Much has happened in 2015 already and technology seems to be leading the way. From the phenomenal growth of mobile/tablet shopping and retail apps to more and more businesses moving their IT network over to the cloud, there are a number of business trends that start-ups and SMEs need to take seriously this year. Here are some of the biggest business trends of 2015.
The Virtual Cloud
Moving over to the cloud can help to create a more robust and scalable IT network for your business. There are many benefits of virtualization including reduced network downtime, more flexibility, affordable solutions, automatic software updates, disaster recovery and data backup, and the ability to access data from any machine or desktop. To find out more about cloud computing and cutting IT solutions for your business, visit Logicalis online.
Updated Search Engine Optimization
SEO (Search Engine Optimization) has been a crucial part of online marketing for many years. But times are changing and 2014 was a year where Google changes rocked the online business world. In 2015, content marketing is more important than ever; building links and authority the natural way should be at the forefront of every SEO campaign to avoid being penalized by Google updates.
Mobile and Tablet Responsive Websites
Overall mobile spending is said to increase 10% by 2016 so ensuring business and retail websites are responsive should now be a crucial part of online strategy. Responsive design should come as standard and mobile traffic and conversion analysis should be put in place to monitor levels of growth.
Integrating Sales and Digital Marketing
Ian Altman of Forbes believes that sales people will be one of the biggest drivers in 2015, but a good sales strategy has to be integrated with content marketing to be truly successful. Research has shown that the average customer is already over half way of the purchase procedure once they make contact with the retailer / vendor. To really take advantage of this, it’s important to carefully integrate both strategies.
Blogger and Online Press
Traditional PR is expensive but the ever-changing online world is a gateway of opportunity. Online PR is a cost-effective alternative to traditional PR, and in 2015 we will see more and more blogger outreach programs emerge. In 2014, blogger outreach became a key part of every digital marketing strategy, and as the important roles of ‘Blogger Outreach Manager’ become more apparent in modern business, finding the right person to fulfil the role will be the ultimate game changer.
New Payment Technology
For businesses with bricks and mortar retail sites, it’s important to take note of the emerging payment technology in 2015. Mobile payments (tap and pay) have already been trialed and have seen great success in the US whilst contactless card payments (wave and pay) were put to the test last year and will become even bigger in coming months. To find out more about new payment technology, read the latest updates from Financial Times.
