Being digital is integral to everything we do – no longer an add-on or a novelty, it is our present reality as well as the future.

But what exactly does that mean? In 2007 we saw an all encompassing obsession with social media and user-generated content. It’s impact on content consumption, search and online behaviour has dominated debate this year.

Rebecca Jennings, senior analyst with Forrester, summed up the new zeitgeist when she said: “Content is no longer king, contact with the customer is king. The medium is not the message, the customer response is the message and it is not what you say that is important, it is what the customers say to you. Because they will talk to friends, colleagues and, through the internet, to the world.”

Priorities for the coming year are going to be about harnessing that transformation, with ecommerce aligning with UGC; moving beyond the desktop; advances in profiling across media; and seamless communication between media.

Of course, not everyone agrees. A report from SciVisum suggests that Web 2.0 will be over in 2008, with ecommerce taken its place at the heart of digital industry. Advertisers angered by the impact of advertising appearing with unsuitable user-generated content could drive the backlash.

But it’s the transition of digital industry from an IT function to a key business function that will define how we move forward. There’s really no such thing as digital industry any more – its business, and its about how best to perform. Whether you’re looking for solutions to manage your customers, grows your sales base, increase your traffic or market your brand – it’s all about building your business.

In order to stay on top of the market, and understand how changes can affect you, visit Internet World and find out from the horses mouth what’s really going on.