] HipMojo.com » Ten Predictions for 2008

Ten Predictions for 2008

End of year means one thing, predictions. Here are 10 things we predict:

1- Death of Blogs - Not Quite

Wait, before Dave Winer has a heart attack, let me explain. 2008 will mark the year when the line between a blog and any other site blurs for good. Blogs will continue to gain in importance but they will become more and more mainstream. There will be less and less talk of “advertising on blogs” because it will become increasingly impossible to define what makes up a blog. Many traditional media companies will continue to leverage blogging software to publish. A blog will be a site, and more frequently than not, a site will be blog-based.

That being said, expect the beginning of a lot of consolidation in the blog space and a few acquisitions by large, traditional media companies.

2- Online Video Advertising Crosses $1B in US

We’re not really making a prediction here, since many have outlined 2008 to be the year when online video advertising crosses $1B in spending in the US already, but it will be a watershed moment. Over 50% of Internet users will be watching web video and expect online video to go through the same explosion of advertising dollars that search did in the early 2000s.

3- Consolidation and Shakedown in Social Networking Niches, Video File Sharing Networks and Video Ad Networks

There have been way too many companies funded in social networking sites, video file sharing networks and video ad networks, many of whom have commanded steep valuations. While online video ad spend will cross $1B, it won’t come fast enough to save many of the also-ran’s in each space. Expect a few mergers and acquisitions, a lot of shut downs and layoffs. I won’t name any names, but as a content provider to all of the usual suspects out there, I can place bets with much confidence as to who will die in 2008.

4- Foreign Investment Spreads to Startups

VCs will adopt a flight to quality in the US, but startups won’t really miss a beat in fundraising as foreign funds step in and start to make investments, much the same way that foreign funds are recapitalizing banks, hit hard by the credit crunch.

5- Yahoo! Gets Taken Out

Whether it shall be a bid by a private equity firm, a merger or buyout by another company remains to be seen, but Yahoo!’s days as a stand alone company are numbered.

6- Video Content: Build, then Buy

2007 marked a year where many media companies attempted to build video content offerings, 2008 will see some acquisition activity as traditional media companies look to scale by buying into the space. This will surprisingly allow some print media companies to have more robust video content offerings on their web sites than TV companies, who continue to view the Web as a threat to their core TV advertising revenues.

7- TV Hit Hard

Television ratings and advertising take a tumble. The strike is exasperated by the momentum of shifting audiences online. Viewers simply do not return to the tube even once the strikers get back to work.

8- Facebook Brings in a New CEO

Mark Zuckerberg voluntarily steps aside to become Chief Community Officer, Facebook brings in an outsider to run the company as CEO. The biggest surprise is that the candidate won’t be from Google, but Microsoft or Yahoo!, and will be female.

9- Free, Ad-Supported Music Coming

That’s right, we’re not saying it will work, we’re not even sure if it will someone like Apple or Amazon or the record labels, but tired of seeing online advertising revenues elude them, there will be a greater push for a free, ad-supported music service, inspired by Hulu.

10- Wireless Civil War

The Web is open, the mobile space is not, consumers are in the middle… expect a civil war soon.

More Predictions Around the Web:

- Valleywag
- Beet.tv
- Online Video Watch
- The Economist
 - ReadWriteWeb

If you come across any more, please add to comments or email me at ash@mojosupreme.com.

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Posted By: Ashkan Karbasfrooshan | Dec 22nd

3 Responses to “Ten Predictions for 2008”

  1. Jonas Says:
    December 30th, 2007 at 6:03 pm

    Spotify is probably going to succeed with number 9 in 2008

  2. HipMojo.com » Why Sony Agreed to $1M Deal with Rocketboom Says:
    August 5th, 2008 at 3:20 pm

    […] our Top 10 Predictions from 2008, here is #6: 6- Video Content: Build, then […]

  3. HipMojo.com » How To Win in a Downturn: Never Follow the Crowd Says:
    November 15th, 2008 at 11:26 am

    […] our Top 10 Predictions from 2008, here is #6: 6- Video Content: Build, then […]

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