Nowadays, everyone is on the internet, and online platforms dominate the market, which is understandable. By matching supply and demand without intermediaries, you save money and become fast, agile, and efficient for your customers. However, starting an online platform may seem fun and exciting, but many people are unaware of the challenges involved. In the past, many have fallen into various pitfalls. In this article, we will discuss how, at Start-platform, we have found solutions to the 5 major pitfalls in starting an online platform.
Waiting to go live until your online platform is perfect
You know the story – a young, inexperienced entrepreneur entering the world of online platforms, eager to start their own platform as quickly as possible. The journey to starting an online platform is a long one, and if done hastily, you may overlook crucial details. The online platform is not yet complete, resulting in low quality and missing details. Fortunately, Start-platform.com provides a solution. At Start-platform, we use ready-made platform software in a SaaS model. Thanks to our well-developed software, nothing is impossible when it comes to creating an online platform.
Choosing the first developer you come across
When you started, you found a developer who seemed perfect for you as a novice entrepreneur. Months and years pass, business is booming, and your online platform gains more users and activities. Your members expect more from your platform, and it becomes apparent that it no longer meets your needs. The platform is too small for what you want to offer. The next step is to engage a professional agency, which involves transferring and renewing everything with potential hassles. At Start-platform, we grow with you! We provide free updates to keep your online platform modern and professional for your customers. Want additional features, activities, options, and more? This is possible within our platform! We grow with your platform.
Underestimating the costs of building and maintaining a platform
Many people think creating an online platform is quick and inexpensive, which is usually not the case. Creating a beautiful and well-maintained platform is certainly not cheap! This is because a professional platform requires time and effort.
Here at Start-platform, we offer three types of packages for creating an online platform:
- Basic platform
- Medium platform
- Large platform
Not asking your target audience for feedback
The young entrepreneur realizes that starting a platform is very different from running one. "Setting up the perfect online platform is no guarantee of success. Often, businesses work for a year toward the platform's launch, only to realize soon after that it does not meet expectations. This can be prevented by involving your customers in the development and testing phases." This involves some marketing, as your target audience is crucial for your platform. For this, we have standard software available that is thoroughly developed and involves customer participation. Through the SAAS model, everyone receives continuous updates.
Responding too late to changes
Many companies and online platforms respond too late to changes. The consequence is that they become inconspicuous, generate less revenue, and fall behind. For customers, the more modern and better the service or product, the more likely they are to switch. If you want to stay competitive, you must continuously update your platform. Many companies do this to avoid falling behind. When you have a platform created at Start-platform, you don't have to worry. Our software provides all platforms with automatic updates regularly to maintain the highest quality. This is already included in the monthly costs.
