have a social media presence, hurry up and get in there! Then focus on ways to get people to talk to each other about your products or services.

5. Mobile Marketing

Did you know that over 70% of the world’s population have a mobile phone? That would be over 5 billion people, and 9 out of 10 people in the United States. Let’s break that statistic down further… Apple has sold almost 60 million iPhones worldwide, and Google’s Android OS is activating over 160,000 devices a day in over 40 countries. Smart phones have become immensely popular, and will continue to grow. Something that smart phones have that other phones don’t: Web capabilities.

So what does this mean for 2011? Keep smart phones and mobile marketing at the top of your list! Consider creating a mobile friendly version of your website, look into smart phone apps and ad space, and look for new opportunities that mobile marketing can bring you!