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Need Advice and Help to start a Social Net with my $10000

Discussion in 'General Business' started by Quicko, Sep 11, 2009.

  1. Ni9htRider

    Ni9htRider Peon

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    #21
    you should have no problem. $10,000 i could run one of the best websites lol.
     
    Ni9htRider, Sep 12, 2009 IP
  2. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #22
    How? tell me what you can do with the $10,000? just tell us how would you run one of the best website...

    That would be great..

    Thanks.
     
    Quicko, Sep 12, 2009 IP
  3. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #23
    Yes I wouldn't depend on ads only.. and that's why I keep asking about some ideas to keep my self from losing money for nothing.

    Regards.
     
    Quicko, Sep 12, 2009 IP
  4. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #24
    Hello guys, anyone please replay me... Please guys!
     
    Quicko, Sep 13, 2009 IP
  5. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #25
    johnduglus34 .. thanks for passing by.

    guys.. share thoughts please..
     
    Quicko, Sep 14, 2009 IP
  6. clade

    clade Peon

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    #26
    I've started a website with $10,000, the software side of it is almost done, spent about $3,000 on that. With the $10,000 budget I expect the website to be able to sustain itself for another 4 or 5 months so that leaves about 3 months till I have to come up with a profitable business model.

    If you want to talk to me on MSN or something, please PM your ID. We could probably brainstorm some idea or something. (even partnership?)

    Wish you the best mate.
     
    clade, Sep 14, 2009 IP
  7. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #27
    Thanks for replaying..

    Well you said $10,000 will only sustain website for another 4.. 5 months...??

    how come is that?

    I don't get it.. I mean what are going to spend money on except server and programming side?

    how the money going to cover you for just 4 and 5 months coming?..

    thanks.
     
    Quicko, Sep 14, 2009 IP
  8. sjr4x4

    sjr4x4 Active Member

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    #28
    I guess I'll go against the tide, but $10k is a drop in the ocean for a serious social networking site.

    Hosting's been covered, and agree, start on shared. Stay away from .net and Microsoft, stick to LAMP and you'll easily cope with 30k plus daily users on a single medium spec server.

    But allow for phased development, something like a social networking site will evolve, you'll start with some basic functionality, guage public reaction, then build on it, tweak it and keep adding functionality.

    So your budget will need to be able to cope with 3 years of dev costs.

    Factor in marketing, ie adwords, again for 3 years. No publicity = no users = no traffic.

    Business model is easy, stick to the new online standard, which is Freemium. ie offer stuff deemed as value for free which is the hook, and then upsell with perceived value add.

    As for 3 years, be realistic, a new social networking site isn't going to give you a worthwhile return for at least 3 years. In which time you still need the above costs, plus food...

    So thats why I say $10k isn't a great deal.

    Unless you plan to start it as a partime hobby venture, in which case, don't start a social networking site :(
     
    sjr4x4, Sep 14, 2009 IP
  9. wounded1987

    wounded1987 Well-Known Member

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    #29
    social network... the easiest and yet the most un effective way to make money these days
     
    wounded1987, Sep 14, 2009 IP
  10. Kwaku

    Kwaku Well-Known Member

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    #30
    Marketing is 10000x more expensive than hosting / programming. If you spend say $3k on programming / making the site, and $200 / month on a good dedicated server (I don't think you should bother with shared/vps crap; it'll be crap) then you have a good start. After that marketing comes in. Try to think of something 'viral' ; something were your users will be happy to invite other users that would be in your target audience. So you have $3k + $2k (10 months hosting) = $5k for the tech side and then $5k for the marketing. Should give you some leeway in running this, without doing weird stuff like moving from shared=>vps=>dedicated with all the downtime and cost associated with it.

    For marketing you can put up posters in schools with some text explaining that you will be the super guy if you bring in all your friends.

    And sure Facebook is not making profit; they have a business model which takes a lot of investing. You don't need to do the same; ads and affiliate sales can be more than enough to make good profit. I run a niche social networking site which makes profit and it has been from the first month.

     
    Kwaku, Sep 14, 2009 IP
    clade likes this.
  11. clade

    clade Peon

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    #31
    Kwaku, very smart.
     
    clade, Sep 22, 2009 IP
  12. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #32
    sjr4x4 ... thanks for replaying!!!

    I really agree with you that marketing needs more money to spend on it..

    But in my case I kinda thought over it more than once.. and I believe ad words is more than enough and advertising freely in friend's forums.

    and locally I'm gonna spread website by word of mouth ( hopefully ).. more to that going to give students some papers.

    But you are right, advertising is more than important.

    And i'll figure out more better ways to advertise with.
     
    Quicko, Sep 23, 2009 IP
  13. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #33
    Kwaku...

    I believe that I'd need posters posted up in schools as you said.

    Thanks in for replaying.
     
    Quicko, Sep 23, 2009 IP
  14. elonblock

    elonblock Peon

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    #34
    There is a definite need for a serious strategy/business plan behind this type of site. IMHO, the real question is what kind of benefit can I provide to my members? Because counting on Google, or just plain ads is putting all of your eggs in one basket.

    I don't know what type of benefit you can provide to keep members wanting to keep coming back. I was part of a team that built a large community. Everything was going well until the community got tired of what we were offering and we didn't have anything new to replace it with.

    Many of the members downgraded from a paying member to a "free" status during this time. And the word of mouth which originally built the site dropped off to nothing.

    I am sure it can be done with the right benefits to the members. Because there are many sites already doing it. It's just figuring out how to make yours different and unique.
     
    elonblock, Sep 23, 2009 IP
  15. Quicko

    Quicko Member

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    #35
    elonblock.. thanks for replaying.

    Well from what I see, there are plenty of members in hundred of social networks.. right?

    Sometimes the same member has different account in different social networks (eg: myspace, facebook).

    and more to that.. I always asked my self why would anybody use my social network? it's because I'm intending to make it niche social network.. that is only concentrating on something only, not general..

    And my only source of making money at start would be ads, yes ads. do you think there's another source more basic than getting money from ads.. if the ads cover the servers cost.. then why not?

    What's important for me to build something that is stable, and I'd be keeping on thinking of a great business model in the coming times.

    I'll start a social network that has less features, then will be adding features by just listening to users feedback, and my teams suggestions.

    I'm not saying I'm %100 sure that I'll make my website so popular..

    But we'll work hard, and plan well..

    And will surely take any advice that we can get from experienced people.. :)
     
    Quicko, Sep 23, 2009 IP