12 Niche Web Design Business Success Stories [2024]
Niche web design business focuses on a specialized market such as law, home improvement, videography, fashion, etc. typically, when a web designer niches down their services, they are simply choosing to concentrate on one industry and create websites for businesses within the particular niche. To become a niche web designer, consider honing the following skills and personal qualities:
- Visual design, HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Strong communication skills
- Analytical thinking and problem-solving skills
- Teamwork and research skills
- Attention to detail
Narrowing your focus to a particular niche gives you a higher chance of becoming a recognized expert and places you in a better position to charge more for your services.
In this list, you'll find real-world niche web design business success stories and very profitable examples of starting a niche web design business that makes money.
1. Bop Design ($2.4M/year)
Kara Jensen, co-founder of Bop Design, initially started the company as a side gig while working full-time. After experiencing the instability of the financial industry during the subprime mortgage crisis, she convinced her husband to join her and they focused on B2B website design and marketing services. Through smart financial management and a focus on value-added services, Bop Design has grown to become a multi-million dollar marketing agency, making the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list two years in a row.
How much money it makes: $2.4M/year
How much did it cost to start: $25K
How many people on the team: 13
Bop Design, a B2B digital marketing agency, evolved through working with high-tech, software, industrial, and life science companies to develop lead-generating websites, brand platforms, and content marketing programs, and saw 153.1% revenue growth, landing them on the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies list for two years in a row.
2. Never Settle ($1.8M/year)
Kenn Kelly, co-founder of Never Settle, came up with the idea for the digital agency after experiencing the ups and downs of the tech startup world. He realized the importance of taking care of people and decided to create a company that values and empowers both clients and staff. With a focus on service and building long-lasting relationships, Never Settle has become a globally recognized leader in mobile, website, and marketing solutions, completing over 1,000 projects in seven years.
How much money it makes: $1.8M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 15
Never Settle, a digital agency with over 1,000 completed projects and a focus on lean methodology and building relationships with clients, has made a name for itself in the eCommerce space, offering comprehensive solutions to businesses of all sizes while maintaining consistent and moderate growth.
3. Nirmal Web Studio ($1.2M/year)
Nirmal Gyanwali, the founder of Nirmal Web Studio, came up with the idea for his business after realizing that many businesses on a budget were being left with half-completed projects by inexperienced web developers. He wanted to utilize his years of industry experience to help these businesses and founded his own boutique WordPress agency in 2015. Since then, the company has grown to a team of 25 and serves over 100 clients, including renowned brands like the University of Oxford and The Star.
How much money it makes: $1.2M/year
How much did it cost to start: $5K
How many people on the team: 22
Nirmal Gyanwali founded Nirmal Web Studio in 2015 with no investment, gradually growing from 2 to 25 global teams, serving more than 100 clients, including the University of Oxford, by offering top-notch web development services through their values of continuous improvement and leadership.
4. MadeByShape ($600K/year)
Andy Golpys, the co-founder of MadeByShape, came up with the idea for his creative and digital agency after working as a freelance designer and noticing the growing demand for websites. Through networking, impressive portfolio work, and providing high-quality services, the agency has grown to average £50k per month in revenue, with a client base ranging from small to big brands. Along with offering web design and development, MadeByShape has expanded its services to include ongoing support, hosting, SEO, and branding, leading to increased financial stability and customer retention.
How much money it makes: $600K/year
How much did it cost to start: $1K
How many people on the team: 10
MadeByShape, a creative and digital agency based in Manchester, UK, shares how they grew their business from designing websites for £200 to making projects that generate £100k, with a strategy focused on quality services, long-term customer relationships, and organic SEO.
5. UXtweak ($480K/year)
Ľubomír Lajoš, the CEO of UXtweak, came up with the idea for their user research platform out of frustration with poorly designed products and a desire to make a worldwide product. They identified a gap in the market for affordable UX research tools and launched UXtweak with a focus on small and medium-sized companies. Since then, they have attracted big clients like Intel and Groupon and are constantly improving their platform to become the most comprehensive UX research platform on the market.
How much money it makes: $480K/year
How much did it cost to start: $300K
How many people on the team: 20
UXtweak, a user research platform with mainly big companies as customers, has reached an MRR of €60k within a year of launching, using mainly organic traffic and referral programs for customer acquisition, and has added six new tools since launch.
6. The Locksmith Agency (1-800-Unlocks) ($360K/year)
Samuel Wilson, the owner of The Locksmith Agency, came up with the idea after recognizing the need for digital marketing services in the locksmith industry. Growing up in a locksmith family, he saw firsthand how locksmiths often lacked the time and expertise to focus on their online presence. Combining his background in locksmithing with his love for marketing, Wilson created The Locksmith Agency to help promote genuine locksmiths and provide them with effective digital marketing solutions.
How much money it makes: $360K/year
How much did it cost to start: $500
How many people on the team: 3
The Locksmith Agency, run by Samuel Wilson, a licensed locksmith with over 10 years of digital marketing experience, is making $30k+ per month by providing digital marketing services such as Website Development, SEO, and Google Listing optimization services specifically for the locksmith industry.
7. Eikon Design ($180K/year)
Anebi Agbo, the founder of Eikon Labs, came up with the idea for the web design consultancy during his altMBA program in 2019. With a background in technology and a desire to work with small businesses, he realized that helping them build better websites and apps could have a positive impact on their bottom line. He launched Eikon Labs as a side hustle and eventually transitioned to running it full-time.
How much money it makes: $180K/year
How much did it cost to start: $999
How many people on the team: 1
Learn how bootstrapping a web design consultancy from scratch can net $180K annually, boost your credibility through strategic design choices, and maintain a lean operation with 15 contractors across 5 continents to maximize a 40-50% gross margin.
8. LabelGurus ($72K/year)
Mike Shaefer, the founder of LabelGurus, came up with the idea for his business while working as a head brewer and production manager at a brewery. He realized that many breweries needed help with label designs for their new canned beers, so he started offering his services to craft breweries. Using social media direct messaging and personalized video pitches, he was able to attract and retain customers, resulting in an average monthly revenue of around $6,000.
How much money it makes: $72K/year
How much did it cost to start: $28
How many people on the team: 1
LabelGurus founder, Mike Shaefer, started his label and packaging design service for CPG brands in 2019 and currently brings in an average of $6,000 per month from new and recurring clients in the beer and better-for-you beverage industries, with Instagram and word-of-mouth referrals being his main source of new customers.
9. Siva Solutions Inc. ($60K/year)
Senthil Kumar, the founder of Siva Solutions Inc and American Dental Software, was inspired to start his business after his wife, who is an oral surgeon, told him about the exorbitant prices charged by website developers in the dental industry. As a software developer himself, Kumar saw an opportunity to offer affordable website development solutions specifically tailored to dentists. He incorporated features such as 3D dental education videos and interactive patient forms into the websites, ultimately helping dentists improve their online presence and streamline their processes.
How much money it makes: $60K/year
How many people on the team: 20
Senthil Kumar spearheads Siva Solutions Inc, a game-changing digital marketing and software development company which caters to dentists using an array of well-crafted products to manage patient data and inquiries, thus enabling efficient management of processes, while boosting them to the 1st page on Google.
10. Website Profit Course ($28.2K/year)
Ray DelVecchio, founder of Website Profit Course, came up with the idea after realizing the importance of owning one's website and email list. He wanted to help people start their web design businesses and provide them with the necessary skills to succeed. Through his blog and membership program, he has been able to help aspiring web designers gain clients and generate income, with some members earning up to $4,900 from their first paid gigs.
How much money it makes: $28.2K/year
How much did it cost to start: $600
How many people on the team: 0
Learn how one founder built and grew a web design business learning platform, with an average online revenue of $2,350/month, by providing step-by-step training systems and resources for beginners and using consistent publishing on YouTube, blog and email lists to retain customers.
11. Olidrel Hub ($12K/year)
During a time of severe financial struggle, Atoyebi and Bamidele saw the chronic unemployment in Nigeria and co-founded Olidrel Hub, attracting over 80 trainees in one month with 90% of interest generated through word of mouth.
How much money it makes: $12K/year
How much did it cost to start: $4.1K
How many people on the team: 4
"Case Study: Olidrel Hub, a Nigerian tech training platform, attracts over 80 interested participants with word-of-mouth marketing, receives initial investment of $2000, and aims to empower 2,000 youths in the next 5 years."
12. PageGuard ($2.4K/year)
Jonathan Moore, founder of PageGuard, came up with the idea for his WordPress website maintenance business after encountering friends and colleagues who experienced website issues. Realizing that these problems could have been avoided with proper maintenance, Moore created PageGuard to offer affordable and flexible website maintenance solutions. Despite being a new business, PageGuard is already attracting customers, particularly smaller businesses, entrepreneurs, and the self-employed. Moore's long-term goal is to expand the team and create a successful maintenance machine.
How much money it makes: $2.4K/year
How much did it cost to start: $100
How many people on the team: 0
PageGuard is a new WordPress website maintenance business bringing in $200 a month, catering mainly for smaller business, entrepreneurs, and the self-employers, offering three levels of support at different price points.
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Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
Download the report and join our email newsletter packed with business ideas and money-making opportunities, backed by real-life case studies.
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