Join our Waitlist for Expert Advice!

Want to Know Which Small Businesses Are Booming? Ask Web Developers and Designers. A new study shows retail, travel, health and fitness are the top growth sectors for web development and design.

By Vladimir Prelovac Edited by Dan Bova

Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.

Shutterstock

In the 1970s, if you wanted to know what sector was hot, all you had to do was go to the mall and see what businesses had the most customers. Nowadays, with an economy increasingly driven by the internet, all you have to do is look at what web pros (aka professional web developers and designers) are working on to know what small businesses are thriving.

According to an Evans Data study of web developers and designers commissioned by GoDaddy, consumer-centric markets for retail, travel, health and fitness are driving web pro growth today. And all that growth is helping lead to another growth sector: web developers and designers themselves. Based on research conducted in Brazil, Germany, India, Mexico, the United Kingdom and United States, web pros are also growing fast.

Related: 15 Useful Tech Tools for Your Business

That retail, travel, health and fitness are leading the growth isn't entirely surprising. Over the last two decades, as the global population has both prospered and aged, consumers are looking for experiences -- and how to stay healthy enough to enjoy them. That's broadly true across all the countries included in the survey, with one exception: India. There, the creative industries and education lead the way. It's the only country where travel and retail didn't make the top three:

U.S.

Germany/U.K.

India

Brazil

Mexico

1. Retail

1. Retail

1. Creative

1. Retail

1. Travel

2. Travel

2. Food

2. Education

2. Travel

2. Retail

3. Health/Fitness

3. Creative

3. Health/Fitness

3. Real Estate

3. Food

So, what will be next? As we enter the next stage of the internet -- artificial intelligence and the internet of things -- we're likely to see transportation and advice-based industries -- health, legal, investing for example -- emerge.

Related: 25 Creative Ways to Promote Your App For Free

But, web pros are not only a leading indicator, they are a critical part of small business development, and the research conducted by Evans Data shows that while the web pro business is an opportunity it also comes with pain points.

First, there's managing growth. Nearly 80 percent of web developers and designers report client growth of 25 percent or more a year -- with more than one in three saying it was 50 percent or more. It's still a relatively young industry (nearly half of web pros reported only being in business five years or less), and it struggles with how to keep up with demand. That is especially true in the newer markets such as India and Mexico. The research shows the importance of continued learning and the need to manage growth and focus on looking where your next clients will come from.

Related: The 25 Best U.S. Cities for Tech Startups

In the newer markets, the focus is on gaining the technical and creative skills to provide services whole managing clients. But, in the most mature market, the United States, the focus is as much on how the business is run -- project management and business skills -- as it is staying up to speed technically.

To manage growth as the internet continues to reshape the economy, it's critical that those who put small businesses online mature as well. There is a strong need for standards -- as reflected by the 83 percent of web pros who say they support a certification program.

Instead of easing up, we're likely to see the internet's impact on the economy accelerate with the introduction of AI and other emerging technologies. The economy is struggling to keep up: It's projected in the United States alone there will be 1.8 million unfilled tech jobs by 2024. As new ventures are created, that will put pressure on those who get those businesses online. So, if you want to know what's the next big thing, ask a web pro -- they are probably already working on it.

Vladimir Prelovac

Senior Director Product Management and Head of Web Pro at GoDaddy

Vladimir Prelovac is a senior director of product management and head of Web Pro at GoDaddy. He is also the founder of ManageWP, and is a frequent contributor to the WordPress community, in the form of numerous plug-ins, tools, WordCamp talks and the book WordPress Plugin Development.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Business News

You Have One Month Left to Buy a House, According to Barbara Corcoran. Here's Why.

"If you are planning on waiting a year and seeing where interest rates go, you are out of your mind," Corcoran said.

Thought Leaders

These 3 Trends Will Change What It Means to Be an Entrepreneur in 2025

Here are three entrepreneurship trends from the new Global Entrepreneurship Monitor report that are changing the landscape for the future.

Business News

These 3 Side Hustles Make the Most Money While Working Fewer Hours, According to a New Survey

The survey also found that having a side hustle doubled as a path to becoming more employable.

Side Hustle

I Made $14,000 in 1 Week With a Spontaneous Halloween Costume Side Hustle — Here's How

Sabba Keynejad was in art school when he started to refine his entrepreneurial skills.

Franchise

The McRib Is Back, But Only at Select McDonald's — Here's Where to Find It

This scarcity is nothing new. In 2022, McDonald's announced a "Farewell Tour" for the McRib, suggesting that it might be the last time customers could get their hands on it.

Business Ideas

63 Small Business Ideas to Start in 2024

We put together a list of the best, most profitable small business ideas for entrepreneurs to pursue in 2024.