iOS Investing in social network - need help

[jason1977]

Hello Guys .

Im going to invest money on starting a social network app for iOS , android and windows phone platforms . I'm not a professional programmer , but i have some basic knowledge . I'm trying to make a team , but all before it , i want to get some basic knowledge about requirements,I'm not going to write even a line of code , but i want to know whats going on !!! please give me some information about requirements , and its process . what kind of programmers or database specialists i need , hosting , servers and . . . i don't want exact details , please just tell me basics . Appreciate

thanks

 

[waterskier2007]

You're probably not going to receive much help, because given how vague your post is, you are pretty much asking us to tell you how to develop facebook. These are all things that you should be trying to figure out yourself through google and other sources.

 

[Dookieman]

Unless you have $1 Million+ to invest in other people who know what they're doing, I doubt you'll get very far without learning how to program parts of it yourself. Maybe you are seasoned VC that has a ton of capitol at his disposal, who knows.

A social network app is probably the worst type of "application" that you should set out to make as your first app. They are very complex and require the work of many different types of people. Web developers, backend web developers, server maintenance, iOS developers, Android developers, Windows developers, marketing etc...

 

[TheWatchfulOne]

Unless you have $1 Million+ to invest in other people who know what they're doing, I doubt you'll get very far without learning how to program parts of it yourself. Maybe you are seasoned VC that has a ton of capitol at his disposal, who knows.

A social network app is probably the worst type of "application" that you should set out to make as your first app. They are very complex and require the work of many different types of people. Web developers, backend web developers, server maintenance, iOS developers, Android developers, Windows developers, marketing etc...

I'd like to add to this by saying, if you're going to build a social network, make sure it's because that's what you are genuinely interested in doing. Even if you don't make your money back and even if you can't get people to use it.

Because I can't imagine that most people really have time for more than one social network (unless there is something very different and compelling about it) and you're going to have to convince millions of people why they should use your social network instead of FaceBook. You might even develop one that is technically superior to FaceBaook (like Google+) but that won't guarantee it will be successful (depending how you measure success.) Google+ doesn't have nearly as many people as FaceBook? Why does that matter? Because people are going to go where their friends and family are (generally speaking of course I'm sure there are exceptions.) And in my case, the majority are not on Google+. I'm on Google+ but I barely ever look at it.

I don't say that to discourage you, just make sure it's what you are really interested in doing even you don't get rich and famous from doing it.

 

[1458279]

I read a few weeks back that Google was giving up on Google+. What everyone is saying, is that this is a HUGE project with HUGE risk. Don't expect to ever get your money back.

The business model for a social network is a "demand creates demand" There's a book out there that discusses this in detail, but basically, you have a limited time to grab people before you lose them forever.

The way it works is that people use FB because people use FB. In other words the only reason someone goes there is because so many others go there.

The cost of getting the attention of that many people is huge and the loss rate is large and fast (people lose interest fast and don't come back) If you can't make critical mass in a very short period of time, then the money you've already spent, must be spent again. If you don't have enough to get there on the first shot, you have to spend the same or more on the second shot. This is where most fail, taking each shot reduces the target and costs more. People usually never come back to a site once they've tried it and didn't like it.

It's almost like trying to give new life into an old app that many people saw and didn't like.

Very tough business model, many try, vast majority fail. Think about how much money Google has, Microsoft tried and failed, eBay failed at it, and look how much money they have.

One option you might look at is just buying a project, developers often sell their projects.

 

[ArtOfWarfare]

Very tough business model, many try, vast majority fail. Think about how much money Google has, Microsoft tried and failed, eBay failed at it, and look how much money they have.

I think they failed in large part because they were huge to start with. They weren't new corners of the internet for the cool kids to hang out at - they were places everyone had already gone that were now suddenly interested in stealing all of your personal data.

All of the successes... Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr, Instagram... They were all startups. It was hip and cool and new to know about them. Google+? That's your creepy old pedophile neighbor trying to barge into your house. That's not cool.

 

[1458279]

I think they failed in large part because they were huge to start with. They weren't new corners of the internet for the cool kids to hang out at - they were places everyone had already gone that were now suddenly interested in stealing all of your personal data.

All of the successes... Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Tumblr, Instagram... They were all startups. It was hip and cool and new to know about them. Google+? That's your creepy old pedophile neighbor trying to barge into your house. That's not cool.

Hip and cool is one of the biggest problems that FB is facing. Young people don't like hanging out with mom & dad on a Friday night. Google+ actually had some good idea, but one problem is that it's hard to control who comes on board while at the same time trying to get everyone you can on board.

This is where SnapChat came in and captured a market.

You make an excellent point, it doesn't always take $$ to make it work. It's an extended spring - you can plant a seed and watch it grow.