There’s no shortage of bloggers making their predictions of the hot trends for the new year and marketers are never shy about adding their two cents. I’ll refrain from making a gamble on whether Facebook will still be relevant or Myspace making a comeback and instead stick to the facts. Well, one fact. Here it is - Digital matters.

I think that the only thing guaranteed in 2013 and beyond is that you need to be online. The World Wide Web is living up to its name and there is a market for every possible business and every single niche in every location. Kickstarter has proved that any good idea, in spite of potential market size, can find an audience and funding online.

The ideal digital tools for your nonprofit or business will be specific to who you want to connect with. Facebook’s billion users and LinkedIn’s professional audience are an excellent starting point for most businesses. If you’re blessed with a photogenic organization or travel a lot, Instagram is a social photo sharing community of enthusiastic members. If you’ve got lots to say, Twitter is your best friend.

It comes down to looking at your organization and matching your strengths to the social media that suits best. There is no point in forcing your business onto any social media channel because it’s the “next big thing” if it doesn’t match your brand or your audience. Whatever your business, there’s a social community online that wants to hear from you.

- Peter