New Social network

[Luke]

@luke
One question: Did you create it from scratch or with some platform?

Creating from scratch.

 

[GSquadron]

How many years have you been programming?

 

[jenniffer harris]

That may be so tough and competitive. Think once again before starting. By the way congratulation for you brave.

 

[Luke]

How many years have you been programming?

Six years of online coding.

 

[GSquadron]

When I saw your sig in mid-2014 I thought it will be a very big project. Meanwhile I have other projects so it won't be easy for me.

 

[Shawn Gossman]

I think privacy-aware is going to be your best item to focus on. If you can develop a social network with awesome unique features while still keeping privacy as the priority, then you might have something!

I am in the process of custom coding a social network focusing on "bicycling" and all the ideas I have wouldn't really be privacy-friends as most of them show locations with integrated maps and that for rides.

But I am still working on it...

 

[Josh349]

Don't try to beat Facebook. That is the only answer you need, copy what works that Facebook have tried and tested spending millions to find and use that but carve your own niche at the same time.

Again if you don't want to spend any money then you are going to have several problems.

Social networks are extremely complex websites, in todays day and age people are going to expect very minimal functionality that could take weeks and months to develop on a shoestring. Then it's not even just the website but holding the amount of traffic you want with a powerful enough server, ensuring that the website and server are secure against vulnerabilities and much, much more.
You can make a social network on a shoestring but unless you are extremely lucky you won't get far without a huge marketing budget.

 

[shamzblueworld]

To be a real competitor, we're talking millions of dollars

Yeah Google had this when they launched their social network. Yes it's popular but not a dent on Facebook. You need a big idea like Twitter had.

Absolutely correct, you need something unique and new to offer to get people come to you, you can't just compete by investing big money.

 

[Fergal]

I am planning on making a social network like Facebook ...

Personally I think you should stop using the words "like Facebook". If you want to be successful you need to either concentrate on a very specific niche, or to be much much better than Facebook.

When eBay became popular huge companies, such as Yahoo, tried to compete with them and failed. Buyer's would not spend time on the new auction sites, because all the sellers were on eBay. Sellers would not add their listings on the new site, because all the buyers were on eBay.

Why would I spend time on your new social networking site, when all my friends are on Facebook? You need to have a compelling answer to that question if you are to have any chance of success.

I don't mean to discourage you, by all means go for it and it will be a great learning experience. But know why you are better than Facebook, and when I say "better" that means more beneficial to your users.