Daily social networking platforms, iPhone/Droid apps are coming up in the market. The battle for identity on web goes on and every morning a new/existing business comes up with a new innovative idea. Daily trending news like Facebook messaging system, More than 250 million users on Facebook, iPhone with Verizon, Twitter trends and Foursquare with new badges makes you think “What Next?”
Here is the next story which interested me the most this week i.e. Google Voice available on iPhone. As everyone know Google Voice gives you one number for all your phones, voicemail as easy as email, free US long distance, low rates on international calls. Google Voice really impressed me in many ways like you get a number which you can direct to your cell phone and receive the Google voice call on your cell phone. You can also make free long distance calls within the US. Also Voicemail transcription is an existing feature through which you can get your voicemail as an email. Other features includes: Free text messaging to U.S. numbers, cheap rates for international calls.
Few months back in August 2010 Google introduced Call from Gmail, free calls to US and Canada. Now gmail has phone calls option using VoIP technology from the Gizmo5 acquisition. If you have a Google Voice phone number, Incoming calls pop up as a chat window in Gmail and you press a "Call phone" button that appears near the top of the Chat window to send an outbound call.
And now in November 2010 Google comes up with “Google Voice app” for iPhone. After been rejected from the App Store finally a free version of Google Voice web app is available. Google has put the power of HTML5 includes a few extra bonuses like a sleek design for your Google Voice inbox, with the option to create home screen icons for individual pages and the ability to display your Google Voice number as the outbound caller ID so you can easily receive return calls. You can also send and receive text messages for free. So if you are using an iPhone do check out Google Voice app.
The rivalry still continues and everyday existing businesses come up with new thought and startups comes with new idea with the common statement “that's just going to be another social network platform” and an end user with the common question “What Next?”
These points are collected from different articles posted on Mashable, TechCrunch, etc. and after reading different articles I am coming up with one common repository.
Entrepreneurs planning to start and work on new ideas shall focus on few key points described below:
Tips for Startups:
1) As an Entrepreneur you should not think my friends is starting a company shall I also start my company? I don’t have any work other work to do shall I start my company? What should I start so that I become billionaire in few months? Things just don’t happen in few days. You can’t become a billionaire in a minute. If you think you will have profits then you have to consider the loss factor also. Think about something that fascinates you. Come you with the idea, Plan and the vision.
2) Focus on the idea: Come one with the idea and focus on the idea. The idea should give you the answer for “Why will the people use this product?” If you are coming up with the common idea than ask yourself “Why will the people use your products if N number of products are in the market?” Google, Facebook, Twitter didn’t exactly started with a food of plate ready.
3) Discuss the idea, issues, and scope: Discuss the idea with the entrepreneurs with whom you are working with. Form the team that will support the product until success. Discuss the scope of the idea. Try to come up with the solution approach for it. Ask the team that why the customer will be interested in our product. How will it benefit to the customer purchasing the product. How can we give customer support after launching the products? Don’t neglect the service that will be given to customer after the product is live.
4) Meetings: Try to organize meeting with the team everyday. Team should be open to discuss all the key points. Try to follow SCRUM methodology. Discuss the issue which can come in future and come up with the approach everyday. Divide the project into sprints and come up with the progress of the project and future plans.
Social Media Services recommended for small businesses:
1. Communications Service: Twitter
The micro-blogging service enables businesses to quickly and effectively enhance customer service, business development, public relations and even lead generation.
2. Video-Sharing Service: YouTube
From speeches and tours to tutorials and documentaries, small businesses are using web video in a lot of creative ways — even CEOs are getting involved. Businesses are using a number of services, but our top pick for small businesses is still the video king, YouTube.
3. Twitter Photo-Sharing Service: Twitpic
Photo-sharing on Twitter can be a great way to showcase products and give a behind-the-scenes look at your business. Really, you can’t go wrong with most of the Twitter photo-sharing services out there. The majority are easy to use, only require users to sign in via Twitter oAuth, and showcase photos in a timeline. TwitPic adds the extra value of being recognizable within your Twitter stream.
4. Location-Based Service: Foursquare
Social media adoption rates among small businesses have grown dramatically this year, and location-based services are high on the list of emerging platforms of interest. While there are a handful of quality location-based services out there, including the recently launched Facebook Places, we believe that Foursquare still offers the best small business experience.
5. Blogging Platform: Tumblr
Tumblr makes blogging almost as easy as tweeting, and puts a heavier focus on the social aspects of blogging than most platforms. The interface is easy to use, there are a ton of great themes, and the re-blogging feature makes it easy for users to share content.
6. Social Media Dashboard: TweetDeck
Dealing with multiple social media accounts across various platforms is a total downer, but luckily there are lots of social media management tools to help, and TweetDeck seems to be a top pick among small business owners that we’ve spoken to.
7. Funding Platform: Kickstarter
For startups and small businesses looking for funding, we recommend Kickstarter, a service for crowd sourcing funds for “creative ideas and ambitious endeavors.” Kickstarter operates on an all-or-nothing model. Project owners choose a goal and a deadline, and if the project isn’t fully funded when time expires, then no money changes hands.
10 Emerging Social Platforms and How Businesses Can Use Them:
1. Gowalla:
Gowalla is a location-based social networking service created by Alamofire. Users 'check-in' at Spots in their local vicinity, either through a dedicated mobile application or through the mobile website. As a reward users will sometimes receive items from check-ins.
2. SCVNGR:
The platform enables users to earn badges and points for checking in to places. Users can also earn rewards, in the form of discounts and freebies, through completing challenges, such as snapping a picture, saying something, or completing a social check-in.
3. Whrrl:
Whrrl is a social location-based game that launched in late 2007 and now boasts over 300,000 users. Unlike other location-based apps, Whrrl is based on Societies. Users check in to locations and complete recommendations inputted by other users in order to join Societies.
4. Loopt Star:
Users check in to locations to earn rewards, including points and discounts, based on a set of factors designated by the establishments. A business owner can target by time of day, day of week, and number of times a person has previously checked in, for example.
5. Brightkite:
It enables users to check in and post comments at any location. It also features photo-posting, messaging, comments, tips, tiered rewards, and group chat capabilities.
6. Aardvark:
Aardvark is a question-and-answer platform recently acquired by Google. A user simply asks a questions, and then Aardvark algorithmically determines the best person within the user’s network to answer the question.
7. Quora:
Quora is a Q&A platform that enables anyone to ask or answer a question. Users can follow people, questions and topics. If you don’t find a topic of interest, you can create new topics.
8. Help a Reporter Out:
Help a Reporter Out (HARO) is an excellent source for journalists looking for sources or experts looking to get free press. Journalists submit queries and sources respond to those queries, which are sent out in an e-mail newsletter thrice a day, as well as via HARO’s Twitter feed.
9. NewsBasis:
Having launched just one month ago, NewsBasis has already attracted 3,300 registered sources and 580 journalists, of which a majority are active.
10. StatusNet:
StatusNet, in the words of the company, is an “open source microblogging application, aiming to be an alternative to Twitter.” It’s main benefit is that it “helps you share and connect in real-time within your own domain. With StatusNet you can encourage collaboration, build and engage your community, and be in command of your brand.”
# MS in Information Technology & Management from The University of Texas at Dallas.
# BE in Computer Science & Engineering.
# A quick learner inclined towards Business and Technologies.
# A Geek discovering innovative ideas and thoughts focusing on social networking, startup business and entrepreneurship.
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