Finding weaknesses in social entertainment websites?

by windrider07

Posted: 11 years ago 4 replies

SOCIAL NETWORKS

Big sites such as 9gag, memegenerator, cheezburger, knowyourmeme, etc etc.. How do you figure out what their weaknesses are and how to exploit them and create a site that is either better than them or create a site that can become visible in untapped areas of the internet/world? For instance....9gag...what are some markets/regions of the world that 9gag has not tapped into yet?

I've seen replies such as "don't copy them. Create your own unique site. Create something that is focused on a precise topic." Yea, I could do that cuz that's what most people to (focusing on specific topics rather than broad topics) but I'm interested in learning how to analyze weaknesses in competition and exploit them.

#entertainment #finding #social #weaknesses #websites

windrider07 11 years ago

Nobody wants to reply? Usually I get a lot of replies.
- Thanks
Signature

MicrotekCorporation | Canada SEO and Web Development Agency
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8366606].message }}
alrikvincent 11 years ago

If the weakness were obvious for you to just ask people and exploit, then it would have been done so already. People tell you not to copy them, because it will be an uphill battle and you will just be a me too website/page/blog. Don't be a "me too" website. You need to differentiate significantly. Assuming there is indeed a market section that is untapped by big players in the industry and you come up as a new player in this section, it will be easier for bigger players to capture your target market share, faster than it take you to start up. If they see it as a viable market that they can enter that is.

Tescos dominate their industry in the UK. They grew so big that they needed to find new markets. So they went to America, where their main competition was Walmart. They tried to position themselves between the High Premium goods and the Low bargain goods. They targeted households with medium income. However as soon as they entered the market, Walmart set up another division that copied what they did but since it was their home turf, they did it better. Needless to say Tesco was not able to do as well as they did in the UK. That is what will happen if you try to capture a market that other players can enter into easily if they chose to.

The key here is to differentiate or specialize. What you can do is copy the exact strategies of websites like 9gag and apply it to something different from what they do. You can do exactly what they do, but in a different niche. Say you created stuff related to science, 9gag will not enter that market. (But there might be other players there).

Specializing is you take one aspect of the competitions business and become better than the competition in a way that they cannot copy in that one area.

You can be a me-too business but know that your market share will always be lesser than that of the older players.
- Thanks
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8372197].message }}
Ivelin2008 11 years ago

these sites are big for a reason, you should also look at what they're doing right not just their weaknesses
- Thanks
- 1 reply
Signature
Want to build a real solid $10k/month online business?
Then add me on FB, I can help :)
{{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8373610].message }}
- partyfavor 11 years ago
  
  Originally Posted by Ivelin2008
  
  these sites are big for a reason, you should also look at what they're doing right not just their weaknesses
  
  Agreed!
  Study their strengths first. They are huge for a reason must be doing something right to have gained such a large following and continue to grow virally. Keep a close eye on them and look for their patterns and toe of posts that seem to get the most shares, likes, comments.
  
  Thanks
  
  Signature
  
  Nightclub + Bar Marketing Expert. Author.
  Producing Live Events, Digital Creative Agency to Nightclubs, Marketing Consultant to Nightlife Industry. (http://lavel.la)
  
  TV Host: Interviewed Lady Gaga, Tommy Lee, Richard Branson, Deadmau5, and more.
  
  {{ DiscussionBoard.errors[8374753].message }}