Is there still a place for small websites and apps?

by Hippos
6 replies
I started about 18 years ago making some content websites with some social features. At that time, it felt like the web was just one big opportunity waiting to be discovered. As a teenager, I managed to earn some nice pocket money with ads, which were still very profitable at the time. Traffic pretty much came automatically, and it was just a dream honestly.

The last 8 years I've been busy with a home renovation (worst mistake of my life, but that's another story). I still make big web applications and mobile apps at my day job. But I miss that rush. Seeing the visitor count grow, checking my ad income every day. Getting sponsor deals in my inbox.

However, there is this feeling that the moment is gone for small websites and apps. When I want to find advice or a guide, I go to Youtube. When I want to discuss a certain niche, I just open Reddit. It feels like you need a killer idea, pitch it to investors and hire a 10+ man team.

I feel the strategies for making money online have completely changed. Now people are using Youtube and Facebook to create and share content. But that's the part that never really appealed to me. I want to build the platform and let others use it to share their own content.

I suppose I'm talking more about a trend. The big guys are taking over, and even if there is still a market for smaller websites and apps, it is quickly disappearing.

I'd like to hear your opinions!
#apps #place #small #websites
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  • Profile picture of the author dave_hermansen
    I don't think that anything has changed over the past 18 years except that more people are doing it and it has become harder to stand out, harder to get ranked easily.

    That doesn't mean that the "little guy" isn't doing it or can't do it. The little guy just has to be better at doing it than he was in the past.
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    • Profile picture of the author DABK
      I beg to differ. I stole all the available spaces and am storing them at an undisclosed location till their values goes through the roof.


      At which point, I will sell the OP one.


      If prices for internet spaces for little guys do not go through the roof in the next 5 years, I'll burn them all up.


      After me, the deluge! (because I am a grand grand grandest son of the Roi du Soleil, Louis XIV, which, however, does not make me Louis LIX, so don't even go there.


      Oh, le roi s'amuse today.



      Originally Posted by dave_hermansen View Post

      I don't think that anything has changed over the past 18 years except that more people are doing it and it has become harder to stand out, harder to get ranked easily.

      That doesn't mean that the "little guy" isn't doing it or can't do it. The little guy just has to be better at doing it than he was in the past.
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  • Profile picture of the author palmtreelife
    I would think about the positive changes over the last 18 years...more people are connected and on social media than ever before. Advertising is still a billion dollar industry because people are still clicking ads. They still work...and with more people online, your target audience has increased as well. Online sales have increased because people are more comfortable buying online than 18 years ago. It's nothing to enter CC numbers now for anything.

    You may have dominated a particular money making niche 18 years ago and "dominating" today may be a lot more difficult. However, think of it this way:

    Would you rather dominate a market of 100,000 people 18 years ago or aim for 0.5% of a market with 10,000,000 people today?

    When I got started, I had domination on my mind as well, but I was setting myself up for huge disappointment. My mentor switched the narrative and said "If you only sold 200 people a $47 product each month, that's almost $10k/month. You only need to find 200 people in a very large world"
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  • Profile picture of the author Jeffery
    All I know is I can buy and sell almost anything online and still make a profit compared to buying and selling limited products and services offline and still make a profit.


    The thing about buying and selling selling online is targeted wholesalers to buy from and buying targeted traffic to sell to targeted buyers. Not all that different compared to 18 years ago with the exception that there are fewer targeted online wholesalers and more targeted online buyers.


    The trick is to know where to buy from and where to sell.
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  • Profile picture of the author BrandonMiller84
    There is, definitely. You just have to keep up with technology and strategies that are popular and bring the results now and forget about what worked for you 18 years ago.
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  • Profile picture of the author shawnlebrun
    I've got a few marketing friends/colleagues who are using nothing but apps to deliver their
    content to their tribe.

    They wanted a place/platform that THEY owned and controlled, where they could give their
    followers content... both free and paid.

    They know that relying on 3rd party platforms like YouTube or Facebook for delivering
    your content is dangerous.

    Any time you can get eyeballs in one place, you can profit off it.
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