Creating The Next Internet Phenomenon - Why You Will Fail

Being one of the nation's leading rural satellite internet providers we work with a lot of people that live simple lives way out in the country. However, we know that just because our customers don't live in a big city does not mean they do not have big dreams. Thanks to the high speed satellite internet we provide to customers, these dreams can come true regardless of where they live. However, the truth is that the majority of people that try to create the next Facebook, YouTube, etc. fail. We want you to be able to succeed, and not make the mistakes made by so many others! That is why we have put together this list of the five biggest mistakes made by entrepreneurs trying to create the next internet phenomenon.

1. Too Broad

So many internet startups begin with a great conceptual idea; however it does not have a narrow enough focus to succeed. When you take a look at some of the largest internet companies you may think they have a broad service offering, but they did not start off like that. Take Google for example, most would say that they offer very broad services ranging from email services to operating systems. However Google started off as basic as search engines come. They wanted everyone to know that 'search' was all they did, and that they were the best at doing it. As they gained popularity they continued to innovate and add more services. Another great example of this is Facebook. Although, they appeal to all audiences now, they broke into the social industry by offering a niche social networking service for college students. Although, you may have goals for your new idea being a global brand and dominating an industry, you can't start out that way. You need to start by accomplishing one task much better than your competitors, and then add features as you grow.

2. Grows too big too fast

This probably sounds like something you would want to happen, however this is often the downfall of new internet startups. Why you ask, well it largely involves the 'free' model that internet services have begin to implement. The free model requires the company to make money off of advertisements or in some cases off of donations. When you are creating a model that relies on drawing a large amount of people, and you succeed, it is very easy to overload your infrastructure. In return people begin to lose interest and your internet phenomenon becomes short lived.

3. Migration is difficult

Just because others like what your service offers does not necessarily mean they will use your products. Several new internet companies create a niche service that creates a lot of buzz upon their launch, but fail to get people to actually use their service. The reason for this is because it is too difficult for people to migrate from the old service they were using to the new service, or the new service does not integrate well enough with other services.

4. Fails To Generate Buzz

This one is fairly obvious, but you would be surprised how often this is the cause of a startup falling short. Your company cannot only offer a great service, but specifically with online companies it must be something that people want to talk about. People need to be so excited about your new service that they want to tell all their friends about it.

5. Lack of Funding

This is possibly the biggest reason that internet startups fail at launch or soon after. Often entrepreneurs far underestimate the costs involved with starting their company or new web service. They also underestimate the problems that will arise. You can assure yourself that you are going to experience major setbacks of all kinds, especially in the pre-launch and launch phase of your website. If at all possible test your web service with a small test group consisting of family and friends or people you know will give you honest feedback and not bad publicity.

Now it's your turn! Help us add to the list, what are some mistakes you have made or have witnessed by new internet startups? Also please let us know how you like our articles or about a topic you would like us to research.