We, the masses of tech-savvy generation and regular, active smartphone users, spend a lot of time on our preferred apps. Some love to surf YouTube and maintain a long-list of ‘Watch Later’ videos while others are addicted to short reels of Instagram, and that college-going guy next door is hooked to WhatsApp. Now do you know one common thing shared by these three networking platforms?
They all started small. Yes. YouTube, WhatsApp and Instagram were all developed and launched by hard-core techies but they were later bought by Google and Facebook (WhatsApp and Instagram) respectively. Looking at the massive successes of these sites (and there are plenty more on the list), a lot of talented minds are tempted to have their own niche applications. They too have their heads full of dreams to make it big. Alas! If only it was that simple.
Proliferation of apps has given rise to steep competition. If there’s a list of out-of-box start-up app ideas which did brilliant, then there’s also a list of small business app ideas which turned into epic failures. That’s why it is important to take a good look at the app industry, know the stats, watch the trends and then venture accordingly.
So if you’re one of those keen souls who are looking to make a mark and make a living via innovative apps, then this post can come in pretty handy. What comes next is a list of 10 areas and ideas with which one can think of investing and launching their very own app.
1) Pet Care Solutions
Don’t roll those eyes. Pet care business is booming, and COVID has only escalated this sector owing to limited human contact. People are serious about the well being of their fur babies. According to a report published by American Pet Products Association, the actual amount spent on pets in the U. S. in 2020 alone was $103.6 billion. Yup! That’s huge. The number is enough to show that the ‘fur babies’ are good for mental and physical health and also for generating revenues.
So if you possess a sound knowledge of pet care or have been a vet yourself, then do strike for the iron is hot. What can make your app better is integrating it with location-based services. You can offer cheap yet effective pet care tips, the best pet shops in the areas that you know well, addresses of pet hospitals, contacts for pet cares and clinics, reviews on pet spas, etc. etc. Point is pet care solutions apps have huge earning potential. You only need to know to tap into it.
2) E-Learning
Reports from Global Market Insights reveal that the e-learning market surpassed 250 billion US dollars in 202 and is expected to grow at a CAGR of almost 21% from 2021 – 2027. Furthermore, technologies like VR, AR and AI will act as catalysts and will escalate its growth. Perhaps, it’s not a bad idea at all to launch an e-learning app if you know your subject well.
You can launch an app that’s dedicated to a particular subject or multiple subjects. But there’s a catch. You need to make it unique as YouTube is teeming with e-learning channels. Make sure that the subjects you cover offer as much detail as possible. From PDFs to books and book reviews and query solving to whitepapers to real-time Q & A sessions – everything must be included. Create smart content and offer digitized papers too.
3) Travel and Tour Guide
There are experienced travellers, inexperienced travellers, smart travellers and clumsy travellers. Thanks to the variations in the traveller-types, this industry presents the most lucrative business prospects, especially for smartphones. Navigational apps, geolocation apps, niche travel blogging apps – all types of apps have thrived here. Statista’s survey reports show that Google Map mobile application was ‘the most downloaded travel app worldwide in 2021’.
If you happen to be an avid traveller and a smart explorer, then there are plenty of people who need your help. Since travel includes location, it would be better to incorporate location-based services. You can include tips for travelling light, the must-haves in a backpack, cheap and best accommodations, tourist attractions, offbeat locations – the prospects are wide and large. Extensive research, however, is a must. You don’t want to risk extra load by landing into something common.
4) Language Coach
The world is going cosmopolitan, and this puts language-learning into the limelight. As more and more people are migrating around the world for research, work and study, there is an increase in the demand for language learning software. While some people tend to use translation apps, few things still get lost in the translation (pun intended).
In case you have excellent command over at least a couple of languages, being a language coach with your own app can reap rich rewards. However, it might require some extra work as you might need to start from scratch. You can divide your lessons for beginners, intermediate learners and experts. You can include books, movies; create personalized content with real-time interactive sessions and speaking classes.
5) Audio Books
OverDrive has surprised the world with its massive success with audio-books. It was first purchased by Rakuten and then by KKR Inc. Next is Amazon’s Audible which is also doing great and now major publishers like Penguin Random House and Macmillan are also planning to jump into the bandwagon.
This niche sector is relatively new and holds immense potential with promising returns. But one needs to fulfil certain criteria like:
* One needs to be a bookworm
* One needs to post frequently
* One needs to have a clear voice with clean pronunciation
If you can meet all the above criteria, then you’re good to go and launch your own audio-book app.
6) Niche Blogging App
Neil Patel is a digital marketer and a passionate blogger of the niche. But what’s so special about him? Well, in an article published by Forbes in 2014, Neil Patel was named as one of the top 10 digital marketers of the time. That’s the power of effective, smart and well-informed blogging. Niche blogging, if and when done right, can be your key to greatness.
You can start your own blogging app and keep it open for guest posts as well for that will make it more enticing to users. Be it food, home care, information on medicines, anything in which you hold ample expertise, niche blogging can help you catch up to the booming market of app industry.
7) Lifestyle and Fashion Guide
Another profitable segment of the app industry is lifestyle and fashion. This segment has garnered huge attention from users. With more and more companies and individuals coming up with their own clothing line and beauty products, there is a surge in the number of apps offering honest reviews and guidance to get directed towards the right brand. But it’s not just clothes and beauty products. Lifestyle goes hand in hand too.
How to carry yourself in interviews, how to present yourself in parties, what to eat, when to eat and many more queries regarding proper conduct of life are addressed via lifestyle and fashion apps. So if you are someone who is popular among peers for being that well-dressed, well-behaved and well-shaped person, then you should consider having your own lifestyle and fashion apps to guide more people towards betterment.
8) Fitness Guide
COVID has pressed the health-alert button, and people worldwide are now exploring this segment more than ever. Right from maintaining a proper routine to pursuing Yoga and Ayurveda, everyone’s on the line to become healthier and fitter. So if you come into the category of fitness experts or a healthcare pro, now is the time to explore and venture into this segment.
You can offer guidance on supplements, become a Yoga trainer or workout expert for homemakers, or even become affordable, personal nutritionist. This segment indeed offers a lot of opportunities if you can cater to the fitness requirements of the common masses.
9) Environment Coach
Climate crisis is on highlight. People are switching to greener options, discarding plastics and are actively engaging in urban farming. But there are still a great many people who are confounded and don’t know how to get started. You have the knowledge; distribute it through your own personal environmental app. This niche sector is relatively fresh, new and holds immense potential as it still lacks experts who are thorough with their ways.
Composting, urban farming, growing organic vegetables at home, indoor gardening, making new good things from rubbish, recycling plastics – there are countless ways through which you can tap into this sector’s potential. You can also share success stories of experts to keep your subscribers motivated.
10) Mixologist Special
Grilling, baking, stirring up desserts, cooking has turned out to be highly beneficial, but mixology is that one part of cooking which is still to be explored. Party culture has given the right nudge to this zone and now, young souls are willing to make a career out of it.
While iOS houses a few noticeable apps, Android offers plenty of opportunities to talented mixologists who can use their mixing-skills to guide newbies and assist beginners to become experts. Once again, blending your mixology app with geolocation functionalities is going to enhance its value. You can point your users to the right pub or a good club where they can enjoy scintillating drinks.
Summing Up with the Do’s
Notwithstanding the already-teeming market of applications, the app development industry holds the power to help people come into limelight. The small business app ideas through which one can generate revenues certainly aren’t restricted to the above ones only. But, if done right, the ones described here can help you climb the ladder of success much quicker than the rest. Another advantage of these segments is that you can have your app with minimal investment.
However, you would want to remember the following points before plunging into app development:
– Weigh the pros and cons of your segment
– Research thoroughly and look at the statistics
– Make calculated investments for you don’t want to risk everything
– Offer something unique as you will have competitors
– Team up with professionals. With a little homework, you will easily find a front end web developer for hire within your budget.
Already have an app idea? What are you waiting for? Get started or someone else will implement your golden ideas.
Author Bio:
Albert Smith is Digital Marketing Manager at Hidden Brains, a leading Mobile & Web development company specializing in mobile & web applications, IoT, Cloud and Big Data services. He provides innovative ways to help tech companies, startups and large enterprises build their brand.
