Start your own social network

As a followup to a comment that I just wrote I want to say something about my view on creating a social network (or a site in general).

Since it's pretty easy to create a social network or user generated content site nowadays, I find lots of new sites in these areas. Many are pretty good, and some are less impressive. Since I am a very generous person I will share my views on creating a website.

1. Business or pleasure
Are your site meant to be for business usage or for pleasure? Focus on one of these fields - When I'm working, it's not likely that I (or my employer) want me to be distracted by to much fun, and when I'm not working I might want to be able to relax a bit and even show pictures of myself at a party - That I wouldn't do if business contacts where using the site.

2. Choose your target audience
You must have a legible target audience when you plan your site. Will your site appeal to the taste of everyone? Should it be a general site or are you targeting people with a special hobby or profession?

When you choose your target audience, try and choose one that includes you. If you're into comics, do something with comics. If you want your site to be successful you'll have to marry it for a few years, so try to select an area that you like or are interested in yourself.

3. Check the competition
I guess that you must have some ideas that is value adding to your audience. Unless you have a huge marketing budget or are very good at guerrilla marketing, it will be hard for you to reach your audience if you aren't doing something new and fresh.

4. Get something out there quick, and get feedback
Since you went to step four your site have a clear target audience, and it has enough new and interesting functionality to appeal to the audience.
Now communicate with your visitors and let them co-drive the development of the site.

Or ignore the steps and follow your intuition from start to end! Either you will have a good intuition, and then the site have a chance of becoming a success, or your intuition sucks and the "soccer and knitting site" isn't a big hit. If it's a hit, write me an email and thank me, if it's not, the site is a great showcase for future employers!

Any steps or thoughts you think I missed? ;-)

Social marketing continued

The social networkers at Rebtel is continuing to create users - Today they launched a campaign for on their blog and on Facebook, encourageing fellow entrepeuners to recruit Rebtel users. Read more about it here. As I said in my previos post on Facebook, I really like their approach and their positive attitude. It will be interesting to follow their work throughout the summer and I hope and suppose that they will let us know how successfull this campaign was.
Their approach is kind of a part traditional guerilla marketing, social marketing and a multilevel earnings program, all mixed with a big piece of entrepeneural spirit. Have a look at it. I know I will :-)

Alpha release of Soocial within a week

Soocial is a web/mobile app for synchronizing and sharing contacts on your computer, PDA and phone. I'm really looking forward to this app and now it's about to go public in alpha mode. I'll write a review as soon as I've been using it for a short time come back in a week or so!

http://www.soocial.com

Rebtel - cool guys doing social business

Today I found something really interesting: When logging onto Facebook a friend of mine had joined a group called EntRebEneurs. The purpose of the group is to bring "young people with entrepenuerial minds" together to be a part of the company Rebtel and steer its development.

Rebtel is a company that offers free or lowprice international phonecalls from your mobile phone. The product itself is good but not extreamly exciting, though the webpage is pretty nice. What is exciting is that they make use of the evergrowing social networking trend, not only spreading the word using it but inviting people to be a part of the development of the company. Apparently Rebtel has hired two college students to do this online social networking as a summer job, so they hang out on Facebook, writes a blog and invites people to irl events.

This is a sign of how the social networks becomes more important to business and my guess is that we will see a lot like this on communities like Facebook.

I like it and I like that the web empowers people! Good luck to Björn and Linus (the college guys) and good luck to Rebtel (to which I have already signed up, since I have a sister abroad) ;-)