Build a ChatRoulette like feature.
"Russian ChatRoulette" could be either a horrible or fantastic idea!
Actually, the original ChatRoulette was built by a Russian.
Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
11–20 of 21 posts
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#12Buy all the Russian school and college name domains. Allow members to add content to those domain names (Ning style) if they have joined that particular school group - from your social network website itself.
Then do the same thing with Russian city names.
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#13Start innovating. Figure out a core offering and stick to it. Read rework by 37signals, it might help you out.
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#14Earlier quoted context omitted.
How? It seems more like a curiosity than a viable business.
Exponential growth first and then new features is normally a viable path for a Web 2.0 business, but the founder of Chatroulette is finding it a bit hard to deal with new features when he has to worry about scaling his exponentially growing site, including limo rides and negotiations with Russian billionares. To the OP: Isn't the strategy for succeeding at business in Russia to find out how to get in cars with Russia…
> US Law is such that if a certain prosecutor was sufficiently morally offended by your existence, the founder of a Chatroulette clone could be charged with Federal Racketeering.
IANAL, but this sounds like a load of FUD to me. The majority of porn is created within the US. In my understanding, to be legally protected, all you have to do is put a warning that states that underage people are not permitted to use the site.
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#15Earlier quoted context omitted.
How? It seems more like a curiosity than a viable business.
Exponential growth first and then new features is normally a viable path for a Web 2.0 business, but the founder of Chatroulette is finding it a bit hard to deal with new features when he has to worry about scaling his exponentially growing site, including limo rides and negotiations with Russian billionares. To the OP: Isn't the strategy for succeeding at business in Russia to find out how to get in cars with Russia…
Not sure about the legal stuff, but I'm still curious about the making money part. So the business model is either 1) advertising, or 2) getting acquired? That's what I think of when I hear "Web 2.0 business."
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#16Obviously, if you're just going to copy Facebook's offerings, you might as well copy Facebook's launch plan and marketing. Their high level marketing strategy is very well documented and most of the tactics can be inferred.
Secondary suggestion: Pick a niche and focus on it.
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#17Start innovating. Figure out a core offering and stick to it. Read rework by 37signals, it might help you out.
what's the relation of rework and innovation? Can you quote some stuff? I am considering this book, but to me it doesn't seem like it has anything innovation, especially since 37signals didn't really do anything innovative. Can't count open source framework there, as by itself it's just a framework.
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#18Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#19What's your target demographic?
Re: Ask HN: How would you promote a social network start-up?
#20Earlier quoted context omitted.
Exponential growth first and then new features is normally a viable path for a Web 2.0 business, but the founder of Chatroulette is finding it a bit hard to deal with new features when he has to worry about scaling his exponentially growing site, including limo rides and negotiations with Russian billionares. To the OP: Isn't the strategy for succeeding at business in Russia to find out how to get in cars with Russia…
> US Law is such that if a certain prosecutor was sufficiently morally offended by your existence, the founder of a Chatroulette clone could be charged with Federal Racketeering. IANAL, but this sounds like a load of FUD to me. The majority of porn is created within the US. In my understanding, to be legally protected, all you have to do is put a warning that states that underage people are not permitted to use the s…
No, it is much more complicated than that, depending on if the host of a Chatroulette clone is defined to be a porn producer.
Again, my point is that hosting an unfiltered Chatroulette clone is not safe without receiving a great deal of legal advice.