As I shared in yesterday’s post, I asked a bunch of smart folks what they thought were the biggest social media disrupters of 2011. Here are more answers, still all over the map, and still helping to define the social media zeitgeist of 2011. Consider these answers as hints of where we’re going in 2012. Away we go to installment number two.

Tim Hayden, CMO, 44Doors

2012 will bring us the tipping point for a more ‘human’ way of communicating. Instant Voice Recognition (IVR) tools such as Apple’s Siri, and visual storytelling apps such as Instagram and Path, will all bring change to the way brands and consumers use social media. As mobile becomes more actionable and utilitarian, we will see text-based communication give way to technologies such as these.

David Alston, CMO, Radian6

To me the social disrupter of the year is “+1million.” Two years ago I remember commenting on a year end post about how amazing it was to see the growth in the number of people mentioning ‘social media’ in their Linkedin profile. I think the number had gotten up to 35,000 or so at that point. I just checked it again and it looks like it’s now over 1 million. It truly warms my heart to see this level of awareness and to see the term used in the context of a role within so many enterprises. Because amazingly, it was only four short years ago that if you asked to speak to the person in charge of social media that they would have no idea where to send you or even what you were talking about.

Tim Washer, Actor, Writer, Presbyterian

One of the most sound decisions I made this year was mitigating my losses to only $1.20 to watch “Friends with Benefits.” Yes, my nomination for 2011 disrupter is a vending machine.  But a vending machine that provides me with a more friendly customer experience than I ever received from my neighborhood Blockbuster (which, btw, is now a Supercuts). Redbox excels on two of my favorite of the four P’s – price and place. In the last two years, it has more than doubled the number of kiosks to 33,300, and will soon offer streaming. Blockbuster has dropped from 3,300 locations to 1,500. Never underestimate a strategy based on low price, convenience and robots.

Sean McDonald, SVP and Colony Master, Ant’s Eye View

My #1 social behavior faux pas was Reed Hastings (Netflix) business model communications. A few errors make this my #1: First, bad decision to change the business model that 23 million U.S. Subscribers love and use. I understand the internal business reasons and vision that Reed has shared in past about Netflix does not equal DVDs, but instead entertainment delivered via the net. Second, not reading the tea leaves when first announcing price increases and breaking business into two pieces (no excuse for not monitoring web mentions, comments, sentiment). The web is your immediate market research. Third, an apology that is hollow is not much of an apology. I remain a Netflix subscriber because the company did not split into two services, but I still am raw about Netflix. Does a company have a right to change its business model? Yes, but they also have to live with the consequences: 800,000 subscribers jumped ship and believe it will be harder to grow business when their market cap dropped 77% (2011: high of $305/share to $71/share Dec 20 close). What can Netflix learn for future; consider grandfathering existing customers that enjoy and pay for your services. Remember apologizing is not a sign of weakness, it is a sign of humanity. We like to spend our money with humans: people who are real, like me. Only by apologizing can you expect forgiveness.

How do these disrupters affect you and your brand? How do you forsee them playing out in 2012? Share your thoughts and disrupters here and stay tuned for installment number three this week!

Tags: Brand, Community, engagement, Marketing, PR