3 Social Media Trends You Should Know About

It's the beginning of a new year, and chances are you're resolving to do several (hundred?) things for the first time, differently, or better. But before you start listing out your new and improved social media plans for 2014, find out what the experts are saying will be big in social media this year, read on.

Their predictions will help you nail those resolutions — and maybe even keep a few of them.

1. The Social Media Job Scene: Bigger and Better

According to Business Insider, there are six social media jobs that are going to explode in 2014: SEO Specialist, Social Media Strategist, Online Community Manager, Social Media Marketing Manager, Social Media Marketing Coordinator, and Blogger or Social Media Copywriter.

If you're determined to find a social media job this year, research the jobs on this list — which are you most qualified for? Interested in? On the flip side, if you're an executive at a company that plans to invest more in social media this year, these jobs is good predictors of what people will be paying attention to in the social world in 2014. Know anything about SEO and social media? If not, you may want to add "hiring an SEO specialist" to your resolution list.

2. Beyond Facebook: The New Platforms on the Block

Forbes outlined the top seven social media trends it predicts will dominate 2014. The most interesting? MySpace will make a comeback, Google+ will "become a major factor" and there will be more micro-video. Here's what this means for you:

·         Since MySpace part two is still in its infancy, Building out an entire social strategy for your brand on the platform just yet is not suggestible. However, keep an eye on if — and how —brands are adopting the platform this year.

·         As the article states, Google+ is proving itself to be an integral part of Google's grand scheme in terms of SEO, social signals, and providing a more personalized search experience. If you don't have a Google+ account, this should be the year you resolve to try it out.

·         If you haven't mastered Vine or Instagram's video feature yet, now is the time to get comfortable. If the prediction is correct, making compelling short videos will be as important as writing in 140 characters. The earlier you can master the trend, the better.

3. Small Moments, Big Trends

PR Daily took a look at 10 social media moments in 2013 that it believes are precursors to major trends in 2014, including Oreo's tweet during the Super Bowl, Facebook launching hashtags, and Pinterest's makeover. What do these milestone moments mean for your social media resolutions this year?

·         Oreo's hugely successful live tweet during the Super Bowl was a moment that social media experts talked about all year. PR Daily predicts that, similar to the way brands pay for product placement, companies will make deals with networks to learn a TV show's storyline beforehand so their content is more timely. Which would be a really interesting way for brands to not only publish timely content, but also hugely relevant content

·         PR Daily predicts that Facebook's introduction of hashtags signals that brands will be incorporating hashtags into their TV, print, and radio spots more frequently to strengthen their social campaigns. If you're not fluent in the language of hashtags, make that one of your top goals.

·         Pinterest got a makeover this year and introduced features like Place Pins, analytics, and Rich Pins, strengthening its ROI for brands. Not on Pinterest? Make a point to check out its new functionality.

As you're mapping out your priorities for the year, there's nothing more powerful than arming yourself with information. But if you find yourself getting lost in the noise, remember your #1 resolution for your brand: Keep it genuine and authentic. The rest will follow.