The Magazine of Online Media, Marketing and Advertising has just rounded up its "10 Things You Need To Know About Social Networking," and, anticipating $1.38 billion to be spent on ads on social networking sites in 2008, it provides a run-down of the factors that will affect the space.

Interestingly, it cites a Datamonitor report that predicts the online population explosion to peak in 2009 and to hit a plateau by 2012. Mobile is expected to take off, connectivity is expected to continue in importance, and OMMA also predicts that there will be a backlash against complex profiles, resulting in a simplification trend. If true, this could have ramifications on the avatar trend and the complex personalization options users are currently demanding -- and receiving.

The list specifically mentions virtual worlds, too:

"Virtual communities will remain problematic for advertisers.
Brands made a huge, exciting dash into Second Life, but so far, it's been lonely for them there. 'There is potential for user engagement, but simply opening up a shop in Second Life or other virtual worlds and hoping for the best is far from enough,' says Datamonitor's Ri Pierce-Grove."

It's a little short sighted, however, to only cite those ill-prepared Second Life brand rushes; the particular issue that OMMA mentioned was actually one of the bigger lessons to emerge from the second half of 2007, not a prediction for 2008, as Second Life itself seems to already be plateauing well ahead of Datamonitor's 2010 deadline. A better prediction might encompass the ways that advertisers are rethinking how best to use the virtual space, and creating actual branded events and interactive experiences and items in worlds appropriate to their targeted audience, as opposed to just opening a virtual store in Second Life. The latter, while it may be 3D and virtual, is the online world equivalent of a static billboard, while themed events, branded avatar clothing, and representative personality appearances are finding success and opportunity in worlds like There, Habbo and vSide.

[Via MediaPost Publications]