MK
Scott DeLong, Internet entrepreneur and founder of ViralNova answered few questions for the Macedonian sudent news portal Fakulteti.mk
1. Is there a formula to your success?
While it varies slightly from market to market, there is one thing that remains true: content is king. The success of all of my Web businesses has been a combination of great content and proper marketing. Too many aspiring entrepreneurs go into their business with a money-first mentality instead of a user-first mentality. If you take care of the user and give them what they want, you’ll see success.
2. Was it always your intention to make ViralNova so massive?
No. Prior to ViralNova, I had sold a large video Web site and planned on traveling. I lived in Spain for about 6 months and got really bored without a business to focus on. I thought perhaps ViralNova could do a couple million visits a month and be something fun to focus on. But in the Fall of 2013, it absolutely exploded. The timing was right as Facebook had begun really pushing publishers (the marketing piece of my formula) and the content was inspiring and fun, something many users hadn’t really seen before. Most publications seemed to report on “bad” stuff, so this was a welcomed change. Of course now it’s much more common to focus on happy, inspirational pieces.
3. What is the most important lesson you have learned from being a successful entrepreneur?
The most important lesson I’ve learned is that it’s very difficult to be successful without an obsession for your business. You have to think about it all the time. There is no such thing as remaining steady in business – you’re either growing or falling behind. On a more personal note, I’ve also learned that success doesn’t always mean happiness. At the end of the day, it’s not business or money that really makes a person happy.
4. What advice would you give to people of your age in Macedonia who want to start something and be their own boss?
The Internet has really evened the playing field. 15 years ago, it was really difficult to start a business because it cost so much money to do so. Now, you can start a business with a $10 domain and a Facebook page. The key is to read everything you can about successful individuals online and always keep your eyes open for the next opportunity. On the Internet, things move very quickly, and I see many people trying a business idea that doesn’t really even work anymore. You have to jump on trends quickly and always find your own unique way to do it.