Repeat after me: A website is not a startup.
It's bad enough that everyone with half a business idea calls it a startup, but now everyone with half a website prototype is joining in.
It's bad enough that everyone with half a business idea calls it a startup, but now everyone with half a website prototype is joining in.
If the OP is fully committed to working on this site full time for the next 3 years, he can call it a startup.
Otherwise, calling a side project a startup seems intellectually dishonest in view of those that are putting 100% effort into a website/startup.
I'm not sure at what point during the evolution of my side project I went from side project, to startup, to established business.
Maybe a startup should be termed as "a business that is designed to make more money than it spends."
The worst ideas can transform into the biggest of communities and then be monetized.