2012 will be considered as the year that businesses officially took up the social media plunge, adapting Facebook, Twitter among other networks as a vital part of the approach. In 2013, these businesses can expect to expand returns on their investments, as social media technologies enhance and functionality goes beyond just community building and marketing. Here is a look at the 5 hot trends for social media in 2013.

1) More Usage of Mobile Social Media
Mobile internet usage in the United States is set to outdo wired use by the year 2015, but this change is happening even quicker for social media. For example, Facebook has already recognized that growth on mobile outdoes growth on PCs.

This means that networks that are designed from ground up for mobile, such as Instagram are at a huge advantage. In 2013, traditional players have to work very hard to distinguish mobile and desktop experiences and offer mobile users more value for their money, with streamlined interfaces, GPS, ambient location and NFC.

2) Mobile Advertising Becomes More Practical
Looking for ways to compress traditional ads on tiny mobile screens has proved a significant stress for Facebook as well as other networks. However, innovative solutions like Sponsored Stories and Promoted Tweets are offering a more practical workaround. These ads look exactly like user-generated content. By directly integrating into home streams, they provide a means for brands to get to customers on their own turf.

3) International & Niche Networks Boom
Although the growth of social media has dramatically slowed in North America, it is just taking off in other parts of the globe. 2013 will see a growth of 23.3% in Africa and the Middle East, 12.6% in Latin America and 21.1% in Asia-Pacific (India, China and Indonesia). And numerous of these users will be gathering to localized networks that you might not have heard of.

For businesses that hold on social media, the main thing is that social networks are rapidly multiplying. To engage customers and stay on top, it is essential to have a refined social media management system.

4) Social Media Transcends Marketing
McKinsey published a report in 2012 saying that social technologies can unlock 1.3 trillion US dollars in business value. What is more shocking is that most of these savings come from improving office productivity.

Therefore, social media is not a time-waster at the workplace, but a probable productivity tool. Sales teams can spot customers and pursue leads using social media. HR department can use it to make the application process more efficient. R&D can think in collaborative methods that are impossible via email.

5) Big Data Gets Lots More Manageable
Social campaigns and social media have given companies and brands access to exceptional volumes of information regarding their stakeholders and clients. The problem is that they have not yet discovered how to make use of all this information and convert it into actionable strategy.

However, that is changing. Innovators like Nestle are already tapping into social information to improve customer sentiment, whilst GE is making use of similar types of information to accelerate repairs to the electrical framework. In 2013, more companies will have the ability to benefit from social information as robust new analytical tools and software emerges.

Jonathan is a passionate social internet marketing professional working at Bang Online Marketing in Perth. In his spare time he likes to play sports and read up on the latest out of Silicon Valley!