Comments on: Passion, Early Adopters and the Mainstream http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/ Where programming, the internet and social media collide. Tue, 06 Jan 2009 06:29:19 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 hourly 1 By: The social graph comes « People like to share http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-571 The social graph comes « People like to share Wed, 06 Aug 2008 15:08:50 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-571 [...] Passion, Early Adopters and the Mainstream [...] [...] Passion, Early Adopters and the Mainstream [...]

]]> By: robdiana http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-551 robdiana Thu, 31 Jul 2008 13:02:32 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-551 @ismail That is a very valid point. Niche sites/services/products are very different, as most of their users are very passionate. However, most niche sites will never have the mass adoption that something like Google and Amazon have. I absolutely agree with having the service evolve into something that helps build its audience, like the Book Lovers from Amazon. Creating a niche product based on your original product is the great way to create several revenue streams. @ismail
That is a very valid point. Niche sites/services/products are very different, as most of their users are very passionate. However, most niche sites will never have the mass adoption that something like Google and Amazon have. I absolutely agree with having the service evolve into something that helps build its audience, like the Book Lovers from Amazon. Creating a niche product based on your original product is the great way to create several revenue streams.

]]> By: ismail http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-550 ismail Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:53:57 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-550 Interesting post, i wrote one investigating early adopters as well. Here's the thing, they say the 'non passionate "late adopters" / Early Adopters are a clearly defined group/category of people. Which is the wrong way of putting it, the so called late adopters for e.g in technology/social media/whatever could be early adopters and passionate about something entirely different in which your typical early adopters are actually 'late adopters' get the point? I.e Technology Enthusiasts not caring about fashion and vice versa. What startups need to do, is figure out not how to create products for a specific group of so called 'early adopters' but rather, a group of people who are passionate about something other then just the latest shiny object. I.e Amazon did with Book Lovers/collectors Craiglist did with People running their own side businesses/selling personal items Interesting post, i wrote one investigating early adopters as well. Here’s the thing, they say the ‘non passionate “late adopters” / Early Adopters are a clearly defined group/category of people. Which is the wrong way of putting it, the so called late adopters for e.g in technology/social media/whatever could be early adopters and passionate about something entirely different in which your typical early adopters are actually ‘late adopters’ get the point?

I.e Technology Enthusiasts not caring about fashion and vice versa. What startups need to do, is figure out not how to create products for a specific group of so called ‘early adopters’ but rather, a group of people who are passionate about something other then just the latest shiny object.

I.e
Amazon did with Book Lovers/collectors
Craiglist did with People running their own side businesses/selling personal items

]]> By: World of Science News : Blog Archive : The Web: how we use it [A Blog Around The Clock] http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-549 World of Science News : Blog Archive : The Web: how we use it [A Blog Around The Clock] Thu, 31 Jul 2008 01:13:01 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-549 [...] Passion, Early Adopters and the Mainstream: Sometimes I wonder whether people have forgotten why we do what we do. Most people who blog do it because they have a passion for what they are writing about. Many people creating these fancy Web 2.0 sites are doing it because there is some passion for what they are doing. Even "how to be successful" guides highlight that you should have passion for your work if you want to be successful. Given this need for passion, I find it interesting that people are trying to focus on the mainstream users. Granted, the big reason for this is massive traffic and huge revenue, but how do you get there? You have to start somewhere, right? [...] [...] Passion, Early Adopters and the Mainstream: Sometimes I wonder whether people have forgotten why we do what we do. Most people who blog do it because they have a passion for what they are writing about. Many people creating these fancy Web 2.0 sites are doing it because there is some passion for what they are doing. Even “how to be successful” guides highlight that you should have passion for your work if you want to be successful. Given this need for passion, I find it interesting that people are trying to focus on the mainstream users. Granted, the big reason for this is massive traffic and huge revenue, but how do you get there? You have to start somewhere, right? [...]

]]> By: Steve Spalding http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-548 Steve Spalding Wed, 30 Jul 2008 21:47:04 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-548 Very well said and well reasoned response. Time is something we have no way of predicting. I tend to subscribe to the fact there is still a missing component in social apps that they'll need to find in order to attract mainstream crowds, but I am only taking into consideration how society operates right now. I guess we'll have to wait and see. Very well said and well reasoned response. Time is something we have no way of predicting. I tend to subscribe to the fact there is still a missing component in social apps that they’ll need to find in order to attract mainstream crowds, but I am only taking into consideration how society operates right now.

I guess we’ll have to wait and see.

]]> By: robdiana http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-547 robdiana Wed, 30 Jul 2008 17:17:38 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-547 @Mark I do try to be sensible most of the time. There is enough hype out there without me adding to it. @Zach The time cycle is definitely shortening because of how quickly you can develop some of these services. The problem is that when you shorten the timelines, your revenue becomes more important. Without any revenue generation it does become a little bit of a problem. I am curious to see what friendfeed looks like in 3 years. @Mark
I do try to be sensible most of the time. There is enough hype out there without me adding to it.

@Zach
The time cycle is definitely shortening because of how quickly you can develop some of these services. The problem is that when you shorten the timelines, your revenue becomes more important. Without any revenue generation it does become a little bit of a problem.

I am curious to see what friendfeed looks like in 3 years.

]]> By: Zach Underwood http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-546 Zach Underwood Wed, 30 Jul 2008 15:17:53 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-546 Bringing up time is a good point, and one that relates to a recent discussion on investors. These VCs that are pouring money into sites like Twitter and FriendFeed are asking for big results quickly, and I think that lends itself to sites targeting those early adopters like Scoble, et al, who can quickly get the word out about the new products. I agree that we just need to give these sites time to settle in and then we'll see them appealing more to mainstream users. Bringing up time is a good point, and one that relates to a recent discussion on investors. These VCs that are pouring money into sites like Twitter and FriendFeed are asking for big results quickly, and I think that lends itself to sites targeting those early adopters like Scoble, et al, who can quickly get the word out about the new products.

I agree that we just need to give these sites time to settle in and then we’ll see them appealing more to mainstream users.

]]> By: Mark Dykeman http://regulargeek.com/2008/07/30/passion-early-adopters-and-the-mainstream/comment-page-1/#comment-545 Mark Dykeman Wed, 30 Jul 2008 14:20:19 +0000 http://regulargeek.com/?p=90#comment-545 Very sensible and well reasoned commentary, Rob. It could take years for some of our favorite services to hit the mainstream. The process really can't be rushed very much and work effectively. Very sensible and well reasoned commentary, Rob. It could take years for some of our favorite services to hit the mainstream. The process really can’t be rushed very much and work effectively.

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