Here are a few social media predictions for 2010 based on research that supports these predictions, according to Harvard Business Blog

1. Exclusive networks. Users will focus more on specialized niche content. People will be willing to pay for access to specialty networking groups that cater to specific market niches. This will also help exlude spammers.

2. Corporations will begin to incorporate social media initiatives on a larger scale by increasing their social networking support of online communities.

3. Social media game marketing. Businesses will add more entertainment to their social media efforts. For example, games rank number one for mobile applications. Games and networking are already closely related in social media environments, such as Facebook. Volkswagen has already implemented this by creating a virtual game for their GTI launch, which included a chance to win one of six limited-edition 2010 GTIs. But beware! Any advertisers or marketers who want to run contests on its platform need to go through an approval process.

4. Social meda policies will become the standard for business, and companies will release social media guidelines. At the moment quite a few companies block employee access to social media while on the job.

5. Social media networking sites will become more popular than email for sharing content. Marketers already believe that integrating social media and email marketing is a very important marketing initiative.

Would you like to add your own predictions to this list? Do share with us.