Building a Social Network Hosted or Self-Hosted Solution?

Thousands of businesses are going online every second. The world is migrating to the internet for even communicating with neighbors. Slowly but steadily a utopian environment has been constructed in the form of Social Network thanks to Facebook, Twitter, Reddit.

People seek the Internet for interpersonal as well as intrapersonal communication. Hence, necessitating the need for new Social Networks. Major business players develop their own intranet, forums, and social networks for their employees, stakeholders, and customers to interact.

But building your website can be tough. Provided that the market is saturated with Hosted solutions like MooSocial, Tribe. While an Open-Source Self-Hosted player i.e WordPress has single-handedly powered more Social Networks than any other.

Today, We are helping you to understand How Self-Hosted platform is the solution for your next Social Network website.

Self Hosted (Open Source)

These applications function by web hosting. Providing mobility and choice of hosting service to the customer. WordPress is the prime example of a Self-hosted open-source website. The number of available themes and plugins provide a wide array of options for deciding amongst a theme and functionality of your website. Using plugins; BuddyBoss Platform, BuddyPress and PeepSo one can easily create a Social Network. You can check out Reign one of the most versatile themes suited for creating a social network.

http://reigntheme.com/

Hosted

This is where the software acts as a service (SAAS). A one-stop-shop for anyone who isn’t ready to pick and choose all the necessary services for a self-hosted platform. Perfect for the people who don’t have time and workforce to manage their website. To summarize Hosted service; Your provider does everything for your site. The most popular Social Network creation solutions are Tribe https://tribe.so/ and Ning ning.com.

Comparison Table 

Factors to Consider

1. Pricing

If this website is not your first rodeo, then Self-Hosting is the way to go. Whereas with a SAAS or Hosted solution you are bound to a monthly or annual recurring payment. Adding functionality and features to your Social Network with a self-host solution is easy with the help of plugins. While as you increase the number of features the $$$ increases with a Hosted solution. 

Verdict: Self-Hosted offers more features and hence cheaper.

 2. Customization

Customizing and building a Social Network on an open-source, Self-Hosted service like WordPress. Is as easy as installing visual site builders plugins and then Dragging and Dropping to design. While each block of text can individually be designed too via Gutenberg.
But with a Hosted solution complete reliance on the service provider takes the ease away. Opting for a Hosted solution, you are dependent on the service provider for each and every solution increasing your billable hours.

Verdict: Self-Hosted has ease of customization and the capability of bringing your vision to life.

3. Freedom

You can integrate eCommerce solution in your Social Network, create an e-learning course, have a marketplace, and much more with the mere installation of plugins in a self-host solution like WordPress. You can start out with a simple website, make it a Social Network, then a Social Network Marketplace. Possibilities are endless.
While if you set out to get a Social Network, getting it to function as anything other than that will cost you a fortune with a Hosted solution.

Verdict: Self-Hosted can allow expansion of your social network to eCommerce, Marketplace, etc.

4. Marketing

Any Social Network you make will at some point require marketing. SEO is the most essential yet easy to set up on a Self Hosted website. Integrating a few plugins here and there will get your website on the top of targeted keywords in no time. Then you are free to develop and employ digital marketing strategies according to your needs.
When we talk about Hosted platforms, getting a digital marketing executive or an SEO expert on board with the developer or a bundle package is gonna set you back 100’s of dollars. Given the fact that there is no initial return in any form of digital marketing. You will be investing a huge amount of money for a future that might never arrive (if you have to close the website).

Verdict: Self-Host Easily optimizable for Marketing.

5. Scalability

The Social Network you create is bound to grow, in terms of members, users, features, etc. With a Self-Hosted website, you are never restricted in terms of scaling the scope of your website, features, or users. Whereas Hosted platforms require you to make a new monetary deal for each growing stage your website goes through.

Verdict: Self-Host websites never stop growing.

Final Words

A veteran building their Social Network will understand how going with an open-source self-hosted service will help save on the investment early on. Which will pay dividends and can be used later to fund marketing campaigns.
On the contrary, people venturing in the website creation world for the first time. Managing and using a Self-Host service like WordPress might be overwhelming. But the amount of benefits it brings over Hosted services like Tribe or MooSocial is exponentially higher.

You can easily and immediately make up for the lack of know-how about WordPress in a few reads. Check these links out for a quick crash course.

Interesting Reads:

Create a social networking site with BuddyPress

Build Your Social Network Website Like Facebook