Think you can create the next Twitter or Facebook? Good luck with that.

Markson: Building an online business has many offline challenges. Photo: Blekko

By Mike Markson, co-founder, Blekko

Many a consumer looks at an "overnight sensation" such as Twitter or Facebook and muses: "That service is so simple -- I could do that."  If only it were true.

It turns out that starting a business on the web is hard.   Very hard.  And I'm not talking about the technology – although that part is hard, too.   I'm talking about the business part: building a user base and finding a way to make money. Those are really hard problems.

Whether you're a start-up or an established company, here are the hard truths you must face if you want to build a successful online media property.
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