7 Creator Economy Startups to Watch

Advertisement

stocks to buy - 7 Creator Economy Startups to Watch

Source: Shutterstock

At the dawn of the internet, everyday people finally found a medium to quickly find information. But this static element eventually got tiresome. With advancing technologies came Web 2.0 — the next evolution of the internet which emphasizes user-generated content, community engagement and interoperability of applications. Moving forward, this progression coincides with the burgeoning creator economy and will certainly dictate the stocks to buy for the future.

Today, we’re reaching a point where the innovation of the human spirit is no longer limited to technological capabilities. For instance, in the analog days, it was unthinkable for an insurance startup to compete against the established industry leaders. But with the developments under Web 2.0 combined with other connectivity platforms, online insurance is a growing sector for stocks to buy.

This dynamic also impacts the individual level as well. For instance, we’ve all heard about the growing role of the gig economy. That’s especially the case with millions of workers being sent home to operate remotely during the onset of the novel coronavirus pandemic in this country. Several stocks to buy cater to this economic evolution, bringing jobs to independent contractors, thereby creating a gig market.

But with the creator economy, the idea of self-reliance takes another bold step. Through personal expression, anyone can create a marketplace for their vision and talents, whether that comes in the form of physical products, services, entertainment content or anything in between. And thanks to favorable legislation and the rise of equity crowdfunding, it’s never been easier for regular folks to participate in stocks to buy on the ground floor.

It’s not just private investing either. Consider the rise of special purpose acquisition companies or SPACs. The sponsors of these investment vehicles are always looking for the next big thing as their reverse-merger target. Therefore, you should consider these intriguing Web 2.0 startups as potential stocks to buy down the road.

  • OnlyFans
  • Brushwrk
  • Buy Me a Coffee
  • Feather
  • Markk
  • Matchmade
  • Pico

If an opportunity ever arises where you can invest in a company before its initial public offering, be aware of the severe risks involved before placing your bet. If you thought due diligence was tough with publicly traded firms, private investing is an entirely new ballgame.

OnlyFans

hands holding smartphone with social media icons floating above it. brick wall background.

Source: Shutterstock

Perhaps the most talked about platform on the creator economy, daring social media influencers have been attempting to normalize OnlyFans to the public for some time. As you know — and if you don’t, you can tell us about your “friend” — OnlyFans garnered a not-so-great reputation for its content geared toward a mature audience.

Of course, this has caused pushback among conservative and family oriented circles. Still, the stigma associated with works of intimacy — let’s just call it that since I don’t want to trigger unwanted traffic — is something that influencers wish to eliminate. I can understand their point. OnlyFans only allow adults on the platform so we’re talking about individual liberties here.

What’s also intriguing from a broader public health and safety perspective is that this platform delivers power to the worker of intimacy. The worker decides what they want to put on their profile, no one else. As for it being one of the future stocks to buy, it’s difficult to say due to the ambiguous legal and social environment.

But it’s definitely one to watch — I mean, as an investment.

Brushwrk

A wooden easel holds a white canvas and is surrounded by bins of different size paintbrushes.

Source: Shutterstock

Art and entertainment is a key underlying narrative in the progression of the internet. Among the first uses of the internet in the late 1990s to early 2000s was sharing content, particularly music. That was when bands like Metallica were up in arms about the new technology, which allowed anyone to distribute their music without the artists getting a dime.

However, laws and standards changed to the point where today, musical acts openly collaborate with music-sharing platforms. This also opened the door to smaller and local acts, who now have an opportunity to share their creativity with the rest of the world.

But what about the fine art? This has always been a tough arena to crack because there’s no way to fake artistic talent: you either got it or you don’t. This limited market size has discouraged prior attempts at creating an art ecosystem. Thanks to surging technology, though, Brushwrk attempts to pick up where others failed.

Utilizing a proprietary algorithm, artists who list their pieces on the Brushwrk platform will automatically have their work marketed to people who have an affinity for the content or style. It’s a brilliant concept, one that could potentially spark its inclusion among stocks to buy.

Buy Me a Coffee

Vector creative abstract horizontal illustration of 3d startup word lettering typography on bright background. invest in startups

Source: Shutterstock

It’s not uncommon for older demographics to sneer at the concept of influencers. Heck, even older millennials roll their eyes at them, wondering when they will get a real job. The thing is, a real job isn’t what you think it is but rather, what the market will bear.

And if there’s a viable economy for influencing, guess what? Influencers will arrive in droves and people will be more than happy to follow.

But to get to the point where someone is generating millions of views for their content is extremely difficult. To get around this issue, influencers have access to various platforms, such as Patreon, where fans can directly contribute to their favorite content creators. The problem is, there are so many different avenues that it’s confusing for the individual fan.

Buy Me a Coffee helps eliminate this confusion. First, let’s start with the name — Buy Me a Coffee is a clear and culturally recognizable call to action. Second, the platform facilitates a single, intuitive avenue for fans to support creators’ works and engage with them.

As a potential company on a future list of stocks to buy, I wouldn’t bet against it considering that it brings economic viability to Web 2.0.

Feather

Woman smiling with headphones in and typing at a computer

Source: Shutterstock

Although YouTube is the most popular outlet for influencers to make money from their videos, it’s also a very difficult road. Plus, parent company Alphabet (NASDAQ:GOOG, NASDAQ:GOOGL) imposed new restrictions so that people can’t just start making money off the bat — you’ve got to prove that you’re even worthy to collect the often meager payouts you get starting out.

Well, Feather provides another avenue to generate profits not necessarily from your videos but from your expertise. Of course, as a content creator, you have every incentive to make your videos as attractive as possible, but the aesthetics of the content is not the point. Feather allows people to share their passion and talents to the rest of the world, whether that be life coaches, yoga instructors, what have you.

In addition, Feather allows creators to quickly and intuitively book events and courses — and the platform will automatically record attendance. This facilitates effective monetization of your craft while arming you with data analytics to help you expand your business.

I can certainly see Feather as part of a future list of stocks to buy considering that the gig economy appears a natural fit for the new normal.

Markk

A man sits on his couch looking at his smartphone.

Source: Sfio Cracho / Shutterstock.com

Maybe creative content isn’t really your thing or you simply love what you do and don’t have time to deal with creating your own content. But what happens when you still want to participate in the creator economy, perhaps earn some money on the side? User review app Markk may be your perfect solution.

These days, it’s rare for us to do business with anybody without first referencing Yelp (NYSE:YELP) or Google reviews. True, you can’t always rely on user reviews because they may be biased or have ulterior motives. But on the whole, the averages usually don’t lie. Still, opportunity gaps exist which Markk has the clear potential to plug.

Markk reviews are inherently different in that they’re based on either photo or video. Through this medium, users can incorporate graphical and text tags to show what they’re referring to. Is the ambiance eclectic and exciting? Take a photo and put your words to life. Is the restroom totally gross and disgusting? Take a photo and…well, maybe that’s not a great idea but you get my point.

Certainly, I see potential for Markk as a future member of stocks to buy. If anything, this is Yelp 2.0.

Matchmade

a man in a collared shirt smiles while typing on his laptop

Source: Shutterstock

Though developments in Web 2.0 have fostered the rise in the creator economy, a nagging contradiction remains. Creative individuals focus on their craft, which means that many if not all of the best artists place less of a priority on money. Indeed, the best works come from deep-seated passion and that doesn’t always align with the capitalistic spirit.

At the same time, capitalism is what drives the best artwork and content to the forefront. And that means creators must often “sell out” to corporate interests if they want to accrue a just reward for their efforts. Doing so in a balanced way is an artform in and of itself, which is where Matchmade comes into the picture.

Matchmade recognizes that great artwork doesn’t occur in a vacuum. Content creators need advertisers and advertisers need intriguing products to capture a viewer’s attention. Rather than artistry and advertising being a combat sport against each other, Matchmade turns the relationship into a mutually beneficial one.

Through data analytics and advanced algorithms, Matchmade allows content creators to reach an audience that will likely appreciate their art, driving engagement and financial support. Also, content creators never have to compromise their vision for the sake of earning a buck.

Content-centered advertising is becoming a very popular niche and thus, it’s not unreasonable to assume we’ll eventually see Matchmade on a list of stocks to buy.

Pico

overhead shot of hands on a white keyboard

Source: Shutterstock

Starting a digital business is an exciting venture. But as you grow, it can also be an overwhelming one. Basically, you live or die based on traffic. Moreover, to attract viewers to your business, you must engage with your early patrons and customers. For better or for worse, many digital customers have extremely high — some might say unrealistic — expectations of service.

Unfortunately, not delivering could result in poor engagement, thus stymieing your growth trajectory. On the other end, Pico understands this, providing a platform for small businesses to scale up their digital ventures.

Named the 2019 Startup of the Year by the Downtown Brooklyn Partnership, Pico enables its clients to collect emails, manage their user experience, engage customers and sell premium subscriptions effortlessly. Additionally, Pico provides form templates that can be custom configured, as well as facilitating landing pages for digital businesses.

Further, the company features a staggered fee structure. Pico doesn’t charge anything up to 500 contacts. From there, a nominal monthly fee is attached, depending on how many additional contacts the business accrues.

As a non-profit, Pico will need to convert its business structure to for-profit if it’s going to be on a list of publicly traded stocks to buy. It’s not an unreasonable idea, though, given that the underlying concept is very relevant for the creator economy.

On the date of publication, Josh Enomoto did not have (either directly or indirectly) any positions in the securities mentioned in this article.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare.

A former senior business analyst for Sony Electronics, Josh Enomoto has helped broker major contracts with Fortune Global 500 companies. Over the past several years, he has delivered unique, critical insights for the investment markets, as well as various other industries including legal, construction management, and healthcare. Tweet him at @EnomotoMedia.


Article printed from InvestorPlace Media, https://investorplace.com/2021/04/move-over-gig-economy-7-creator-economy-startups-to-watch/.

©2024 InvestorPlace Media, LLC