Got the Next Big App Idea? Don’t Forget to Do Your Research

If you have the next great app idea, the key to successfully developing and launching it is researching the niche you’re looking to target as well as finding the right developer with the toolset to help see your dream app to launch.

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Start by looking at apps that are already doing well in your niche, and seeing how you can learn from their lead and then springboard to launch your own unique app. Here are 4 apps in 4 niches that you can learn from.

Content

If you’re looking to develop an app that connects users to the content they love to consume, there are a few ways to go.

Look at Feedly, an app that allows you to stay abreast of the topics and trends you love to read, without being overloaded by content. The app allows you to follow websites and news sites that you enjoy, while also tracking your favourite blogs. Feedly keeps them all in one place, allowing for easy and seamless recall. It’s cross-platform functionality between mobile, PC, Mac, and even Linux users (thanks to a Chrome extension) makes it a popular app for many users.

Retail

If you’re looking to design an app for retail, find inspiration in the beacon.

Long before Android’s Eddystone, there was iBeacon. Being the early adopter of beacon tech, Apple has managed to offer a full set of services, that stretch far beyond the simple marketing gimmicks that the tech offered during launch in 2013.

With iOS, beacon scanning is done at the OS level, which guarantees increased reliability and scanning performance.

If the majority of your app users prefer iOS, then developing your app for Apple is the smarter choice. Work with a developer that makes beacon tech functionality simple and easy to use — effectively allowing users to get on the Apple store and begin using the app right away.

If you’re looking to design the next big retail app, consider Sephora, for example. With the Sephora to Go app, users gain the ability to scan any product with their iPhone to read ratings and reviews and make more informed shopping decisions.

Thanks to beacon tech, when a user enters a store, they have access to a map which shows where to find products they’ve previously purchased or ones that are currently on sale, streamlining the entire purchasing process.

Health

In this sector, the personal app is a great way to keep users connected to their health.

Ovia — designed specifically for women — is a popular pregnancy tracking app. Once a woman inputs specific information related to their pregnancy, such as due date and their pregnancy goals, Ovia translates that information into a customized experience for the mom-to-be. They’ll be able to track pregnancy milestones, see images of their growing baby, and receive tips to guide them through the process.

When designing a Health app, be sure that the services or products you’re offering cater to a large demographic and offer help they can actually use.

Lifestyle

If you’re looking to break into the lifestyle space, budgeting apps like Mylo are currently very popular.

There are a variety of useful budgeting apps that help many people improve their finances. These apps include Mint, You Need a Budget, Wally, and Goodbudget. There are some apps, like Mylo, that roundup purchases on your debit and credit cards to the nearest dollar and invests the spare change into a savings account, making saving a cinch.

If you’re thinking of launching an app in any of the above spaces, we hope this list will help you down the path to solid research. After all, better research makes a better app.