To say that 2011 was a big year for the media, technology and PR industries would be a huge understatement. We saw LinkedIn’s IPO, the firing of Michael Arrington from TechCrunch, the firing of Carol Bartz from Yahoo!, the launch of Google+, the unfortunate passing of Steve Jobs and much, much more.

Here are some predictions from several Bateman Group staffers, including yours truly, on the biggest trends and events we believe will unfold in the coming year.

Tyler Perry, Vice President

The Continuation of Page-Driven Journalism — Media properties are fighting for eyeballs, so we will continue to see ridiculous headlines and extensive coverage of the same five brands.

A Backlash on Daily Deals/Group Buying — Many brands are using this as a marketing tactic, but the increasing deal fatigue will make this less of an effective strategy. The incentive must be attached with other value.

More Companies “Doing Well by Doing Good” — Using the digital medium or gaming techniques to help people live better and help solve some of the global issues we are facing, but paralyzed to solve from a government leadership standpoint.

The Mobilization of Business Will Change the World of Journalism — It has already shifted the game with advertising, marketing, e-commerce and collaboration. Now that people are consuming more and more content on smartphones and tablets, will journalism shrink its content accordingly?

 

Lisa Melsted, Vice President

Corporate social media responsibilities will continue to fall on PR…but not forever — Social media responsibilities are increasingly being placed on PR firms and outside teams.  As companies try to figure out what their roles should be regarding social media and struggle with internal bandwidth for implementing these programs, those responsibilities will increasingly fall to their PR teams. This trend will likely be short lived however.  Much like the website building capabilities that fell onto PR and advertising firms with the advent of corporate websites in the late 90s and early 2000s, these responsibilities will likely be pulled back in-house over the next 3-5 years as more people build up expertise in social media and the responsibilities for corporate blogging, Tweeting, etc., become full-time jobs (much like website management). PR and ad firms will lead the way for now and should take advantage of this climate for the time being, but should not count on these programs (and revenue from them) to be within the purview of the outside firms forever.

Siri Will Disrupt the Way We Communicate — Apple’s voice recognition/search technology will begin with a slow build and then skyrocket and totally change the way we interact with our phones once again.

 

Rod McLeod, Senior Associate

TechCrunch takes a status hit, becomes a better publication — TechCrunch and ValleyWag were probably the first two tech blogs that I read when I began working in the tech industry. I always found TechCrunch offered a pretty high level of quality and kept me up to date with trends I found interesting. And after a month of reading ValleyWag, I lost interest after I read a few too many articles that were written in poor taste.

I’m sure everyone has been keeping track of the recent CrunchFund debacle and the exodus of top brass like Michael Arrington, Paul Carr, MG Siegler and now Sarah Lacy, but I think that this will usher in a new era at TechCrunch. I never worked with any of the previous editors, but I’ve certainly heard stories of the rage of Michael Arrington from other PR colleagues (see the comment section on a previous Bateman Banter post for yourself), as well as first-hand stories from friends who work at top-tier startups. However, I have worked with a few of the younger writers in TechCrunch’s stable, and I only have positive things to say about them.

I think that TechCrunch will begin to take a more journalistic approach in 2012 and beyond. I’m talking embargos, no more blackmail or “revenge” and FULL disclosure – yes, I said the “D” word. While this won’t reverse the site’s horrid redesign, it will improve the quality of an already highly-regarded publication, and also make it easier to develop and foster real relationships with TechCrunch writers.

 

Amy Ziari, Senior Associate

Competition will increase over “Celebrity” reporters — Jolie O’Dell goes to VentureBeat. Josh Constine and Sarah Perez to TechCrunch. Robert McMillan to WIRED. Ashlee Vance (an author of one of my favorite books about Silicon Valley) to Bloomberg BusinessWeek. Blogs and news outlets are in a feverish race to add reporters that come with their own loyal audience – and personal panache – into their fold. Expect to see more of this in 2012 as competition heats up among the top technology, business and venture news outlets to acquire the same “celebrity” writing talent. It’s not just about the words anymore.

Bill Bourdon, Senior Vice President

Creating a Google+ Business Strategy Will Not Be a Top Priority — Google recently launched Google+ brand pages, which generated a good amount of fanfare and positive reviews in true Google fashion. But here’s the rub: investing time and resources in Google+ will not be a big priority for businesses in 2012.  At least it shouldn’t be. It doesn’t matter if Google+ is better or even if the SEO value of Google+ brand pages is superior to Facebook. It ultimately boils down to market share, and Google was just too late to the consumer social media game to engage a critical mass of users, let alone the early adopters. I don’t think Google+ will be shut down next year – there’s too much at stake. But the service will definitely need to reinvent itself to become viable. Robert Scoble and others are predicting Google will extend its social software to enterprises that can use it to network and collaborate internally, akin to Yammer and Salesforce Chatter. Seems like a reasonable move to capitalize on their investment to me.

 

Elissa Ehrlich, Director

As Social Media Matures and Shakes Off Some of the Hype, PR Will Get Back to Basics — With the explosion of web content and social media engagement, PR has been increasingly viewed as the more valuable and strategic marketing function when compared to advertising. Indeed, PR is owning more and more the content companies push out to their audiences. Why? I feel its because we’re already engaged in a conversation with these constituencies and can communicate more authentically than our friends on the advertising side. The PR industry has been forced to reinvent itself in recent years and I think we’re almost done with the transformation. I do know this - PR pros are once again in high demand. We can’t find people fast enough and we’re turning down great new business leads due to lack of staff!  This is proof that the approach that many agencies are taking is working, and companies are finding value in the work that we do.

Social Media Fatigue Sets In – Already, it’s the same people on your Facebook news stream posting mundane updates, and no one cares all that much about Google+.  While social media will continue to be important for many brands, perhaps in 2012, we’ll get back to the basics and return our attention to securing quality media coverage in highly credibly publications, establishing our clients as true thought leaders in their industry sectors, and other “old fashioned” PR programs like placing keynote speaking engagements and pursuing awards.

Fred Bateman, CEO and Founder

Facebook will be bigger than Google — Facebook will go public and eclipse Google in market capitalization — perhaps permanently

Silicon Valley Will Be the Next Madison Avenue — Just as technology talent is finding its way to New York City, the reverse will also happen.  As Facebook and Twitter start generating more revenue, advertising and marketing talent will start heading West to cash in.

Cloud Computing Will Continue to Reinvigorate the Software Market — Business applications and data are moving to the cloud at a rapid pace and it’s not going to stop there. The day will come when companies outsource not only their software, but network infrastructure as well. The main beneficiaries will be the SaaS companies with the foresight and agility to go where the market is heading, not where it is today. Just as we’ve seen Salesforce, SuccessFactors, Qualys, Zuora, Taleo, NetSuite, Box and Workday grow into successful companies seemingly overnight, I predict there will be others to emerge to join this group, benefiting all of us who make our living from the tech sector, either directly or indirectly.

Consumerization of IT Will Continue to Impact All Corners of Technology — Soon, it will be standard across the software industry for all vendors, regardless of sector, to offer freemium or very low-end products as a point of entry for individuals or small businesses, including mobility, security and virtualization.

Recently, I stumbled upon a fun feature in AdAge on the most interesting summer jobs from big name advertising executives. Knowing the characters we have at the Bateman Group, I knew we could come up with some pretty compelling summer jobs and reflect on how our experiences as pimple-faced teenagers still carry weight in today’s PR industry and business world.

This is Part 1 of 3 profiling the most interesting summer jobs of the Bateman Group

Young Amy

Amy Ziari

Senior Associate

Job: Hoagie Maker/Espresso Slinger/Drive-Thru Money Taker Maven/Delivery Gal

Lesson Learned: Take pride in what you do no matter how big or small of a part you play

Following a string of summers working for my dad, after my senior year of high school I decided it was time for something different. So I applied to a sub sandwich/espresso place in my itty bitty small town and spent that summer making meatball hoagies and preparing no foam double lattes for the locals. I also did deliveries.

It certainly wasn’t a glamorous job – delivering roast beef sandwiches in 105-degree desert heat IS NOT something I’d recommend to anyone – but I gave it my all. I cleaned the tables with a vengeance. I greeted everyone who came through the drive-thru with a huge smile and panache. I tried to perfect my sandwich making abilities by watching my manager. It felt awesome to know that I was giving something my all, even if that all was in fact not anything that “important” in the scheme of things. Through the job, I still had a chance to make a positive impact – even if it was a small one – on someone’s day.

So here’s my Reddit-esque TL-DR (too long/didn’t read): If someone’s paying you to do a job and you do it halfway, you’re not only cheating your employer but yourself. No matter how big or small a job you have, no matter how “important” by society’s standards, it’s an opportunity for you to take control and do something you’re proud of. Same thing goes with PR… even if you’re just getting started in the industry, you have an opportunity to make an impact at your agency or company. Go the extra mile and not only will you be noticed by management, but you’ll feel damn good about yourself, too.

Elissa with her daughter Haley

Elissa Ehrlich

Account Director

Job: Summer Camp Counselor

Lesson Learned: Everyone wants attention and validation, from the loner in the corner to the outspoken popular kid

When I was in high school, I took a job as a counselor at a local summer camp. I decided to work with the camp’s older kids (4th and 5th graders), as I felt like it would be the most fun and engaging route. The job proved to be one of the most physically and emotionally demanding jobs I’ve ever held. My memory was quickly refreshed on how cruel school children can be – but also how sweet, funny and smart they could simultaneously be.

Looking back over 15 years later, I realize that my groups of summer campers primed me for helping interface with many types of clients, colleagues and bosses. Everyone has a distinct personality and drivers, and it’s about tweaking your own management style or approach to get the best work out of an employee or make the client feel like they’re getting the best counsel and results. Ultimately, everyone (whether or not the camper/client/employee seems outwardly confident) needs regular validation that they are smart, capable and needed. Unfortunately, the insecurity never goes away, whether you are 11 or 30!

Jeana Tahnk

Jeana Tahnk

Senior Consultant

Job: Snack bar line cook at a haughty swim club

Lesson Learned: Manners matter – all the time

In high school, I worked as line cook/snack bar attendant at the pool of a very exclusive golf club. Every day, kids would come in hordes to the snack bar and order to their heart’s content and simply charge the bill to their parents’ accounts. Even with this privilege and sense of entitlement, most of the kids were well-mannered and said their “pleases” and “thank yous.” Unfortunately, the same couldn’t be said about the adults. It was often the moms who would come and say, “get me this” or “I want this” without any manners to speak of.

Manners go a long way in every facet of life and it doesn’t take much to thank someone for a job well done. In business, a simple nod of recognition or appreciation for hard work goes a long way.

Laura working hard

Laura Moen

Associate

Job: Truck Rental Agent

Lesson learned: Never be afraid to step outside your comfort zone

During my first summer back from college, I went to an employment agency in search of some seasonal, full-time employment. As soon as I sat down, the agent exclaimed he had the PERFECT job for me. The next day I found myself driving to one of the industrial areas of Buffalo – a decaying shell of its former self as a major port on the Great Lakes – and was told I needed steel-toe boots and to learn to drive standard…on a twin axle tractor with a double clutch meant to pull 53-foot trailers. For someone who had never even driven an SUV in their entire life, this seemed like a bit of a leap. Oh and how did I feel about driving 4-10 hours a day to pick up trucks throughout New York State and Pennsylvania on occasion? Sure why not. That’s how I became a residential and commercial truck rental agent and part time transfer driver for Ryder Inc. during my “off seasons” as a college student.

I was the youngest person and only female working at my Ryder location. I worked most closely with a man they called “The Do” (the old-timers thought he had a snazzy hairdo), who liked unfiltered cigarettes, country music and motorcycles. We had absolutely nothing in common, but he turned out to be one of the best people I’ve ever worked with. He patiently taught me how to drive stick on a tractor and forced me to just go for it. From his guidance, I managed and scheduled an entire fleet of trucks across multiple locations. I priced truck rentals on the fly based on market demand. I quickly learned how to get my trucks washed and ready by making friends with the right guys in the maintenance department. And I relished my time squeezed into a pickup truck with 4-5 old school truck drivers in their 70s who swapped stories about serving in World War II and the best diners along any highway in the country.

While I didn’t get the chance to do a whole lot of writing or apply any of my previous work experience, I learned that taking a chance and stepping outside my comfort zone was more rewarding – and more fun. My experience as a pseudo truck driver prepared me to tackle any unexpected challenge and work with any team to get the job done. Also, if you’re ever in need of a moving truck, I highly recommend picking up the 16-foot Isuzu W-2 from Ryder. It’s a great little city truck to move a small house or apartment.

On June 25, 2009, we launched Bateman Banter, the Bateman Group‘s official blog on topics and trends in communications, public relations, marketing, social media and technology  – and the areas where those topics intersect.  We thought our growing readership would appreciate a recap of the blog’s most popular posts from our first six months. For those of you visiting Bateman Banter for the first time, this post will do a good job catching you up. We’re looking forward to seeing all of you return for more Bateman Batner in 2010.

Bateman Buzz Meter – Editions One, Two and Three. The brainchild of our very own Shannon Walsh, Bateman Buzz Meter is our take on the best and worst industry headlines and PR campaigns . From the Tiger Woods fiasco to Facebook’s new privacy settings and lots in between, the Bateman Group organizes the latest news, PR stunts and blunders in a colorful and easy to read matrix each month.

12 Days of Christmas in Silicon Valley. If you haven’t seen it yet, our holiday video card features the Bateman Group’s special rendition of the 12 Days of Christmas performed by the amazingly talented Gale Bradley Singers. Fred put it best when he described the video as “a parody of what we can only call ‘Silicon Valley values’ at a time we can all use a good laugh.”

Open Social Media Strategy Pays Off for Panda Security. This post highlights how the Bateman Group’s client Panda Security has embraced social media to transform itself from an introverted and technology focused company to an open organization that is able to better interact with its customers, partners, and employees.

Are spokespeople going the way of the dodo? In this evocative post inspired by a Wall Street Journal article, Tyler Perry (not to be confused with Tyler Perry) answers the question: Will corporate blogs replace company spokespeople?

37 Signals Satires Twitter Valuation: Why Didn’t I Think of That?! In this post by yours truly, I call out the best tech industry PR stunt of the year: 37Signals’ satirical press release about its billion dollar valuation in response to Twitter’s one billion valuation. 37Signals’ CEO Jason Fried jokingly justifies his company’s valuation based on investors who are paying $1 for 0.000000001% of the company. Brilliant.

Facebook vs. Twitter: Which is Better for Marketing your Business? In this controversial post inspired by a New York Times article, Lisa Melsted offers her prediction about how B2B versus consumer brands will get utility from Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter in the future.

To Embargo or Not to Embargo? Prompted by the Wall Street Journal’s decision to no longer honor  embargoes,  Tyler Perry discusses the implications of this policy shift for brands, PR, and the broader media landscape. Only time will tell what embargo policy shifts are in store for 2010.

PR or Advertising: Who Should be Managing your Sponsored Conversations? In this post I introduce the emerging and somewhat controversial concept of ‘sponsored conversation’ and explain which camp, PR or advertising, is better positioned for success in these new waters. And the winner is…PR.

Bateman Group speaks out on information overload. The fragmentation of the media landscape and explosion of the blogosphere has made it increasingly challenging for PR practitioners to stay on top of not only the news, but the conversations most relevant to our clients. In this great video post by Amy Ziari, she interviews some Bateman Group employees about the history of how PR firms have monitored media and what tools they use to stay productive in an era of information overload.

Finally Putting “The Article” to Bed. In this witty and insightful post, Fred weighs in on the heated debate sparked by Claire Cain Miller’s July 4^th New York Times article on the Evolution of PR in Silicon Valley. Fred offers some great perspective on the different styles of PR, comparing and contrasting approaches perfected by new kid on the block Brooke Hamerling and industry veterans like Andi Cunningham.

Introducing Bateman Banter, the official blog of the Bateman Group. Fred pens the inaugural Bateman Banter post and lays out our editorial mission and unique P.O.V.

Thanks for your feedback and inspiration over the last six months since Bateman Banter has been and please continue to join the conversation by sharing your thoughts and perspectives with us.