Quote:
Originally Posted by ottopottomouse
I don't necessarily think it's being first especially with examples like myspace=>facebook.
Part of the other mentioned sites appeal (dating, classifieds) is going to be timewasting nosy browsing making people return up to the point where they decide to join up themselves.
Even if you initially fill up with fake profiles or fake items for sale you are giving people something that they will continue to daydream about after they have left the site.
Free membership covered by adverts takes away the biggest hurdle for signing up which was previously there with dating - can't remember match.com fee but it isn't silly cheap.
|
Being first is always a huge thing
Of course you have to be the first super huge, not just first first and no one knowing about you, and you have to be able to make the correct first and second impression, then you have to keep up with technology and changing trends.
But get them to use your service first, get them used to it use it repeatedly and chances are that they'll stick, think about the power of reference too.
Of course the attention span is different on the internet and it's not like selling something like cars that lasts for years before it gets replaced, this is the case with FB and how they kicked any other social site's ass offering all kinds of bullshit, that makes people look interesting even if they're not.
But let's take for example a local server that runs all kinds of classifieds, basically everything, cars, real estate, jobs, I don't know what.
- it's a total piece of crap, totally useless 90's interface, but they still keep the major market share and not even many more advanced services with major marketing push were able to majorly grab their audience, it's still the first place most locals go looking for info (apart from FB, that of course kicked their lame social networking site's ass )
But you're right that exception always confirms the rule and especially on the internet if you find a backdoor to your audience's mind anything is possible