Startup: Online Reputation Management or Mobile Development?

[creativepotion]

Me and my partner are planning to start a venture together and we were narrowing down our focus to either ORM (online reputation management) or Mobile Development (not APPs, but making traditional website mobile compatible).

Q1: Which one do you guys think have a higher demand?
Q2: Which one is more profitable in general?
Q3: Which one opens door for more services?

Any advise will be appreciated. Thanks

 

[Hinkys]

Why not both? I imagine you're thinking above the standard fiverr reselling when it comes to mobile optimization but if nothing else, create a separate service for website related stuff like wordpress site instalation ,fiverr mobile optimization,fiverr / Adobe AE video templates + fiverr view package, etc.
(Call it Wordpress Installation & Administration Traning, Mobile Site Optimization, HD Video Production & Youtube Promotion)

Then on another part of your website, offer online reputation management. Imo the first offers potential to upsell SEO while the latter has the potential to upsell... well... first part. Both are as profitable as want, especially since you're marketing to offline clients.

The point is, do both and more, make it sound / look professional and slap a really expensive price tag.

 

[Banned member 185991]

I would do 2 - what will it cost, an extra $10 for another domain???

I can't imagine you will be doing 40 hours a week in work for either right away. Do both, see what does well and which one you enjoy more.

 

[creativepotion]

Thanks for the suggestions.
Two under the same site (same domain/brand)?
Or would you guys suggest different? (so it will seem like you specialize in it)?

 

[Hiker215]

I'd hammer mobile sites. It's an easier sell, from my experience, and it opens the door naturally to Google+ Local/mobile search optimization. You can always upsell rep management and all sorts of other things as well, but I just think mobile is an easier in.

 

[creativepotion]

I'd hammer mobile sites. It's an easier sell, from my experience, and it opens the door naturally to Google+ Local/mobile search optimization. You can always upsell rep management and all sorts of other things as well, but I just think mobile is an easier in.

Thanks for your input.
I was thinking about that too, but then at the same time, wouldn't business owners be more eager to jump on your service, when you spot their negative reviews?
It starts to get really personal when they see something negative publicly about their baby. So I think ORM can also be easy depends on how you approach them. i guess.

 

[Hiker215]

Thanks for your input.
I was thinking about that too, but then at the same time, wouldn't business owners be more eager to jump on your service, when you spot their negative reviews?
It starts to get really personal when they see something negative publicly about their baby. So I think ORM can also be easy depends on how you approach them. i guess.

I can only speak from my personal experience, and mobile sites have been a much easier sell for me than ORM. ORM is really something they can handle themselves, with little to no tech knowledge, and they know that, or at least they think they know that. I have a pretty unique USP for mobile sites though, so maybe that's why I do so well with them.

Also, I understand the nature of online reviews, but if a business has a ton of negative reviews, there is a real chance that it's not really a business that you want to be working with in the first place. I'd rather not take that chance.

 

[creativepotion]

I can only speak from my personal experience, and mobile sites have been a much easier sell for me than ORM. ORM is really something they can handle themselves, with little to no tech knowledge, and they know that, or at least they think they know that. I have a pretty unique USP for mobile sites though, so maybe that's why I do so well with them.

Also, I understand the nature of online reviews, but if a business has a ton of negative reviews, there is a real chance that it's not really a business that you want to be working with in the first place. I'd rather not take that chance.

Thats actually a very good point. What you said make me kindda rethink about this.

 

[rockong]

I think it really depends on what you're better at. Additionally, ORM can probably be more of a recurring revenue vs the mobile route will require you to constantly go out and sell/promote your services. If you're able to show that you're a major player in ORM over time, I think there's a lot more money to be made there. Think about the big companies that can require your services if you're able to distinguish yourself from the current competition? Anybody can make a website responsive...even the big company's in-house developers.