2009 trends to ignore: How I did

January 4, 2010 by ian

Every year, I write a list of trends to utterly ignore, dismiss and otherwise mock relentlessly. You can read my 11 2009 trends to ignore here.

So, how'd I do? Not too bad, actually:

Analytics. I said that a lack of standards would make analytics a contentious issue in 2009. Utter fail. I couldn't have been more wrong. Everyone keeps slavering after 'results-driven marketing' like zombies in a Living Dead movie, and to hell with standardization problems.
Vertical search. I said it'd continue to suck. It did. The sheer lack of interest and attention tells you this horse is dead, dead, dead. Ding.
Google Searchwiki. I said it'd get abused into extinction. It didn't. If I was into partial credit, I'd give myself 50%, since Searchwiki does indeed look like a complete failure. But it failed for lack of interest, not abuse. Fail.
Mobile advertising. Hear that sound? That's me throwing up an air ball that missed by 10 feet. Google's purchase of Admob means I was a total idiot: Mobile advertising is growing, fast. Fail.
RSS continues to be the best technology that no one gives a crap about since the laser disc. Ding.
Internet Explorer 8. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA. Did you even know that Microsoft released a new browser? Probably not, given the hubbub over Chrome and Firefox. Firefox, by the way, is drawing even with IE. Ding.
Content marketing. I'm guilty only of under-emphasizing this one. The rise of content sweatshops like Demand Media shrank available marketshare for individuals like me to the size of a SmartCar. Wish I'd been wrong. Ding.
Social media conferences. I can't say for sure, but it certainly seemed like there were a lot fewer folks traveling to conferences this year. Ding.
Nofollow. I was joking when I said Matt Cutts would yank this one out from under us. But what do you know, I was right. Ding, but it's never fun to discover the world is even crazier than you.
Twitter monetization. Still waiting. Waiting.... Ding.
Yahoo!'s downfall. Somehow, a profitable company rejected an acquisition bid by Microsoft, then sold themselves later for a fraction of the price. Yahoo!'s identity turned into a small chunk of damp lint. Further destruction coming soon. Ding.