Here is an old e-mail I typed in a rushed hurry to a web 2.0 startup. Even though it’s dated, I think the questions and general tone still has the same merit as when I wrote it.
I read the press release on your existing website. I like the idea of (name removed for privacy) and personally I support anything that gives talented individuals new avenues to express and showcase themselves
If you’re asking my opinion on whether I believe this website will be successful long term with millions of users and high profitability, – that depends. I definitely recognize the potential for this website to “go all the way” and become a house hold name, but I personally think long term success will have to do with:
1. Your ability to brand your .com and cultivate a strong sense of “community” apart from existing social networks.2. Your ability to keep a large, active user base when faced with future competition and the technical problems inherent with exponential growth.
Those questions lie outside the individual tasks I’ll be doing, but I can definitely help greatly with them. For example blogs can be used to open up a dialogue between site owners and site visitors and help encourage the growth of a “community presence”.
I do have one MAJOR question regarding one aspect of your marketing direction.
Do you plan on having your .com work in existing social networks like myspace or compete with them?
An example is, will users be able to imbed their online profile information specific to your site (Their videos, votes, and position in the contest) in their existing myspace accounts and other social networks or are you aiming on having them setup all their profile and personal information separately? Or are you even planning on having bio pages and other web 2.0 features like bulletins, separate messaging, pictures etc?
Another question:Who is your current programmer and is he/she up to the task of improving and updating the “back end” when the traffic starts to really increase?