There will always be a new way to get things done. People are researching, refining and working on new projects that can be turned into viable businesses. 2015 won’t be any different. Humans crave progress, development and new opportunities that can enhance how we live and work. Things can only get better.
The abundance of free resources has changed how you can start a business. The requirements for kick starting a business are the same but this time it’s cheaper. And you can get to market faster with even better and cheaper marketing tools.
If you are seeking that killer business idea you can work on in 2015, take a pick from these 6 startup ideas and trends that are ripe for disruption in 2015.
1. Big data is still on fire
Large amounts of consumer data was a luxury only done by large businesses up until recently. The rise of internet optimisation means that every single bank transaction, Facebook status, and online order is recorded and can be measured. Actually people are being monitored and measured.
There is now so much information about consumers. Businesses are leveraging this data to serve customers better and stay one step ahead of their needs. New businesses that can make sense of consumer information in the best way possible to the benefit of the consumer will win big.
Smaller businesses can now benefit from user data at a fraction of the cost. The development means that smaller businesses can now compete on the same level as larger companies when it comes to pricing, social marketing, and customer relations.
For startups this is great news when it comes to creating these services for other startups. How to use this data and how to receive this data is crucial. In as much as businesses are using consumer data in different ways, it raises huge data privacy issues. There are so many emerging trends around big data and analytics.
2. Everyone is concerned about data privacy
According to GfK, 60% of US internet users are now more concerned about how companies protect their personal data than they had been 12 months ago. Concerns about privacy and data security will continue to increase in 2015. Any confidential or private data can easily leak and spread virally on social sites.
In a poll by Radius Global Market Research, more than three-quarters of internet users at least “somewhat agreed” that they would stop using a service, product or retailer if they felt their privacy was violated.
Thus, companies and individuals will look for data privacy and security experts or businesses who will help them protect their privacy and security online. Consumers are not ready to quit their favourite apps yet, hence companies that are able to ease worries may see positive results in their sales or usage.
People are using sites that gather their personal information more than ever. This trend will only increase and the concern for privacy will grow every year. Look out for more privacy-attentive apps and sites to pop up in 2015 to capitalize on that. You can take advantage and create a robust app that can protect online user data and accounts. Millions of people are looking for better options to be safe online.
3. Data analytics: helping businesses make sense of data
The rise of “Big Data”, with 90% of all the information on the web created in the last two years, shows no signs of slowing down. Businesses are increasingly looking for help to make sense of this data – including the government’s pledge to release its vast vault of people’s personal information– so this market represents huge potential for entrepreneurs smart enough to capitalise on it.
Data governance, data management and privacy will be huge in 2015. Gartner predicts that “Analytics will take center stage as the volume of data generated by embedded systems increases and vast pools of structured and unstructured data inside and outside the enterprise are analyzed with a focus on the answers, not the data.”
2015 won’t be just about understanding individual customer behaviour but mostly about interpreting data to serve users better. It’s also about improving the business value derived from online experiences. Most new businesses will make the measuring and interpretation of data their core business.
The use of big data analytics can identity key customer purchase patterns and trends, improve operational efficiencies, and identify new revenue streams — all of which are important for companies competing on a global platform. There is so much to do in this space for almost every industry.
Related: 26 Hottest And Most Promising Startups To Watch In 2015
4. Content marketing is hot right now!
Content marketing is now more vital to online marketing success than ever. According to a 2012 study by AOL and Nielsen, 27,000,000 pieces of content are shared every day. One of the best ways companies are establishing authority and gaining trust with consumers is by consistently creating valuable content through a variety of channels.
If you love writing and you are passionate in making extensive research to support your content to become more useful and engaging to target audience, then content marketing might be a great business idea for you. If you can build an amazing content marketing platform, the better. Right now the push is all about creating content but soon it will be all about content measurement.
Advertisements are going to have to be cleverly placed within excellent content rather than coming across as remotely spammy. It works best when you can create content informs, educates and entertains. Content marketing has brought a whole new meaning to advertisements for both advertisers and publishers.
In their bid to boost their content marketing efforts, some companies may buy robust content media houses that already exists. Joe Pulizzi, Founder of the Content Marketing Institute, says companies might bypass the hard part and simply buy a content powerhouse that already exists: “ In 2015 we will see a large move among brands to buy media companies, flush with cash and short on patience to build loyal audiences.”
5. Alternative payment methods can only get better
Alternative payments have been gaining momentum in recent years. The introduction of Apple Pay has sparked increased attention in this area of technology business. Apple keeps striking amazing partnerships with giant payment processing companies. Visa is working with Apple to roll out Apple Pay across Europe in 2015. Apple has made Apple Pay user-friendly and a highly secure mobile payment service by working with Visa. And Samsung is reportedly working on an Apple Pay competitor with a company called LoopPay to integrate LoopPay technology into one of its smartphones next year.
Facebook, Twitter, and Snapchat are looking to integrate mobile payments into their offerings. It looks like an exciting year ahead for the mobile payments space. A whole new sector of businesses providing methods to authenticate and secure these payments will emerge. Keep an eye on new payment hardware solutions in addition to the software.
6. Businesses will start embracing (and integrating) freelancers into their workforce.
The boom in freelancer marketplaces has made it easier for new businesses to hire the services of professionals who can get specific tasks done as and when they are needed. This $1 billion freelance industry provides a valuable alternative to companies that are leveraging a contingent workforce.
Businesses that cannot hire full time employees are benefiting from freelance portals. Freelance marketplaces are rushing to serve big clients’ needs. This will continue in 2015 as more businesses embrace the services of freelancers.
Elance and oDesk have now merged and are serving big companies such as Unilever, Panasonic and D&B. They have now taken on the role of recruiting and screening freelancers for some of its clients. There’s money to be made, since they earn a percentage of the freelancers’ wages.
According to Elaine Pofeldt of CNBC, “Big companies aren’t just hiring freelancers for one-time creative or tech projects, as they tended to do in the past. They are increasingly turning to freelancers for “staff augmentation”—creating a team running alongside their internal employee”
Independent work is becoming more common across all generations. Show your work and make it easy to get found and you will be in good business.
1 comment
Hi Thomas,
Amazing ideas as always!
Definitely not your boring and old ‘cleaning company’ startup idea :)
Naomi
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