So, we're almost at 2011, what's going to happen next year? Will Google continue to push free results further down the SERPs? Will bing grab some market share? Will independents like duckduckgo.com suddenly become hip? Or, maybe the EU regulators will clamp down on big G and make it distinguish between PPC and spidered results more obviously? What say you all?
G's going to focus on mobile and succeed. By the end of 2011, Android will be equal to iPhone for all intents and purposes (with the minor exception of less focused app stores).
G will try to fight FB, but fail.
Your old "flat" websites will begin to lose influence as FB starts to become a 'recommendation engine.' Eventually, perhaps as soon as next year, search will become the "2nd stop" rather than the first place people do research. Conversely, super-long-tail items will become higher-converting items in the serps.
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flat = lacking a social element. comments, blog, forum, etc.
I think Android is already there. And I believe you are right, they will focus on mobile. Look at the whole android local part. I have had loads of Map updates recently, I think they will focus on that more.
More Fortunes will be made in apps.
Ecom sales will grow, the big boys will push for search space even harder. (UK High street)
Google will lose some search share, not necessarily to FB, although thats obviously likely to be a factor, but to MSN and possibly other search companies, due to license deals/apps and an element of dissatisfaction with Google results from the general public as they change things too much too fast for peoples comfort zones.
and I don't mean 10%, but I can see a couple of % movement.
Google got their acquisition of Doubleclick sorted and into a billion dollar business in 2010 many years after buying it.
They got You Tube working and I think you will see much more video advertising coming into play in 2011.
Mobile will also be big based on Google turning some love towards Admob which they bought in 2009.
Video and mobile would be where I would focus effort this year.
And app development.
And Facebook.
And.........there are not enough hours in the day.