Comments on: Will local Web 2.0 ad-driven services work?

By: Jazzy

Jazzy — Wed, 15 Nov 2006 22:59:36 +0000

It is unfortunate that Filipinos has this “shawarma” metality or “zagu” mentality, whatever you prefer to call it. It simply wont work. They missed to research on business model. Friendster for example, in my opinion, has a weak business model compare to facebook.

Youtube has weak business model that’s why it took some time before somebody has bought them and I think only as big as Google can afford to risk in such. Google bought them not because of business model, but because of visitors. This is an exceptional case i strongly believe.

Facts:
1 out 10 start-ups web-based business in US failed.
1 out 40 start-ups web-based business in Asia failed.

Why is it so high in Asia(Phil)? Mostly are copycats with no solid business model.

Why are advertisers dont advertise much on local websites? Because they cant see and feel the real value of it. High number of visitors is not automatically high volume of sales.

By: Christine

Christine — Sat, 04 Nov 2006 00:16:16 +0000

This is a pretty good topic, why dont we support our fellow pinoys, especially a coder. Im a recent graduate and I required an online resume, since Im not that net-savvy, I asked my friends for some info how to build one, they told me to use tripod and/or geocities, i needed something simpler, and then my friend suggested a beta of a pinoy coded free online resume site at http://www.resume-fix.com , I think its cool…

By: VC, Eskwela.com at SaRiSaRi

VC, Eskwela.com at SaRiSaRi — Thu, 02 Nov 2006 01:52:41 +0000

[...] In another topic, they asked me what I think about Eskwela.com. I told them that it will be a hard sell. Why? Because this a Friendster country. Even if Friendster’s a bust, it’s still the social network of choice by most Filipinos. And how can they monetize it? Even the highly-trafficked Pinoyexchange can’t seem to do so. [...]

By: Dusty

Dusty — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 02:47:27 +0000

I agree!

Pinoys … yes. We love our SMS.

But globally, I believe GPRS/3G is already there.

Do you know that around the world and even some of our neighboring countries offer buffet style GPRS/3G for only 300-800 pesos a month (voice & sms included)?

Besides, I believe this post is not just about serving Web 2.0 services to Filipinos but also about Filipinos developing Web/Mobile 2.0 services for other Filipinos and the world as well.

P.S. Yes, ancient mobile phones still flood the Philippines, but you’d also be surprised at how many pedicab, taxi & truck drivers are carrying Symbian and other newer Java Phones around. It’s a matter of educating them of what the phones they already have can do. Afterall, there’s no where else to go but forward right

By: Miguel

Miguel — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 02:10:58 +0000

Yes GPRS/3G services and infrastructure are cheaper.

But the vast majority of Pinoys use SMS-only phones.

By: Dusty

Dusty — Tue, 31 Oct 2006 00:18:34 +0000

@AhmedF

Mobile/Cellphone does not always equate to SMS!

GPRS/3G is the future of mobile phones. And depending on the way you use it and what carrier you are using, GPRS IS CHEAPER THAN SMS!

By: elmer

elmer — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 22:41:24 +0000

is this a question about building web 2.0 model targeting pinoy only or pinoy building a web2.0 model for global use?? IMO, i would prefer the later and, sure Pinoy can!

By: kzap

kzap — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 15:50:33 +0000

making local sites more web2.0 meaning user friendly just makes them better thats all, its not instant success, just makes the sites better. ofcourse the features have to be useful.

By: AhmedF

AhmedF — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 15:17:44 +0000

How can local web 2.0 extend from general web 2.0? In all honesty, it is all the same principles – the only extensions are language + cultural differences.

Eg a digg.com clone would just focus on filipino news, but it would still have all the same principles.

Cellphone would be nice, but SMS etc are not cheap. Throw in difficult of making money off of web 2.0, added difficulty of monetizing filipino traffic, and on top of that expenses of SMS – not an easy task

By: Miguel

Miguel — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 14:02:40 +0000

Friendster? Not Pinoy and most likely not Web 2.0.

By: Timothy Te

Timothy Te — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 11:06:42 +0000

It’s a shame that when you key in “pinoy web 2.0″ on google, the first page doesn’t even have decent links to actual web 2.0 sites, hell, even the first result is dead ( http://www.pinoyweb2.com/ ) on the top of my head, the only pinoy web 2.0 site I could think of would be friendster… and even that is going down the drain… but I do agree that we’re just waiting for that “tiempo”… I have a few ideas but I just don’t have the connections to get stuff to happen… :\

By: Monsolo

Monsolo — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 09:44:45 +0000

Yuga, you took the words right out of my mouth. Many of the Philippine sites are just copycats of other brands with no added value. In fact, many simply get the formula and cater it to the local market, excluding all other markets in the process.

IMO, the best area where Pinoys can shine is in the mobile phone domain. If somehow we can create a product, a site, a service, that merges the internet with the mobile phone, then we can put ourselves in the map!

I have a lot of friends who got mind-blowing rich by developing mobile phone apps.

By: markku

markku — Mon, 30 Oct 2006 03:45:41 +0000

It would be hard to find local success, but if something big comes up…

But wait, it doesn’t really have to be something big, it just has to change the world…