Things That Will Change the Online Business Success Game in 2011   by Dax L'Amour, Ph.D

This time last year, I made a set of predictions based on my research, experience, and conferencing with other long-time internet entrepreneurs---and all of those predictions came true during 2010.

Let's see how I'll do this year...I don't think these predictions will be off the mark.

Here are my predictions for game-changers in the online business realm for 2011:

1. Social Networking sites will have stronger spam rules enforced.
If you've been Social Marketing in the last year, you may or maybe have not received what you wanted through that channel, advertising-wise. It's not you, it's the million of unethical marketers that message everybody in their group several times per day with ridiculous spam offers. This is making your friends in the groups numb to it all--so any good idea you want to share gets deleted or canned without anyone seeing it. Ning sites, SocialGo, and Dolphin groups have already begun to institute regulations against Spam. Others will pick up on it and do the same. Instead, I think these groups will now offer paid marketing channels within the groups, which will eliminate spammers, but still leave the authority and groups intact and create a new place for your ethical marketing.
That is just my 2 cents on that one.

2. Mobile marketing will feel the sting of spam.
Mobile marketing is taking off. Sure, it's a great way to locate thousands of prospects. But like all other good things on the 'Net, I think mobile marketing in 2011 will have to enforce some kinds of limitations on what gets sent and how receivers get it.
Ethical marketers may have to wait until regulation hits before fully investing in using this channel. I can assure you, spammers will kill this just like they have everything else that is good here.
Look into mobile marketing, but wait until mobile companies install regulations before you invest a lot of money in mobile marketing.

3. Many programs and opportunity businesses in existence today will be gone this year.
It's going be like a bunch of dominoes...it's already started.
Of the 77 new opportunity launches I tracked in 2009-2010, 46 of them cannot be found on the 'Net anywhere today. That's just the ones I tracked, who knows about the others. There's no telling how
many people signed up, promoted, put their hopes in them, and are back at square one today...looking for a new opportunity to join to make money.
The best opportunities are the ones that have been around 3+ years with little negative feedback on the 'Net.
Opportunities are fine if you're new and just need to get a little income flowing, but if you want a long-lasting business on the Internet, eventually you will have to gravitate away from them, and go into doing your own thing. No business will be better than one you design and operate yourself.

4. Google and the other search engines will change they way things are searched several times this year.
Google is smart. They never sleep. They are always on top of things within hours or days of the happenings on the 'Net. Anytime they feel they have to question how things are searched and found,
they change something---mainly to protect their searchers and provide a "happy" experience. So, as hucksters, hackers, and hypesters design new ways to "be on the first page of Google---guaranteed", Google will see through the ploy and destroy that tactic.
Honestly...people search by words and phrases. Google knows this.
If you want to market, make your content centered around words and phrases associated with the niche interest and Google will help you. Try to slick them, and you're toast. Also,Google is losing their love for things that are "automatic", just so you know.
Keep that in mind when you look at things that make anything in your business run on automatic. You will have to keep Google on your side if you want sustainable income and success on the Internet.

5. Those long, drawn-out video sales promotions will lose favor with the general populace.
Back a few years ago, people coming online to make money were a different sort. Today, with all the downsizing, unemployment, etc., there are a lot of people coming online to make money---except these people are highly experienced, highly educated, and highly motivated.
So, making a long drawn out presentation---talking to them like they're dummies, will get you nowhere. Plus, people don't have time on hand like before. Show respect for their intellect and time, get to the point, and do not try to snow job anyone. Make a video, leave contact details if they have a question. if you have something interesting to share, you will get positive feedback that will lead to a selling opportunity.

6. Sales-heavy seminars and webinars will experience a fall from grace.
Advertising a free seminar "How single Moms can make 6 figures a year"
only to hit them with a $497 price tag at the end of an "information-packed" seminar will not work in 2011.
Single moms don't have $497--no matter how badly marketers need their money.
We are living in an information-starved society now.
People want information---just enough for them to make pertinent, intelligent, beneficial-to-them decisions.
In an information-packed seminar, give them pertinent information with a lead in to the product that is somewhere else, let them be the ones to make the move. This keeps marketers from appearing so desperate. Often the best way to make a sale is to not try to make the sale. Let the information and communication-reputation-personality make the sale.

7. The populace will be more information, content, brand, and trust oriented.
More people are learning to "Google your name".
Today, there are thousands of people on Twitter, for example, that their bio reads "expert", then when their website links are looked into, their site bio leads to an opportunity sign up page, or something similar. Google their name and you find nothing. Expert? Well, how is anyone to know for sure? People in 2011, because of all the past couple of year's debacles, will now investigate things past
the surface. They'll look for names, content and blogs attached to that name---anything that will give them assurance that they can trust the person. New Internet marketers will have to create a lot of content and get it out there and point it to their business blog.
They will have to have an autoresponder and build a list---then build a great relationship with them by sharing even more content within their ezine or newsletter mails. Trust is powerful---way more powerful than any sales page. Reputation is powerful---way more powerful that any product offered. Information in the form of content is powerful---and it the way people will view reputations and establish trust.

8. More money will be made in "deep niches" rather than broad niches this year.
Experienced internet entrepreneurs have learned that better incomes come from niches-within-niches. For instance, a health business online has about 3 million people in it. However, "better health tips for women over 40" defines it more specifically, plus narrows down the product line. Then , women over 40 who are health-conscious have more money to spend. Hundreds of thousands of people will come online this year and start a broad-based niche business. If a marketer does not go deep within a niche, they might have to compete with tens of thousands of new marketers.

These are just some opinions on how the Internet will change and evolve this year. Be able to roll with the changes, adapt great strategies, and success will not be far away.