I am grossly aware of features not always being the answer - but - i think that there are features built into the app im building that will create value. Whether it is enough value, only customers can decide!
If you want to make money with digital services, you have to make them for businesses, not end users. End users are used to not pay, and they never will, which means you either monetize with ads or by selling user data. There is no third option.
Donations and optional payments are very niche and not something that can build a sustainable business.
My early thoughts on pricing are that the free version allows you to keep a rolling 30 day window of content, it is built to encourage you to post every day, recording your life, with some soft journalling, phot prompts etc, so 30 days gives you a month free. on day 31, you can no longer access the 1st days content, day 32, 1st and 2nd days content is faded, subscription allows you access to your whole timeline, if you unsub, the 30 day window cuts back in. Subscription allows you access to everything - £2-4 a month is what im thinking. Might be dumb, might not be
The rolling timeline seems like a good approach to not have free users take a ton of storage but I would think even allowing free users to post video/images content at all is going to consume a lot of storage. It might be worth thinking through ideas on how to encourage users to get their network to sign up.
If you assume the unit of value is a pre-existing group rather than an individual user, do you think paid access becomes viable earlier, or does it introduce different failure modes?
I’m interested in whether group-first adoption meaningfully changes the cold start problem, or simply moves it?
Great feedback - i take the point on verification on data harvesting, any ideas on solving that?
I think subscriptions could work, people pay not to have ads in other media they consume, ive built a prototype platform, that allows users to curate their life in it, part social network, part journal, part support. i want to also build in safety features for children so parents feel safe letting their children online. would love some feedback on the premise.
Children shouldn't be on social network. They will gain nothing. Rather they should be encouraged to join local friends in playgrounds or local hobby clubs or local vocational things, anything local is fine. Even video games, books or films (safe for kids)are fine too if they have no local clubs or groups accessible
> i want to also build in safety features for children so parents feel safe letting their children online. would love some feedback on the premise.
How would you handle the ever changing online safety act in the UK and Australia now that there is now needed regulation in place for social networks with more countries to follow?
reply