Comment to 'Successful UNA Sites'
  • Hi @John Curtis

    Nice site, shows what you are passionate about, and that's a positive. I wish you the best.

    Just some thoughts - I am in a similar position, just launching my network after postponing for years due to lack of time to focus on it.

    Growing a network requires some thought about where your members usually hang out and use that to make them aware.

    Once they're in, you need to add incentives to make them bring more like-minded people. Badges and credits usually are a suitable mechanism, but you can also use freebies (bring 50 more people, and you get a year of premium membership or another benefit)

    But before getting to that point, I'd point out a few other things I find essential from experience:

    1. It is helpful to think about what services the website can provide to different members. People may enjoy being members for various reasons or needs. For example, owners of bikes may seek advice or help when on the road; mechanics may seek customers (bike owners). A good value proposition is when you facilitate both segments to find what they desire. Find out their pains and needs and find ways to resolve them through social network features. Then you can establish paid membership levels and features, and that is a better way to earn money - at least in my humble opinion. Providing value means people want to be there and interact. Membership for the sake of membership won't cut it.
    2. Once you figure out several customer segments like the above, you have to look for the money. Who would pay for the value provided by their membership or features included on the website? In the example above, bikers won't pay, but mechanics may pay - either for a membership allowing them to post articles or advertise their services. When people pay money for memberships, it means they have found value. They will make sure your site grows.
    3. Next, you must configure the website and begin its design (graphically and feature-wise), so you can push it in the right direction. Contact some mechanics and offer free membership or special features. Contact biker communities and ask them to answer some surveys with the right questions. First and foremost, consider avoiding giving everything away for free. Just the basics are usually enough - this way, you create demand.
    4. Stay clear of the common idea that you can make money out of the data and advertising on the website. It will make your website look just like the other social scams, and people dislike this behaviour. After seeing what the social networks do with our data and how they abuse our presence, make money and don't return anything to the community, we want something else.
    5. When you think you have the beginnings of a genuine community and have established your revenue streams, launch a Kickstarter campaign or GoFundMe aiming for two things: raise funds to develop further and build the membership base.
    6. Keep asking your community what they want and then try to provide. The best position for a business is when customers request the product/service, not when you push something they don't want.

    I hope this helps in any way; enjoy.

    Cris