Micro SaaS
Chrome Extensions
-
The Ultimate Guide to Developing Chrome ExtensionsThis guide runs through everything you need to know at a high level in order to develop, test and release Chrome Extensions
-
9 Chrome Extension IdeasCheck out these Chrome Extension ideas you could build!
-
Cashflowing Chrome ExtensionsThe step by step guide to building your own profitable Chrome Extensions in 30 days
How to Generate Great Micro SaaS Ideas
The best Micro SaaS ideas solve specific problems for a specific niche user group. These problems will likely be costing the target users time and/or money πΈ
Therefore, the key to generating solid Micro SaaS ideas revolves around simply being able to identify these problems and come up with a solution that fixes them π
Your users should be able to see your app as a no-brainer solution in terms of the value it brings vs the cost of the subscription.
In this article, Iβll cover the following topics so you know how to come up with great Micro SaaS ideas:
- Types of Problems That Suit Micro SaaS Apps
- Questions To Ask Yourself
- Finding Specific Problems
- Thinking Of Possible Solutions
- Scoring Your Problems & Solutions
- Micro SaaS Idea Examples & Case Studies
Types of Problems That Suit Micro SaaS Apps
Micro SaaS apps are great at fixing many common βproblemβ scenarios, for example:
- Automating repetitive and/or tedious tasks.
- Performing calculations that are currently calculated manually.
- Connecting disparate systems.
- Replacing Excel spreadsheet workarounds.
- Plugging in gaps of missing functionality in host ecosystems
- Enhancing reporting
Ask yourself these questions when you go searching for problems:
- How could software help with this?
- Could I automate this tedious process?
- Is it possible to surface more data to improve the userβs experience?
- Could I make this easier/less painful?
- Would I be able to create an app that streamlines this lengthy multi-step manual process?
- How could I provide an integration between these systems?
I have a special treat for you, I've put together a free PDF containing 21 Micro SaaS ideas to inspire you to develop
your own bootstrapped Micro SaaS app.
It's yours for free and I'll send it straight over to you, just click the button below and fill in your details.
Finding Specific Problems
Youβll want to compile a list of problems that you could fix. Donβt pass judgement on these as you add them, instead just focus on listing them out.
The majority of Micro SaaS ideas form apps that are designed to overcome a problem that you (as the founder) are experiencing. It makes sense that if youβre experiencing this pain then itβs likely that others are too.
List out all the problems or even just inefficiencies that youβre frustrated with now - focus on tedious things to do or actions you wish were less time consuming. The second most popular reason to create a Micro SaaS app is to fix a problem that your clients/customers are experiencing. It could be that in your full-time job or freelance work you see a common problem for which there isnβt a viable solution yet.
Add them to your list of identified problems which weβll use later on to figure out which problems are genuinely worth fixing. The third way to find problems is to research the issues your potential users of your previously identified niche/market are complaining about.
How do you find these problems? By finding and where your target users hang out and joining their community spaces. These communities could be in the form of forums, Facebook Groups, Subreddits, Slacks, Discords, etc. Immerse yourselves in these communities, and youβll see certain complaints cropping up repeatedly. Add these to your list of potential problems to solve.
Also, donβt be afraid to post asking users if they could wave a magic wand and fix a problem in that nicheβs domain, what would it be?
Another way to generate Micro SaaS ideas is to ask about your friends & family and see if theyβre frustrated with any of the sites/software they use. A great example of this is the Closet Tools chrome extension, created by Jordan OβConnor to help his wife automate some of the tedious tasks on Poshmark. It started off life as just a simple script, just to help out his wife with some mundane tasks on Poshmark. Heβd shared this script within the community and received great feedback, so much so that he made it into a chrome extension and the rest is history!
What started off as a script to solve his wifeβs problem, evolved into a great Micro SaaS product that fixed a common problem Poshmark sellers experienced, which in turn led him to scale his app up to $32k MRR as a solo founder!
Brainstorming Possible Solutions
Once youβve completed your list of problems, the next thing to do is to go through the list and figure out what the high level solution would look like to solve each of the problems.
Is it a web app that would fix this problem? Maybe itβs a desktop automation app or maybe even a chrome extension? Think about all the possible tools that could be used to form a great solution for the user.
Ask yourself, is it something you could build yourself (or with a micro team) in a reasonable timeframe? Is the solution within your (attainable) skillset? If not, then strike it off the list.
Rinse and repeat until you have a list of viable solutions for the problems youβve previously listed.
Scoring Your Problems & Solutions
Now youβll have a completed list containing your identified niches, their problems, and high level app ideas that are within your attainable skillset.
Youβre now ready to work through your list of Micro SaaS ideas and pass judgement!
Work through your list and score each opportunity based on the niche, the problem and the proposed solution.
In case you landed on this page directly from a search engine, then youβre reading chapter 5 of my 12 part guide to Micro SaaS.
Download the entire 12 chapter guide as a PDF eBook for free so you can read it where you want, when you want.
Can I Just Start Coding Already?
In short, no.
Please donβt take the top scoring app idea and start coding (with your head buried deep in the sand) for the next 6 months. No matter how βcertainβ you are that itβd be a hit, youβre likely to be setting yourself up for a delayed failure.
I suggest taking your time to pick your top 3 app ideas and then mulling them over even more.
As you revisit them each day, youβll have different thoughts, feelings, and perspectives on them. These could lead to finding yourself falling in or out of love with the ideas as you go.
Itβs better to get these mixed feelings out in the open before you start building anything.
Final Thoughts
Whilst it's tempting to Google for "micro saas ideas", nobody is going to give you an exclusive idea for you to develop and monetise. At best, you'll be able to find some inspiration or jumping off points to start from.
The key to coming up with Micro SaaS ideas is to find genuine, evergreen, PITA problems that a niche's users are experiencing. Get all these listed out and evaluate what you can do to solve these problems for them.
At this point, you should have a variety of potential app ideas to consider and you'll want to pick your favourite(s) for validation.
Next, let's take a look at how you can validate your Micro SaaS idea ...
About the Author
Hi, my name is Rick and I help unfulfilled software developers quit their 9-5 jobs, with minimal risk by creating their own cash-flowing Micro SaaS businesses.
I have been on the journey myself, starting as a nobody; finding a niche; establishing credibility; building up multiple Micro SaaS apps to the point that I could quit my (well paid) Technical Director job and work on my apps full time.
I then scaled the apps up and eventually sold and exited them for a life changing amount of money. You can read my full story on my about page.
I am passionate about sharing the knowledge Iβve gained from this journey β¦ welcome to my site π
Related Articles
The Micro SaaS Handbook
The Micro SaaS hub containing all the links to the individual Micro SaaS chapters you'll need to go from zero to hero.
You can download all my Micro SaaS articles in a free ebook PDF so you can read it anywhere, any time.
Attributes of a great Micro SaaS app
Having discovered a great target niche, youβll be looking at the problems users are facing in that niche in order to come up with some app ideas to solve them.
Take a look at my Characteristics of a solid Micro SaaS App chapter to find out what attributes you should be looking for.
Validating Micro SaaS Ideas
Developing an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) for your Micro SaaS app idea is the best way to establish whether or not your app genuinely solves a painful problem for your target audience.
If you think youβve found a fantastic idea but want some certainty, then read through my validating your Micro SaaS app idea chapter to find some techniques that will put your mind at ease.
Β© All Rights Reserved - Rick Blyth