There are quite a few infographics and articles that predict various social media trends for  2016 – however this is one of the most comprehensive and has some very interesting conclusions.  Understanding the latest trends and factors affecting visibility and interaction on the Web becomes more important  as the digital and online world develops at an accelerating rate.

What is clear is that social media can no longer be regarded as a passing fad but is an intrinsic part of the way people, interact, communicate and purchase online.

The following  points are important to consider with regard to how social media is affecting commerce  and marketing.

• Buy buttons. These are becoming more prevalent on social media sites. Instragram, for example, has launched a “shop now”  button
• Publishing via social networks – Facebook and LinkedIn have started online article publishing which is a new way of fast and effective content dissemination. This is a  trend that is gaining momentum.
• Immediate and real-time interaction is another trend that is becoming very popular.
• The increased use of video
• Search via social media. While search engines like Google are still in the forefront of search, more and more people are using social media and networks like Twitter to search for up-to-date and relevant information –  and there is an increasing reliance on peer reviews on social media when making purchasing choices.
• With all the developments on social media and in the mobile arena there is an increasing emphasis on security and particularly in the area of mobile security.