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Validate a Roommate Website Idea

Idea threads

Chris!$

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Sep 27, 2016
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Hello,

I am trying to validate a business idea I have for a roommate finder website, but I was wondering what would be a good way to validate my idea.

I would want to talk to potential customers ideally, but this is where I am not sure. Since I wouldn't know where.

An idea i have thought of is to create a wix basic website and run an ad to see if I can get any visitors and ask them for emails?

Any ideas?
 
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Surge5x

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Mar 13, 2019
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Hey Chris,

It depends on what you are trying to validate: Is it the business model? The market? The site design?

I'd say that roommate finding websites already exist and you can check out their traffic numbers on similarweb.com and then take 0.5%-1% conversions (thats a guesstimate) and see what the revenue numbers might look like.

I'd focus on 2 different validation strategies here:
1. Does this market exist in [insert your area]?
2. What's your secret sauce, how are you different from all the others? - How do customers respond to this?

Don't run ads just yet; without knowing your target market and your core proposition you'll only be burning cash.

For both of these you're going to have to speak to customers. Try checking out places where new arrivals to your city hang out in: hostels, coffee shops near the train station / airport, FB groups, etc.

Hope that helps!
 

Chris!$

New Contributor
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Sep 27, 2016
3
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Hey Chris,

It depends on what you are trying to validate: Is it the business model? The market? The site design?

I'd say that roommate finding websites already exist and you can check out their traffic numbers on similarweb.com and then take 0.5%-1% conversions (thats a guesstimate) and see what the revenue numbers might look like.

I'd focus on 2 different validation strategies here:
1. Does this market exist in [insert your area]?
2. What's your secret sauce, how are you different from all the others? - How do customers respond to this?

Don't run ads just yet; without knowing your target market and your core proposition you'll only be burning cash.

For both of these you're going to have to speak to customers. Try checking out places where new arrivals to your city hang out in: hostels, coffee shops near the train station / airport, FB groups, etc.

Hope that helps!

Wow thank you.
I did not know about similarweb.com before, its a good tool.

Also I didn't even think about checking out places where new people arrive. Surprisingly its simple when you said it.
 

SEBASTlAN

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Dec 22, 2014
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Hello,

I am trying to validate a business idea I have for a roommate finder website, but I was wondering what would be a good way to validate my idea.

I would want to talk to potential customers ideally, but this is where I am not sure. Since I wouldn't know where.

An idea i have thought of is to create a wix basic website and run an ad to see if I can get any visitors and ask them for emails?

Any ideas?

Flatmate Finders - Australia's #1 Flatmate Matching Service | Since 1987
https://www.roomster.com/
Find your Perfect Match®

It exists. There's a market.
 

Mutant

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Jan 8, 2018
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And here’s the UK version:

spareroom.co.uk

They are massive online, & even do weekly “speed flatmating” events in real life. Because when you think about it, trying to match people to live together can take a lot of tactics from trying to match people for dating.




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