added by sari · updated 2y ago
Real-World Virality
When we see a product going “viral,” it’s very rarely driven by a many-to-many spread, but is instead the result of someone with a large audience broadcasting it (i.e. one-to-many).
Even though products don’t grow virally for long, it’s still absolutely worthwhile to optimize mechanisms of virality (e.g. word of mouth, invites, referrals, a remarkab
... See morefrom Virality is a myth (mostly) by Lenny Rachitsky
sari added
We think that products often grow through friends telling friends, who tell more friends, and this cascades to so-called viral growth. It turns out this is almost never how products grow. Instead, products explode in popularity when someone (or a few someones) with a large platform shares the product with their audience.
from Virality is a myth (mostly) by Lenny Rachitsky
sari added
- For products seeking network effects, having virality means that you can add new users faster to build your network effect and hit critical mass faster than your competitors. You don’t need virality to do this, as you can pay to acquire users, but virality helps you achieve network effects by growing the network more quickly. Sometimes explosively.... See more
from Viral Effects Are Not Network Effects by James Currier
Sixian added
- 1. Virality via social proof: Examples of social proof include user and friends recommendations, product endorsements from influencers, and the ability to see what others in a group have already done
from Distribution and conversion models for consumer startups by Talia Goldberg
sari added
- Another unique thing about virality is that it comes and goes over time depending on the channels available. These viral channels are constantly in flux. Not true with network effects, which are more stable over time.
from Viral Effects Are Not Network Effects by James Currier
Sixian and added
- Viral effects are about growth of new users. Viral effects are when you get your existing customers to get you more new customers, ideally for free.
from Viral Effects Are Not Network Effects by James Currier
Sixian added
- For products seeking virality, also having a network effects approach to the product is useful because it makes it easier to create viral language hooks using words like “share”, “get”, and “see” that aren’t as easy to build into non-network effects products.
from Viral Effects Are Not Network Effects by James Currier
Sixian added
- The Future of Virality and Network Effects With viral effects there are seasons to it, depending on the channels and technologies you have available. Going viral today is more difficult than it was during the 2000-2012 Golden Age because most platforms have become saturated with the same viral strategies that worked early on...Virality has therefor... See more
from Viral Effects Are Not Network Effects by James Currier
Sixian added