www.fabay.com is an African Social Network that is aiming at covering the whole of Africa And make it easy to make friends and associations within Africa.

Well, let me tell you, there’s nothing easier about running a Social Networking site business compared to other online business. Social Networking sites is a different way of going about it. And that’s all. Here’s my top 10 myths about running a Social Networking site online business (and in answer to the missing Myth#11, NO, you CANNOT run a serious Social Networking online business with Google, Yahoo or Facebook groups - get a REAL social networking platform that allow you to make money and control your destiny).

MYTH#1 - It’s Easy and Fast, Anyone Can Build your New Social Networking Site

FACT - It’s not easy and fast, by any stretch of the imagination, and no, most of the people that claim that they can build you a Social Networking Site never have done one or their experience is very limited. It’s not the same building traditional websites with some community features such as forums than a complete social networking site.

Reality is, producing a Social Networking Platform is a long, slow, and an expensive working process. Thousands of code lines and skillful programmers are needed. So, follow this advice and go with rSitez or any other established white label social networking providers and avoid “I can do it all” web-developers.

Once you start building your new site in a good platform your work really starts. Your first attempt at creating your own Social Networking web site will be an abomination. You’ll look back at it in 12 months and shudder, but it’s normal, everyone go through the same.

You’ll feel utterly overwhelmed by the sheer amount of information you need to absorb. And the fact that six different “experts” each tell you six different things doesn’t help. (There are no “experts”, by the way, just a lot of people with a lot of opinions. Bottom line? Do what works. For you and your community members, specially for your community members)

The only way to learn is by trial and error. Some days you’ll feel like you’re on a roll, the next you’ll feel like you’re backsliding and FAST. No sooner do you manage a respectable number of new members enrolling, than your main advertiser disappear, and where the hell did that number 5 listing with Google go?

After spending an ENTIRE DAY writing what you believe is great content for your site, one member made an inappropriate comment on it and you get your inbox full of emails from furious users blaming you, your post, your site and everything under the sun, so after you take care of this post and create the appropriate email answer for your members…you suddenly realize that you’ve done absolutely nothing all day to promote your business and you still have to write the article for this week’s newsletter which has to go out tomorrow…. AAAARGHHHH!!!!!

Many, many people, give it up. It’s hard work and it could be frustrating. At the end of the day, a lot of people are just not prepared to do what it takes.

MYTH#2 - I Can Get Wealthy Overnight

FACT - The only way to get wealthy overnight in this world is to win the Lotto. Period. It will NOT happen on the Internet or in any other business. Not these days, anyway.

MYTH#3 - Once I Build My Social Networking Website I Can Relax And Let It Do the Work For Me

FACT - Hah. See Myth #4.

MYTH#4 - Once I Build My Social Networking Site The World Will Beat A Path To My Door

FACT - No. It won’t.

Merely creating a social networking site means that your web site is available for viewing by *those who know it exists*. Only problem is, you and your web host are the only ones who know.

You now need to submit your site to the search engines (no, they will not just find it automatically and no, your web site is not just automatically added to some great universal Index once it’s uploaded). Then you have to wait to find out whether it’s been indexed. And if by some miracle it has, where and for what keywords. And then fix it. If you don’t know about SEO and what it implies, it’s better to look for a SEO services than can save you time.

In the meantime, you have to drive traffic to your site via other means. The first step is inviting your first community members and be sure that they are good evangelists so they invite to their contacts and become active in the site. An active site is key for success and you can not just expect that it will happen by itself, you need to provoke activity with content, articles, contests, whatever fit your audience to engage them. If you get the right first members, they are going to help you tremendously and your workload is going to be reduced a lot, so be sure you interact with them and give them the value and recognition they deserve (and possibly expect). They will help you grow the site.

Finally, you’ll need to submit it to directories, negotiate reciprocal links with other complementary web sites, start publishing a weekly newsletter and start promoting that to start developing your own opt-in list, start writing articles or blog posts and submitting them wherever you can (including a link to your site in the resource box at the end is good free advertising) and, shudder, advertising.

MYTH#5 - I Don’t Have To Spend Money To Market My Business

FACT - Yes, you do.

You wouldn’t expect to be able to market an offline business without financial outlay. Well, guess what? It’s just the same in your online business.

In this case, the good news is that there are a lot of free options to market your site online but you will need to measure the success of these activities, maybe paid advertising help you to accelerate your start so consider all options. In addition, a great thing is that Social Networking sites can go viral, but it doesn’t happen magically. This only happen with great content for your audience so be sure your site is active and you have the content is appropiate for your community. See Myth #4.

Oh, and by the way, when you’re re-reading Myth #4, keep in mind that unless you are running a private social networking site in which people need to pay for joining the site, you haven’t make a dime yet.

MYTH#6 - I Can Put the Whole Thing On Autopilot And Make Money While I Sleep (Or Vacation)

FACT - True. To a point.

By automating as many of your tasks as possible you necessarily free up time to do other things. You COULD use that time to sleep or vacation and you make money while you’re sleeping or vacationing. THIS time. But you must sow before you can reap and if you’re not continually planting and growing your business, the time will come in the not too distant future when you have nothing left to harvest. You’ll wake up one morning and find that, far from filling your inbox with advertisers requests, your business has
bitten the dust.

So, instead of taking that freed up time and spending it sleeping or vacationing, spend it working your business. In other words, you’ll get out of your business precisely what you put into it. Just like anything else in this world. Funny about that.

The good part about Social Networking business is that you can do it from home or anywhere in the world and at any time so vacationing or setting up your own timing is possible.

MYTH#7 - I Don’t Have To Deal With People, I Can Do Everything Via Email

FACT - Email is what you use to handle routine administrative issues and a tool to deal with your community members. However, with Advertisers-other Partners or with your Software provider if you run into something complex, you get on the phone and actually TALK to these people. This kind of business is not an iron curtain that protects you from having to have real life conversations and relationships with people.

MYTH#8 - I Will Be Able to Fire My Boss And Work Where I Want, When I Want … In Six Months Or Less

FACT - Don’t give up your day job just yet. The goal is clear, the tools are ready, so work in your social site and get results first.

MYTH#9 - When I’m Working For Myself From Home In My Social Networking Site I Will Be Able To Spend As Much Time With My Children As I Want

FACT - If you start a Social Networking site about your passions or expertise the task is easier but when you’re running a business you’re running a business. It’s not anymore a pleasant little hobby that you fit in between the stuff of your REAL life. This can be done but if you treat your new site as a hobby be realistic about the results. If you’re looking into Social Networking to make money and you’re not going to run your business as a business, forggeddabouddit.

MYTH#10 - Social Networking Is The Next Internet Magic Wand

FACT - See Myths#1 through #9.

www.FaBay.com - The African Social Network