Everyone Uses the Internet for a Reason
It’s the first month of a new year and at this time I’m itching to start new web ventures both for fun and profit. I usually do up a list of possible startup and site ideas and narrow them down into those with the highest potential. But success depends on execution and not just plans so I tend not to be too hung up about having a complete vision of what I want.
A little vagueness won’t hurt. I can always muddle through and change things up in response to market conditions or personal interest. No need to be perfect from the start.
I looked at many websites to study their methods, to learn what made them a success. I started planning what specific niche I wanted to explore and suddenly realized that I was thinking about the whole thing in a roundabout way.
There’s really no need to think hard about having the perfect idea. The foundations of popular and profitable websites/services are deeply related to the basic reasons why people get online and use the internet. Let’s do some reverse engineering from that perspective.
So, why do people worldwide use the internet?
- To communicate and socialize
- To find information, learn new things and be entertained
- To do work, generate income and run a business
This is very much a fundamental human need. People like to meet and talk to other people through the internet. They use it to maintain new or existing relationships. They want to communicate ideas and find solidarity with others who share similar interests. So do something which facilitates communication. Hyper-local or cross-border communities, social networks, virtual worlds, apps or services built on existing communication/social protocols and services. Bring human social activities onto the internet grid. Socialize existing web functions, emphasize on connecting people.
The internet is a massive archive of new and old information. It is also a source of pleasure, giving immediate gratification in the form of images, sound and interactivity. As an educational tool, the web is essential for people who are seeking to learn.
People want to find things online. So help them. Create a system which provides information or filters existing content. Monetize the flow of data. Blogs, training courses, social news, aggregated news, paid membership sites, online journals, one-stop entertainment portals, video, image and game hubs with a specific focus.
People use the internet to make a living. It is essential to many businesses that want to increase brand exposure or sell a product/service. They also use the web to help them work better. There is a market of webmasters, entrepreneurs and small/big businesses out there who are willing to pay to boost their revenue. Consultancies, design firms, freelancers, enterprise software, business-specific tools/apps and services. Think of ways to help people work smarter and more efficiently online.
And of course, there’s the e-commerce industry and the buying/selling of products. There’s really a lot more specific reasons why people get online. Everyone of them is an idea for a product/service/website. Most likely there’s already someone out there in the same niche doing the same thing. The question is not how many competitors are there but how saturated and fulfilled are each web user’s reasons/needs.
Differentiate by presenting alternate solutions. Or stand on the shoulders of giants and improve existing services/websites even more. Learn to do some clever marketing and you should do fine. Cut your losses early by quitting when you’ve lost the passion or will to work hard. Because one rarely gets profitable or influential without interest or perseverance.
Just some thoughts I had. I wrote them down as a reminder and decided to share. ^_^
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I absolutely agree with you Maki that the “question is not how many competitors are there but how saturated and fulfilled are each web user’s reasons/needs” are.
Most people who want to start an internet business get discouraged when they see evidence of competiton, but really they should be cheering, as competitors mean there is a market for their product or service. One of the biggest mistakes beginners make is producing a product before they are sure there is a market for what they are selling.
Maki,
All very good points of course.
The un-numbered 4th point is probably in the minds of the majority of the MMO Bloggers and we all think that we can just get our products in front of new eyes and get rich. NOT.
Better we should consider your first three points, pick a segment of one of those and design the Blog with the viewer in mind, write great copy, get a following, and THEN start the marketing campaign.
Thanks
Rich Hill
Linkmoney.org
People use Internet either for a Reason Or for a Season or a lifetime. When we know which one it is, we will know what to do for them. When someone is On the net for a REASON, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed. They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance and support, To aid you virtually.
They may seem like a godsend and they are…sometimes. Sometimes they left,… Sometimes they walk away, …Sometimes they act up and force you to take a stand. What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fulfilled.
Some people use the Internet for a SEASON, because their turn has come to share, grow or learn. They bring their experience of peace or make you laugh. They may teach you something you have never done. They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy. They may provide you something you were awaiting…Believe it, it is real. But only for a season.
Ali.
I think your last point is the key to turning your online “hobby” into a business. You must have a passion for what you do or you won’t stick with it long enough for it to pay off. Often people mistake the internet, and an internet business as a way to get rich quick. When in reality you have to grind it out day in and day out to see real results. If you aren’t passionate about your subject you are more likely to quit than grind, thus missing out on opportunity.
Great post,
Matt
The last 2 big paragraphs were a bit scary for a beginner like me. There is hardly any new idea left in the world anymore. We all are ofering almost always the same thing re-clothed by some personal opinions.
I agree the only way to survival is having one dogged, resolute persistence. Once the niches is right (which you will know from how your competitors are doing), fight on. Keep posting.
I can’t agree more. The internet is being used more and more each day for a variety of tasks and purposes that people tend to get information overload. That’s why one of the sites I feel does a good job in filtering through the marketing and advertising is bestcovery. Not only do they put together a good collection of content of reviews and picks, they also integrated a shopping tool to help you find the best prices online too.
Very meaningful and informative points. Third one is very interesting, online business models are increasingly coming up with various forms including stock trading, affiliate marketing, online shopping etc. I expect more from the coming posts.
I really like your article, it is very well written! Just one thing, you failed to mention that most people use the internet for porn.
“Cut your losses early by quitting when you’ve lost the passion or will to work hard”, interesting remark, i just finished reading the Dip by Seth Godin, a little book that teach you when to quit rather that lose your energy in something that won’t improve.
I think the marketing is the hardest part, it is a mix of a lot of skills and how to use those skills.
I was suspecting you to venture somewhere else since you havent’t kept on publishing on a regular basis for a while. Would ou share you other projects url?
Awesome post.
I am about to start one internet project.
I found this post very helpful. Thanks.
Great tip Maki. I have ton of sites that I think I dont really have the perseverance to continue with…
I definitely use the internet for all of those reasons. I think learning and entertainment is one of the biggest online industries. You can find an answer to just about anything online and I can’t remember the last time I went anywhere but Google to research something.
You definatly need drive and focus to make money online, I’m getting to the stage where I have quite a few sites now, and some are begining to lose direction. It’s time I sat down and worked out my internet direction.
Intresting post as ever Maki
Thanks for this great article! So much competiton in the web today .
I’ve seen a lot of friends come and go on the blogosphere. They have a great idea and run with it like a mad person. Then they stop sprinting and look around and realize that they are lost.
The Internet is a marathon, not a sprint. We need to pace ourselves to get to where we really want to go. My belief that as long as we have fun and keep making new friends then the venture will be a success.
There are times that I expect my success to come faster. I really want to launch my business soon, but I know I must be patient. Sometimes people aren’t ready for certain concepts. That’s where perseverance comes in handy. The people see that you believe so strongly in what you publish online that they are attracted to your enthusiasm. It will most likely take me a little longer to be a success, but I’m not giving up until I am.
Makes you wonder what else the internet will be used for in the future, or is this it?
Exceptional post!!! Love the “reverse engineering” spin on this topic!!!
So many people are searching for the “perfect” idea…. and you’re so right in the fact that success doesn’t lie in finding the “perfect” idea but rather creating something that “works” with the way people use the internet! (Oh, and having passion doesn’t hurt either!)
Excellent observations.
One way to exploit the need and desire for social interaction in your marketing is through the use of storytelling.
Storytelling resonates with people at the social level.
For thousands of years humans have been telling stories. From the drawings on cave walls, from the story in The Epic of Gilgamesh (2,000 BC), to different religious texts that circle the Earth. The story is so central to the human experience that one can not separate the story from what it means to be human.
When it comes to marketing, one of the huge benefits of telling a story is that people can remember stories better than any other form of marketing. Marketers call this “sticky”: it sticks in peoples minds long after they read or hear it. If you subscribe to the Christian faith, then you know that Jesus used storytelling with his parables for he knew that these stories would be remembered long after he was gone.
Claude Hopkins, the father of marketing, in 1919, was hired by Schlitz beer to create an ad that would save the company. Schlitz beer was on the verge of bankruptcy as was ranked a pathetic fifteenth in terms of beer sales.
Hopkins made a trip to Wisconsin to visit the brewery. He knew that he needed to know more about how their beer was actually made. Claude Hopkins knew that it was nearly impossible to create a profitable ad without learning more about the product.
The people at the Wisconsin brewery showed Hopkins the entire brewing process. They showed him how deep they had drilled their wells to find the purest water. They showed him the glass enclosed rooms that kept any contaminates from leeching into the pure water, the kind of yeast they used and where they got it. They explained to Claude Hopkins where the bottles were cleaned, re-cleaned, and sanitized a dozen times.
“My God,” Hopkins said, “Why don’t you tell people in your advertising about all these steps you are taking to brew your beer?”
We can’t do that, answered the Schlitz executives, “all companies brew their beer about the same way.”
“Yes,” Hopkins countered, “but the first one to tell the public about this process will gain a big advantage.”
Hopkins then made an ad for Schlitz Brewery that explained the step-by-step process that goes into making a bottle of Schlitz beer. Six months later, Schlitz went from being ranked fifteenth in terms of sales, to become the #1 selling beer in the country.
Hopkins gave this wonderful example to the world of the power of the story. If Claude Hopkins was alive today, he would literally dominate Internet marketing.
My first attempt into taking my own needs to the world wide web – falls under your number 1. It seemed to make sense to me to do this, but I fear it’s why markets get flooded. No doubt a year of huge learning experience’s and adventure lies ahead.
Karl’s point above – “The Internet is a marathon, not a sprint.” Is a timely reminder for me too.
I know this isn’t what the article was about, necessarily, but I think you said it all when you stated, “Because one rarely gets profitable or influential without interest or perseverance.”
I think THIS is what most people need to hear and understand most (including myself). We as a society (and ironically, the Internet plays a huge part here) have become so used to instant-gratification that it’s nearly impossible to “stick with it” long enough to see significant profits. Need to work on that.
Thanks!
Ultimately, the Internet has become a reflection of our on lives. We do just about everything on the Internet that was formerly done offline a decade ago. It’s more convenient for just about every activity. It shouldn’t be a complete substitute, but it’s great as a supplement for social life, business, and to quickly gather information.
What a coincidence, since the start of the new year, I’ve been planning on starting new web ventures, just like you.
It’s taking me forever to come up with a website idea, but thanks to your post I’ve finally have a guideline on where I should look.
Also, your last statement really hit me.. “Cut your losses early by quitting when you’ve lost the passion or will to work hard. Because one rarely gets profitable or influential without interest or perseverance”.
Thanks a lot.
I was in this position a year ago…. and a year later… I’ve finally launched. The idea was simple enough, but the execution was the challenge. Anyway, last week I finally launched awardsandhonors.com. Would love to get your feedback.
I like your point “People want to find things online. So help them. Create a system which provides information or filters existing content.” There is so much content on line these days… your profound insight into some issue has probably already been blogged /written about somewhere. Think about your web audience and help them wade through the chaos. Bloggers can be great human powered search engines.
Like nothing else, you need a product or service that can help someone out. Whether it is to help them improve business, sell them something they may want. Online businesses need to be looked at as businesses, and not just another portal for interaction. I think you will be seeing more niche businesses starting out that may develop less revenue, but will find their niche and become leaders.
Great post. What you are talking about is exactly what we are trying to do at SMBLive.
A terrific quote that I read that follows your stream of thought was quoted on a post called Outbound Advertising is Dying: The Future is Inbound
Again, thanks for your thoughts, I thoroughly enjoy your perspective.
To find & share information, learn new things and be entertained
^ reason for all conversations!
Good, generic and common-sense ideas.
Hi,
I found this article through Cris Brogan’s blog and i just wanted to say that you’d be surprised by the weird reasons some people use the Internet! I mean, just start your StumbleUpon toolbar, select every category and start surfing…
From Dynamic Optical Illusions websites to How to make a mini-shirt out of a one dollar bill and web-sites that I can’t even start describing what they represent or what their purpose is…
Overall I think the Internet is the best ‘tool’ that helps our imagination and creativity and helps develop our human nature in something that’s so amazing, we can’t even replicate it in the ‘real’ world…
Thanks for the great article..
Remi Vladuceanu
http://www.remivladuceanu.com
Several comments here express a feeling that everything has already been done on the Internet. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. The web is still in its infancy.
5 years ago when web 2.0 was just a thought in Tim O’Reillys brain, it also felt as though everything had been done on the internet. The .com bubble had burst and innovation was at a low ebb. Then suddenly people started noticing AJAX and talking about the long tail. The web became more interactive and more personal.
There will be constant waves of innovation on the Internet. People are already talking about what will be the next steps. Geopresence, extreme personalisation, more real-time services tailored to yourself. Don’t forget that Twitter is only just over 2 years old.
And as Maki points out, you don’t need to have something that is 100% new, just identify the niches where people aren’t getting exactly what they need and which aren’t saturated and then execute better.
I realized something about my own internet usage habits when I read this post. Back in my early days of surfing the web there were times when I would just get on the net and browse aimlessly from site to site. Sometimes I would just be online just to be online. I don’t do that anymore. I have more of a purpose in my browsing.
Now if there is nothing I want to know, tweaks I want to make to my sites, read email ect. I won’t get online. My internet usage has gone from long periods of aimless browsing to purposeful activities and get off.
Great post – I love distilling internet usage down into the hierarchy of needs for technology. Its so mportant to realize why they use the internet so you can make your site useful to them.
I am quite suprise to see how people use internet nowadays. lot of people use internet for thier living.
Overall I think the Internet is the place to hang out, social and develop own creativity.
I do not know how I landed to your site but I do remember few words about you like … when Maki writes you know you should not miss that and I think he was right about you.
Thanks for such a nice reading.
I do not believe any niche as saturated.In fact if it is considered saturated that means there is a huge market that everybody has already tried .My work should be how I can do it differently so I can attract that huge chunk.
The other alternative is of course try to enter a new niche and test the water which I think is a much more challenging job.This is also an innovative and satisfying experience .
There is another way……….Create a need and a market.Walk down the untrodden path.
You will establish a trend ,a market, an audience,a requirement that only you can show how to fulfill.
Did you ever consider” Twitter” as a requirement a few years back?
But now everybody is trying to use it.It is considered to have a lot of potentiality to be used for different purposes.
I remember when I first started using the internet I used it purely for entertainment purposes. I would be fascinated with the amount of information that was at hand. Now I can’t imagine a world without internet. It almost seems like I would be blind.
One of the best things about being in business online is that everyone who comes to the web is on equal footing. No matter our finances, our upbringing, our education, the internet creates an equalizer that allows anyone to succeed. Offline, business fill a need and when two businesses that sell similar products stand beside each other on the street they’re in firm competition. Online, however, the competition, while still as real, is broader and more balanced. You could be one in a million and still be successful with the right passion and determination to make your project the best.
Whatever brings people to the internet is just a starting off point. Once they’re here, they’re guided by the media online and web business has the power to influence web users regardless of their original motivation. I guess it’s the new-age upsell.
Got them connected, now what can you turn their eye and their wallet to?
thanks for the article. the end part where the question is whether the needs are saturated is practically usually true generally? i suspect that knock offs can do all right as well, that is what keeps my online hope alive of getting a site with 10 visitors a day
I agree and like this: “The question is not how many competitors are there but how saturated and fulfilled are each web user’s reasons/needs. “
thanks you for this article, it gave me a new idea in for my next project in the internet.
regards
carissa
This kinda scares me too. There really isn’t anything new out there to do; we mostly have to use ideas that are already being used and just do them better than others or something. Just keep trying and you’ll get there. You have to start from somewhere. @Albert -
Great post yet again doshdosh
My list has been changed over the last 2 years a lot, not in main goals, but execution, techniques etc…
Time to go through your archives again
I think you stated the best approach, with a lot of insight, in a very easy to understand fashion. Coming at it from the standpoint of what users want is something not always learned at the outset.
Certainly, selecting something you have an interest in is essential if you want to remain in the game for the long haul.
I couldn’t agree more, I think people lose the fundamentals once they enter the business world. Great share, and great reminder for us entrepreneurs.
Francis Simisim
http://www.techfilipino.com
Sound advice as always. There is always something new out there. There wasn’t always a Twitter, or Digg, or Huffington Post, and how they are part most of our online lives. Sometimes it’s hard to image that next big thing, but I think it is possible to image something that others mind find useful. I have never been good at doing it, but maybe that’s just me.
I know I am itching ot get stuck into making more money than I did last year. Should not be hard as I made about $2100.00 last year as a newbie.
yeah, of course I’m with you, Maki.
but wait, i still being confuse to do work or run a business in internet.
I just learn about blog and monetizing for a little. There so much things I want to know. May be everybody want to share with me?
All your point was true 100% but there is one thing i’d like to add, most people like to share their stuff, it could be new video clip or wallpaper, or anything. Also chatting and get associated woth so many people around the world through Social Networking site
Very good post Maki. I use the internet to inform myself, and sometimes entertain.
Hi,
Keeping an organic growth is something that needs lots of thinking before acting, predicting what may happen after certain eventual actions.
In the competitive world of internet marketing it’s important to be creative and maintain a working discipline.
Good luck to your endeavour.
Take care,
José
Don’t forget that a lot of people use it just to kill time.
I agree with you completely. Those are the main three reasons why I use the Internet. And, I also believe that you don’t need your idea set in stone. Let it be flexible because, in this market, you definitely need to react quickly.
Thanks for the great post!
Misty Faucheux
Social Media/Community Relations Manager, Viscape.com
We don’t often enough ask why people do what they do – or how we can fit into that. Tim Richards wrote a really cool post on understanding how your message can tie in with an interest that is relevant to a group of people and doesn’t just float unnoticed: http://www.exfoo.com/2009/01/4-crowd-dynamics-for-09/
Understanding how you meet a need that is relevant to a group of people is important. It’s often easier said than done though – it requires some real listening…
We have seen people succeed because they stick with it, and some fail because of a poor concept and because they want to see instant results. They expect to get rich quick, and when it fails, they give up. You do have to work hard at it day in and day out to see real results.
Just found your blog through Google, and I have to say I thoroughly enjoy it. I’ve subscribed and I can’t wait for your next post!
Point Number 3 is the 50% point why I build this industry with ,50% passion,20%commitment and 30%pain.the rest 50% point of plugging my PC with internet is finding information fast.with so many competitors and challenge,the information need to be stumble soon.thats why I need internet.
Internet saves us many trips by car every day, and it is worthwhile just for that one single reason.
Way to illustrate a new perspective!
Feeling despair because “everything’s been done” is falling for an illusion. Sure it has.
Then it gets done again, only better.
Did we stop when steam powered our cars? Are books making room for blogs? And are people still coming up with new recipes, even though we’ve been eating for thousands of years?
Every person has the potential to bring a fresh perspective to their subject. The more they know and love that subject, the better they can explain it to others who are likely far lower on the learning curve.
For my cat advice blog, The Way of Cats, I could have taken a well-meaning friends advice… she said that all the cat books she read were the same. She took it as: everything that can be written about cats has already been written.
I took it as: gee, there’s a lot of things people still don’t know about cats.
Listening to my readers led to me creating an interactive cat toy that filled the gap left by the usual toys.
You have to open up your mind and remember the mission: telling people things they might not know.
Even if they know it, they love hearing it in a new or interesting way.
thats iz not all there are more important reasons*
Excellent read, it was great to have things put into perspective. There are SOOO many niches on the internet, but they all usually have common grounds, whether it be one specific reason or multiple, that they count on. To break it down into the uses you did really paints the perfect picture, whether there are tangents off them or not…The internet is so fickle and trendy, but there will always be a new big hit that is a spin off of another, so who will think of the next one?
I got on the internet in the beginning for the first major reason and it evolved into the next two.
Maki,
I think you mentioned the magic word there – “Perseverance”. Everyone who wants to make money online will eventually find that there are many small little pieces of the puzzle that needs to be put together in order for the business to work. Perhaps that’s one reason why so many people visit this blog – to find little golden nuggets of wisdom that’ll fit into the overall picture.
Without perseverance, the picture has less chance of becoming complete. The thing is, there are million and one ways to get killed on the Internet – losing money using PPC, confused over SEO, can’t connect with readers, etc. etc…
But eventually, if someone perseveres, I have no doubt that he will eventually get there.
Just my 2 cents
Darren
I work for redpepper – http://www.redpepperland.com/ – and we are currently conducting a contest around the book Tribes. I’m sure you’re a fellow fan.
While we’ll all read this book and participate in the contest for the next 4 weeks it will have an impact on our already tribal culture far beyond 20 days.
As you mentioned, the internet provides the vehicle for the connectivity. But it starts with people. People believing in your cause. Believing in what you stand for. Believing in your ability to keep the idea alive and nurturing it.
People want to be a part of something special. Something bigger than themselves. And they want to be heard and have their input be valued.
If their is passion and love for the idea people will connect to it. But the foundation of the idea is selfish, not amount of online connectivity will help it grow.
Thanks for showing us the way.
Great content and a topic you write about is a unique topic you enflict lots of ideas. I think my reason why I am online is only the money. I think you are a great blogger. I keep a close eye on your blog. Because you are the Nr.1 man from japan who runs Asia. Great work keep it up.
im generate income from internet like google adsense and paid review
I think your list is perfect (sorry, I’m a bit late in commenting). Personally, I’ve vowed to expand myself so that I can make a profit in other ways, when I can’t count on my own business to carry me through. And blogging seems to be the way to go. The latest numbers show blogging jobs are steadily on the rise. That’s pretty impressive, given the current state of the economy (or what’s left of it). My point is, there are plenty of opportunities out there, and I’m making it a point to find them and go after them.
Great post. Perseverance is key to succeeding with anything you do, and is even more important when it comes to trying to make money online.
Yes every joins or uses internet for purpose. We bloggers should understand these reasons & target them effectively to gain goood readers. Competition is not bad, what is positive is that no.of users are in billions & bloggers in few hundred thousands so there’s space for everyone provided you use your space to good effect. Leave rest to public.
Your next post is long due Maki.
One thing that I also like to do when I am trying to think of new businesses to start is to do what you just did above and begin general and move to more specific ideas.
Then after I have a more specific idea for a business I try and be creative and think of different ways that I could tweak the current most commonly accepted business model in that niche and see if the new business model could be more attractive to potential customers while still being profitable.
One example of someone who has done this very well in a big way is the creator of the free dating site Plenty of Fish. When he created the site he realized that all of the other dating sites used the paid membership model so he decided to make his site totally free and monetize the site using advertising.
This is just an example of course because there are many different ways that you could change an existing commonly accepted business model.
Thanks,
Joel
http://www.DomainSuperstar.com
On making money on the internet or “monetising” the business, there is no substitute for hard work but the secret is getting started. Sometimes “good-enough” is the time and place to launch and not wait until the site is perfect. It is going to change, morph and will pick up steam in directions that you can not predict in the beginning. With so many cool tools and collaboration, it just gets easier.
Don’t forget to have a “call-to-action” that is right on the home page. People do not like to click through 5 pages to find the buy button.
Sorry for my English. I am from Russia and not speak English.
I have a site for communication – the social network of St. Petersburg. And users are on my site, so that would communicate with each other and watch photos from other users. But I need, what would you return to the site again and again. But how to better realize, I do not know. Can you Give? Thank you.
Maki,
Very insightful — and even uplifting — look at what’s going on every time somebody sits down to the computer. And the truth is, people often look to a single source for multiple reasons, socializing as they sell, teaching as they connect, even learning as they communicate back.
With an estimated 200 million blogs, and so many sites and networks, you give good advice on how to differentiate yourself within a field, instead of relying solely on being the first in a broader category.
Excellent post! Thanks for sharing, I will be back again soon.
Great post! You’ve just mentioned the basic of the topic, I’d like to add from myself that everyones activity in the web depends on his/her age so at our first stage of growing young people are attracted with communication possibilities and later inclined to profit side.
It’s gotten to the point where I WORRY if I DO NOT see competition! Competition is a good thing. It means that there are dollars available – if you don’t see competition – run! People smarter than you have discovered there’s no money and aren’t there anymore.
Dan Kennedy (a marketing living legend) really preaches what @Ellen Britt said. He says that as long as you know who your target customers are and listen to their feedback, you can always create a unique product that can sell, and sell well.
People are communicate each other through social networking sites, looking for new friends, or perhaps dating. But now most of social networking sites are used to promote business because there is a big opportunity there. And why do they promote in social networking sites as one of their marketing methods?
People forget the origins of the internet, but search engines don’t and I hear they make make it harder in the future for money making sites to compete against more information sites.
Hmm.. I don’t get the idea, but straight through the point,,, I puzzled my mine, anyway i love the post…
Excellent article! The reason I use the internet is because it helps pay the bills.Making money online is NOT easy and often takes long hours to get everything done.
Nice article. But i think the most people use internet for SEX ^_^
Lot’s of great insights to take to heart. Really liked the point of “No need to be perfect from the start”. This is often the biggest hangup that prevents most people from starting a successful online business, or anything else in life for that matter.
Great post thanks. I absolutely agree with you that socializing is a basic human need and the internet provides that stage for easy reach. And if we are only patient enough, we can indeed build a business too. Then sitting in front of the computer for hours also favorable for earning. Looking forward to more of your posts.
I would be careful with saying “question is not how many competitors are there but how saturated and fulfilled are each web user’s reasons/needs”. Following this logic, newbie marketers make the mistake of thinking “I can do it better” than they and so jump into a niche. After a year, they give up. “I just don’t get it,” they think, “My website/software/blog/product is so much better but no one was buying it.”
The question is ALWAYS how many competitors are there. Remember the golden rule to profitability, “It is better to be a small fish in a small pond than it is being a small fish in a big pond.”
Roger K. on January 18th, 2009
I really like your article, it is very well written! Just one thing, you failed to mention that most people use the internet for porn.
——> he’s just mentioning / explaining the positive side of the internet…
Many more people are using the internet these days, whether it be for fun or find information, but many people are using the internet to do there shopping. Now a days people tend to sit at home and do there food shopping, clothes shopping etc etc, because they don’t want the hassle of having to queue in shops and barge through crowds of people. People are seeing this and are setting up there own e commerce shops to generate income as there is a market out there for them because more and more of people are using the internet. It would be interesting to know what anyone else things about this.
Great post. I appreciate how you make some really good in depth comments ad observations instead of just barely scratching the surface. I’ll be sure to visit and more backposts.
I think you raised some good points, but some businesses have traditionally face to face business which make it difficult to make the transiton to on-line.
I think learning and entertainment is one of the biggest online industries. You can find an answer to just about anything online and I can’t remember the last time I went anywhere but Google to research something.
I absolutely agree with you Maki that the “question is not how many competitors are there but how saturated and fulfilled are each web user’s reasons/needs” are. —-> you’ve got it right Ellen. This time are so many competitors not only in your country, but also in others…
i use internet as one of my study medium (ie research,assignment and etc) and also to generate my side income from blogging
Great post. People also go on the Internet to buy. I would rank in order: #2. #1, Buy, #3
At term, I think “To communicate and socialize” would be the king.
Excellent posting! Sometimes, people want to show their pictures, thoughts or just want to show off about something, they also come to internet.
I come to internet mainly for “To find information, learn new things and be entertained”.
I wanted to comment on “Cut your losses early by quitting when you’ve lost the passion or will to work hard.” – I think that is a post in and of itself. There is simply nothing so fundamental and so requitiste as motivation and passion. If you love something, you will be good at it. If you don’t, you’re wasting your time. Great post.
Great post, I agree with your points, people use the internet in different ways and for different reasons, depending on their age (or group) and particular circumstances and interests.
For kids, they are more on gaming (kids virtual world), downloading homework help, and just plain socializing.
Adolescents, they are more on entertainment and socialization purposes. Go to social community websites, where they can share their photos, videos, add friends and so on
Older Adolescents they use internet to find job opportunities, internships, and some colleges information. They do find software tools to create multimedia reports and specialized help with foreign languages and other school subjects.
Adults are more on shopping, banking, and catch up on the interested news online.
For business people, they use internet to advertise their products, sell products, research and so on. Mostly they use the internet for work-related activities. Those who want to start a web, basically its either they want to “save” money or “earn” money.
Great post. I can relate with point #3 but this idea came to me after almost a year of blogging and when I learned that it is possible to earn money online. I believe too that there are so many information out there that we have to share to the world. Blogging has gave me the opportunity to earn extra money online. In some months, it has almost reached similar to my monthly income from my day job. Yes, sometimes I lose hope as earning money online needs great work than I expected. However, we do have to motivate ourselves and just have to work harder. And now, I can say I’m so happy I did start blogging.
This blog is a great post!
I can relate to the part wherein the internet is:
“a source of pleasure, giving immediate gratification in the form of images, sound and interactivity. As an educational tool, the web is essential for people who are seeking to learn. ”
Indeed, the internet along with the various technologies in the world had grown to gigantic boundaries. Today, I think of the internet like someone who has the sky as the limit. Aside from those mentioned in your post, the internet has become a stepping stone for versatility.
Even though the internet has cons, I think it is being outweighed by the pros judging from the fact that in the internet you can socialize, learn and earn money. But of course, your reason for using it will serve as the validity of what I am saying.
As it appears to be, the internet is just one of the proofs that man has come out from the primordial era to an era of great development.
Services are a growing area for the web. At present these are very high cost activities in the West.
Some activities can be downloaded to low cost countries.
There is one comment that there are very few products left to sell. Agreed, but the age is slowly turning into one for services.