The overall trends do appear to paint a pretty decent picture of what grabbed our attention over the year, although seeing Justin Bieber in there at number 8 does make you question if we all had a little too much time on our hands in 2010!  Facebook have produced a similar list (#6 Justin Bieber) from the year’s Status Updates and as such the list is distinctly different from those generated by Google and Twitter.  For the full Facebook Memology check out the Facebook blog here.

However, it is not just the social networks making these lists.. the 2010 Zeta Buzz Awards measure the popularity of the Web’s major social media sites over the year.  YouTube and Flickr come out as the big winners, gaining positive mentions 91% and 98% of the time respectively, but further illustrating how the once mighty have fallen both MySpace and Friendster dropped out of the Top 10, and I wouldn’t hold out much hope of them returning in 2011.

How do these findings strike you?  Surprised?  Will Biebermania prove even more popular in 2011?  Let us know your thoughts below!

The CEO gives an interesting quote, stating “2010 marks the start of the digital decade for marketing” with the study going on to show that 66% of all those surveyed are planning to invest in social media marketing in the coming 12 months. The report also touches upon the growth of social media monitoring, with almost 40% of respondents intending to spend on social media tracking tools as we enter the new decade.

Alterian reflects upon the growing understanding that a forward thinking marketing strategy now has to listen to potential customers, especially if a ROI in social media is to be realised, with marketers now being required to appeal to customers at a one-to-one level. A growing power shift that is seeing more control in the hands of the consumer as networks of friends and influence continue to evolve over social networks.

For a full breakdown and details of the survey, sign up here.