World War 3, a string of natural disasters and the fall of the economy await us all in the coming months.

Well, that’s what French prophet Nostradamus predicted some 500 years ago.

As for me, I predict my beloved Brighton and Hove Albion will seal survival in the Premier League with an injury time winning goal against Liverpool at Anfield on the last day of the season.

Relegation back to the Championship would equal the dire predictions of Nostradamus!

Away from football and the inexorable rise of social media will continue to dominate our lives.

Video content will become increasingly important (bear in mind that 90 per cent of all content shared by users on social media in 2017 was video) and that some experts believe video will eventually be the closest thing to having a face to face conversation with an audience.

Brands that don’t use video could falter. But before the camera starts rolling, take time to consider what your target audience is searching for. It could also be advisable to test different content to see what works best for you.

Once past that stage, then the next challenge for marketers is to grab attention in the first few seconds.

From the outset, make sure your video’s headline is attention grabbing while including appropriate keywords to show up on search engines.

Follow this with excellent content and not just a straight forward sales pitch. Take time to consider what your audience would consider truly valuable.

It’s also a great opportunity to position yourself as an industry expert, showcasing skill and expertise.

Also, don’t forget to include a call to action. This could be signing up to a newsletter, visiting your website or leaving a comment.

So as 2018 rolls on, it will be exciting to see the dominance of video on social media activity. We watch this space with anticipation!