Digital media meets consumer trends in 2012

In 2011, businesses found that consumers increasingly prefer to navigate the World Wide Web on their smartphones and tablet computers. The improved mobile connectivity benefited some organizations but posed major downfalls to others. Across industries, incorporating a mobile component into a business will prove to be a successful move in 2012. Here are how certain creative jobs will specifically be affected:

Web and graphic design jobs
Professionals who hold web and graphic design jobs will have to adjust to consumer trends. In a recent study conducted by Cisco, video presence is projected to be even more important in the upcoming years. The source states that 80 percent of all internet traffic will be video-based by 2015, a staggering statistic for businesses that have only just begun to establish their web presence. Creative organizations should begin to incorporate interactive components into their websites ahead of the complete switch.

Marketing communications jobs
Marketing communications jobs will continue to rise moving forward into 2012. Businesses that want to make a positive impact in the consumer market should begin to focus on their respective niche markets. In the Information Age, the more knowledge businesses provide to consumers, the higher the likelihood they'll form loyal consumer bases. However, businesses cannot accommodate the needs of their consumers without conducting research on their interests.

Creative direction jobs
Creative communication professionals will play an important role in the future of many businesses. In 2011, geo-targeting was a reoccurring trend. In the upcoming year, people who hold creative direction jobs will have to focus more heavily on localized marketing. One successful way to conduct geo-targeted marketing is appealing to local consumers. Service-based organizations that use websites like Groupon and LivingSocial are already at an advantage, as those outlets attract shoppers based on localized trends.

Multimedia jobs
What brings all of the previously mentioned consumer trends together is the increased usage of mobile devices. There will be over 7.1 billion mobile-connected devices by 2015, according to Cisco. That number is roughly equal to the projected world population for 2015, according to the United Nations. Almost every industry will be impacted by the increased usage of mobile devices. Businesses that fail to incorporate mobile connectivity into their daily operations won't be able to survive, as web navigation will become second-nature to most.

In 2012, video-based marketing and an increase of mobile technology will play a pivotal role in how most businesses move forward. Project managers who heavily digest consumer trends and implement solutions before problems arise will likely tower over the competition. After all, consumers often determine the success of any business.