2011 brought some remarkable advances in technology, which greatly influenced how people and businesses communicate. In particular, it’s been an exciting year for online video and we’re expecting 2012 to be just as memorable. Here are our top 10 predictions for online video for the next 12 months. If you’re in the corporate communications business, we’re sure these predictions will be of interest to you:

1. Video becomes mainstream

Companies spent the last few years testing online video and the results are in: video gets a passing grade for being one of the most effective and efficient forms of communication. In 2012 you will see online video communication become the standard for large corporations.

2. More Online Video Campaigns

The fact of the matter is that fresh, updated content keeps people engaged. This is why companies are starting to create video campaigns, as opposed to one-offs. Whether it’s for internal or external purposes, in 2012 companies will shift their mentality from one-off videos to full video campaigns.

3. Video Everywhere

Video is no longer only accessible at corporate offices. With high speed mobile internet, workers in the field now have equal access to online video, and corporations will use this to their advantage. Video-capable mobile devices in combination with high speed wireless internet will drive the demand for video everywhere.

4. Video will start to Just Work on all devices

The average person doesn’t care about HTML5 vs Flash, and all that other technobabble. Viewers  just want to press play and watch a video. Luckily, in 2012 tech gurus will figure out ways to make your videos work on all devices, hassle free.

5. Video & Social Media will officially get married

Adding video to your social media updates will be made quick and easy by the end of 2012. And when it’s easy, people are going to do it. This is why we predict all social media platforms will include video by the end of 2012.

6. Online Video Advertising continues to grow

The truth is there are way more people online than reading newspapers or listening to the radio. This is why more and more advertising dollars are being directed from those formats into online video advertising.  We’ll see this trend continue in 2012.

7. Video gets the green light from IT departments

Whether it’s bandwidth limitations of security concerns there are still quite a few companies that have restrictions on video within their internal networks. This has been changing slowly, but in 2012 we’ll see a major floodgate opening simply because access to video has become required for business.

8. Low quality video accepted but not preferred

This year we’ll start to see an increase in the quality of corporate content simply because companies are realizing the value of video and are starting to invest more into it. The same thing happened with websites back in the late 1990’s. The point is low quality will continue to be acceptable in 2012 but high quality video will be preferred.

9. Big companies are now in the broadcast game

The high demand for good corporate video will result in large companies choosing to develop well thought out strategies for their video communications. Say goodbye to long boring corporate videos, the most successful videos will not only inform your audience but entertain them as well.

10. A transition from written to visual

You’re already starting to see it in the newspaper business where traditional print mediums are now using video online. Even for those long winded written articles found on your websites or emails, video is much more effective. This is why companies will shift their medium of choice from written communications to visual.