viral loops: making self-marketing apps

Summary

Summary

• Viral Loops create exponential growth

Summary

• Viral Loops create exponential growth

Summary

• Viral Loops create exponential growth

This is a goodproblem

Summary

• Viral Loops create exponential growth

• Viral Loops are cheap

Summary

• Viral Loops create exponential growth

• Viral Loops are cheap

Summary

• Viral Loops create exponential growth

• Viral Loops are cheap• Viral Loops must be built into your

product

Introduction

• What is a Viral Loop?

Viral Loop:A self-fueling action loop that

drives users to create more users.

Example:

Example:

Not Viral: please come to my party.

Example:

Not Viral: please come to my party.

Marketing 1.0

Example:

Viral: OMG, this party is like, the best EVAR! Let’s call all our friends and invite them too!

Example:

Viral: OMG, this party is like, the best EVAR! Let’s call all our friends and invite them too!

Viral Marketing

Example:

Viral: OMG, this party is like, the best EVAR! Let’s call all our friends and invite them too!

Not a Loop Yet

Viral Loop:A self-fueling action loop that

drives users to create more users,which increase engagement of

existing users.

Example:

Viral Loop: Now that all my friends are here, this party is even more awesome. I’m going to invite more!

Example:

Viral Loop: Now that all my friends are here, this party is even more awesome. I’m going to invite more!

Now it’s a loop

Is This A New Thing?

Is This A New Thing?

No.

Is This A New Thing?

All social memes areViral Loops.

Is This A New Thing?

Is This A New Thing?

Is This A New Thing?

Is This A New Thing?

It’s still viraleven when transmittedvia town crier.

Viral Loops Are:

Viral Loops Are:

Self-Spreading

Viral Loops Are:

Self-Spreading• They use existing social mechanisms

Viral Loops Are:

Self-Spreading• They use existing social mechanisms• You trust your friends

Viral Loops Are:

Self-Spreading• They use existing social mechanisms• You trust your friends• You want to do what your friends do

Viral Loops Are:

Self-Spreading• They use existing social mechanisms• You trust your friends• You want to do what your friends do• Telling your friends about something

new makes you cool

Viral Loops Are:

Inexpensive

Viral Loops Are:

Inexpensive

Cost = Almost Zero

Viral Loops Are:

Inexpensive

Cost of Acquisition

Viral Loops Are:

Viral Loops Are:

Initial Cost of Acquisitionis high per person.

It drops to almost zero over time.

Viral Loops Are:

Exponential

Viral Loops Are:

Exponential• 1 person recruits 1 more person

Viral Loops Are:

Exponential• 1 person recruits 1 more person• 2 x 2 = 4

Viral Loops Are:

Exponential• 1 person recruits 1 more person• 2 x 2 = 4• 4 x 4 = 16

Viral Loops Are:

Exponential• 1 person recruits 1 more person• 2 x 2 = 4• 4 x 4 = 16• You’re smart and can do math

Ok, so all of that is great, but

how do they work?

4 Stages

4 Stages

Stage 1: Attract

On Ramps

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsActive:

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsActive:• Friends and Family

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsActive:• Friends and Family• Interrupt and Annoy

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsActive:• Friends and Family• Interrupt and Annoy• Ad Words

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsActive:• Friends and Family• Interrupt and Annoy• Ad Words• Early stages may require desperate measures

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsPassive:

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsPassive:• Search Engines (SEO)

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsPassive:• Search Engines (SEO)• Be an Expert

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsPassive:• Search Engines (SEO)• Be an Expert• Reviews

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsPassive:• Search Engines (SEO)• Be an Expert• Reviews• Word of Mouse

Stage 1: Attract

On RampsPassive:• Search Engines (SEO)• Be an Expert• Reviews• Word of Mouse

Congratulations, you went viral!

Stage 2: Capture

Engagement

Stage 2: Capture

Engagement• Immediately useful

Stage 2: Capture

Engagement• Immediately useful• It just works

Stage 2: Capture

Engagement• Immediately useful• It just works• Beware Off Ramps

Stage 2: Capture

Engagement• Immediately useful• It just works• Beware Off Ramps• I don’t get it• It’s broken• You’re annoying me

Stage 3: Spread

Sharing

Stage 3: Spread

Sharing• Easy to share

Stage 3: Spread

Sharing• Easy to share• Obvious reasons

Stage 4: Grow

Engagement

Stage 4: Grow

Engagement• Multiplier effect

Stage 4: Grow

Engagement• Multiplier effect• Use Drives Use

Stage 4: Grow

Engagement• Multiplier effect• Use Drives Use

Important!

4 Stages

Examples

Examples

Ebay

Examples

Ebay• Attract: extremely strong

Examples

Ebay• Attract: extremely strong• Capture: extremely strong

Examples

Ebay• Attract: extremely strong• Capture: extremely strong• Spread: very weak

Examples

Ebay• Attract: extremely strong• Capture: extremely strong• Spread: very weak• Grow: nothing. Nada. Zilch.

Examples

Ebay• Attract: extremely strong• Capture: extremely strong• Spread: very weak• Grow: nothing. Nada. Zilch.• Maybe this is their problem

Examples

Ebay• Attract: extremely strong• Capture: extremely strong• Spread: very weak• Grow: nothing. Nada. Zilch.• Maybe this is their problem• They should be Groupon

Examples

Twitter

Examples

Twitter• Attract: moderately strong

Examples

Twitter• Attract: moderately strong• Capture: strong

Examples

Twitter• Attract: moderately strong• Capture: strong– Very few off ramps

Examples

Twitter• Attract: moderately strong• Capture: strong– Very few off ramps

• Spread: moderate

Examples

Twitter• Attract: moderately strong• Capture: strong– Very few off ramps

• Spread: moderate• Grow: moderate

Examples

Twitter• Attract: moderately strong• Capture: strong– Very few off ramps

• Spread: moderate• Grow: moderate– Off Ramp: too much noise

Examples

Twitter• Attract: moderately strong• Capture: strong– Very few off ramps

• Spread: moderate• Grow: moderate– Off Ramp: too much noise– Use Kills Use

Examples

Facebook

Examples

Facebook• Attract: strong

Examples

Facebook• Attract: strong• Capture: strong

Examples

Facebook• Attract: strong• Capture: strong• Spread: strong

Examples

Facebook• Attract: strong• Capture: strong• Spread: strong• Grow: extremely strong

Examples

Facebook• Attract: strong• Capture: strong• Spread: strong• Grow: extremely strong– One of the best examples of UDU

Time To Get Rich

Time To Get Rich

Build a Viral Loop

Build a Viral Loop

• Plan Your Loop First

Build a Viral Loop

• Plan Your Loop First• Build Product Second

Build a Viral Loop

• Plan Your Loop First• Build Product Second

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract• Make your usefulness obvious

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract• Make your usefulness obvious• Sign up should be insanely easy

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract• Make your usefulness obvious• Sign up should be insanely easy– Sign up is a big Off Ramp

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract• Make your usefulness obvious• Sign up should be insanely easy– Sign up is a big Off Ramp– Use Facebook Connect, etc.

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract• Make your usefulness obvious• Sign up should be insanely easy– Sign up is a big Off Ramp– Use Facebook Connect, etc.

• Free

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract• Make your usefulness obvious• Sign up should be insanely easy– Sign up is a big Off Ramp– Use Facebook Connect, etc.

• Free– Payment is an Off Ramp

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 1: Attract• Make your usefulness obvious• Sign up should be insanely easy– Sign up is a big Off Ramp– Use Facebook Connect, etc.

• Free– Payment is an Off Ramp– Convince them, then let them pay for

more

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 2: Capture

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 2: Capture• Simple

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 2: Capture• Simple• Immediately Useful

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 2: Capture• Simple• Immediately Useful• It just works

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 2: Capture

A simple, usable, stable app is much better than a

complex, hard, buggy one

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 2: Capture

A simple, usable, stable app is much better than a

complex, hard, buggy one

Most people get this wrong.

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 2: Capture

A simple, usable, stable app is much better than a

complex, hard, buggy one

So will you.

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 3: Spread

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 3: Spread• Easy to share

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 3: Spread• Easy to share• Reasons for sharing

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 3: Spread• Easy to share• Reasons for sharing– Direct rewards (Dropbox)

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 3: Spread• Easy to share• Reasons for sharing– Direct rewards (Dropbox)– Inherent usefulness (Facebook)

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 4: Grow

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 4: Grow• Network effect

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 4: Grow• Network effect–More people = more useful

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 4: Grow• Network effect–More people = more useful

• UDU: Use Drives Use

Build a Viral Loop

Phase 4: Grow• Network effect–More people = more useful

• UDU: Use Drives Use– This part is hard

Worksheet:

Attract Capture Spread Grow

Worksheet:

Attract Capture Spread Grow

Don’t build your app until you have compelling features in all four columns.

Conclusion

• Plan your loop, then your product• Cost of Acquisition• Word of Mouse• Use Drives Use• Eliminate Off Ramps

Who the heck is this?

Josh JeffryesCreative Director at BusyEvent

www.busyevent.comwww.jjeffryes.com

Jjeffryes.blogspot.com@jjeffryes

jjeffryes@gmail.comLinkedin/jjeffryes

www.meetup.com/design