Where to Find Tool Ideas?

[freshpeppermint]

Hey so I am thinking of adding some tools to my niche site for backlinks. I can't seem to find ideas, you guys know tips/tricks to find ideas on tools to get coded? I going to use the camping example yet again. Let's say if I am in the camping niche and I don't have any idea how would I go about finding ideas on small-sized tools I can get coded (like calorie calculator level)? For those making tools, do you pay someone to come up with the ideas?

I was thinking like going on some forums and asking the users but I feel like maybe my competitor might copy me.

 

[hiruma]

Find books/studies in your niche, build tools based on those data's

 

[bernard]

Reddit subreddits and Facebook groups and see some common questions.

 

[thisishatred]

Hey so I am thinking of adding some tools to my niche site for backlinks. I can't seem to find ideas, you guys know tips/tricks to find ideas on tools to get coded? I going to use the camping example yet again. Let's say if I am in the camping niche and I don't have any idea how would I go about finding ideas on small-sized tools I can get coded (like calorie calculator level)? For those making tools, do you pay someone to come up with the ideas?

I was thinking like going on some forums and asking the users but I feel like maybe my competitor might copy me.

To be honest, calorie counters are kind of a shitty example for camping.

However, sites like codecanyon exist: https://codecanyon.net/search/calorie calculator

I went to fiverr - typed "create custom calculators."
There are a incredible number of sellers offering custom web calculators.

Also you want to pay this person to come up with Tools? Do you not know your own niche?

 

[steeleone]

I read this method awhile back from the book ASK where you survey your audience on what they are looking for. An example for the camping niche is to survey people online and offline and ask them a series of questions and can get some idea's going. I'd even offer a reward such as a $10 - $25 Starbucks Rewards card for the top idea (Re-survey the original idea list) to get your top idea started.

This can be achieved quickly with Paid Ads, run a Geo Fence and Non Geo Fence campaign targeting people interested in camping (Brands, Stores, Camp Sites, etc) and have the visitor answer a Google Form, Jot Form, etc and follow up with the top 3-5 answers for a chance to win a $10 - $25 gift card to their favorite camping store or Starbucks.

 

[Raja]

Hey so I am thinking of adding some tools to my niche site for backlinks. I can't seem to find ideas, you guys know tips/tricks to find ideas on tools to get coded? I going to use the camping example yet again. Let's say if I am in the camping niche and I don't have any idea how would I go about finding ideas on small-sized tools I can get coded (like calorie calculator level)? For those making tools, do you pay someone to come up with the ideas?

I was thinking like going on some forums and asking the users but I feel like maybe my competitor might copy me.

ok, so it's not clear if you want paid tool or a free tool so my assumption would be a freemium tool(that's what I plan to do).

step 1. find the articles on top tools in your niche.
step 2. find a free tool with a large number of downloads with low ratings. (you could even buy tools like these on which founders have given up)
step 3. go through the ratings and build your tool by addressing the concerns.
then Release it and do some articles. Keep the tool completely free for the time being.
step 4. copy 1 feature of a premium product that is doing the same thing. that feature will be your MSP.
then do more marketing.
step 5. Read the book "The mom Test" and get feedback from the people already using the product.
step 6. Add usage-based paywall. You only charge your top 10-20% of top users.

OPTIONAL: use it as a leadgen/frontend to something bigger like a SAAS. The idea is to get large number of users and have little profit(larger part of revenue should be spent on marketing)

 

[freshpeppermint]

ok, so it's not clear if you want paid tool or a free tool so my assumption would be a freemium tool(that's what I plan to do).

step 1. find the articles on top tools in your niche.
step 2. find a free tool with a large number of downloads with low ratings. (you could even buy tools like these on which founders have given up)
step 3. go through the ratings and build your tool by addressing the concerns.
then Release it and do some articles. Keep the tool completely free for the time being.
step 4. copy 1 feature of a premium product that is doing the same thing. that feature will be your MSP.
then do more marketing.
step 5. Read the book "The mom Test" and get feedback from the people already using the product.
step 6. Add usage-based paywall. You only charge your top 10-20% of top users.

OPTIONAL: use it as a leadgen/frontend to something bigger like a SAAS. The idea is to get large number of users and have little profit(larger part of revenue should be spent on marketing)

Thanks but I don't think I would have thought of a cool tool idea that was simple if I followed this method, I basically asked about a tool idea in random discord servers and they gave me a really creative idea. I just got lucky. I mainly wanted this for backlinks so 100% free. While doing keyword research I found out about other tools like calculators and stuff later on that I can make as well.

 

[Rewire]

There should be plenty of readymade tools with resale rights that you can use easily on your website. You should search through PLR websites according to your niche.

 

[dennis_max]

While not directly relevant, ProductHunt has a TON of great projects posted daily - some of them inspired me for so many ideas to add to my website.

There's a thing called Devo - it basically transforms your home page in snippets from Y-combinator, ProductHunt, GitHub, Design News - reading it on a daily basis is really helpful