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In at least two of these categories, (search and social networking) today's market leaders started up during low points when nobody thought their was room - or

by gamble 15y ago

In at least two of these categories, (search and social networking) today's market leaders started up during low points when nobody thought their was room - or even demand - for another entrant. Seriously, when Google was founded building yet another search engine was considered slightly less cool and even less lucrative than developing a new word processor for Windows. Focusing on unoccupied niches or new markets is usually a bad strategy. Businesses are like life; they find a way to occupy every habitable space. There's usually a reason unoccupied niches are unoccupied. Being the first into a new market is almost as bad. The business that establishes the market is usually just providing a free lesson to potential competitors on what to avoid. They tend to grow hidebound just as the market really takes off.

dpark 15y ago
When Google launched, no one was even trying to do search anymore. For some reason everyone thought that portals were going to be the big thing. Google launched with something truly innovative that was a massive improvement over the incumbents. When Facebook launched, the social network sites all bit, and everyone knew it. MySpace was the big thing, but everyone over the age of 14 knew it was unpleasant to use. Facebook came along and launched a different kind of site. First, it was exclusive. Second, it wasn't about putting together a page that looked like it belonged on Angelfire. It was about spending time connecting to people you knew. If you're going to try to launch in a space with long-established players, you better have something damned impressive. e.g. There is no meaningful space for small players in search. You either take a huge chunk of the market and put yourself on the Forbes list, or you fold. If all you've got is another search engine that's "as good" as Google, then don't bother. "As good" doesn't win customers.

by gamble 15y ago

dpark 15y ago

When Google launched, no one was even trying to do search anymore. For some reason everyone thought that portals were going to be the big thing. Google launched with something truly innovative that was a massive improvement over the incumbents. When Facebook launched, the social network sites all bit, and everyone knew it. MySpace was the big thing, but everyone over the age of 14 knew it was unpleasant to use. Facebook came along and launched a different kind of site. First, it was exclusive. Second, it wasn't about putting together a page that looked like it belonged on Angelfire. It was about spending time connecting to people you knew. If you're going to try to launch in a space with long-established players, you better have something damned impressive. e.g. There is no meaningful space for small players in search. You either take a huge chunk of the market and put yourself on the Forbes list, or you fold. If all you've got is another search engine that's "as good" as Google, then don't bother. "As good" doesn't win customers.