This one is awesome! But how could you explain Reddit as a Global connection product with long-tail contents also doing well? It seems a little bit contradictory to what you argued.
sorry for the super late reply! you raise a great counterpoint since Reddit doesn't fit my framework super well. But here's how I would try to map it: I see Reddit as globally-connected because it's a pseudonymous network where you engage with content globally. You mostly don't connect with 1st/2nd degree connections (local). I'd also add that the bigger and more mature a social network is, the more it starts to eat up every attribute by nature of network effects (everyone is on it so what starts local becomes global and what's global becomes also local). The framework I propose works best on the early iterations of a social network. Reddit in its early days had far less subreddit/interest coverage. Everyone congregated around stuff like /r/IAMA, /r/AskReddit, /r/funny, etc where it was just a giant global community most people would lurk in. Over time as network effects kick in and the community explodes, you start to see subreddit coverage of every nook and cranny interest. For example, most big cities (even small cities) have their own subreddit. You could certainly say these start to resemble local connections (though again with Reddit being pseudonymous there's a floor and how "local" it can ever feel imo).
Great follow up series after having just read "The Cold Start Problem". Looking forward to the next episodes!
Love how you broke this down to be so simple!
This'll blow up big time
Waiting for part 2 👌
This one is awesome!
But how could you explain Reddit as a Global connection product with long-tail contents also doing well?
It seems a little bit contradictory to what you argued.
sorry for the super late reply! you raise a great counterpoint since Reddit doesn't fit my framework super well. But here's how I would try to map it:
I see Reddit as globally-connected because it's a pseudonymous network where you engage with content globally. You mostly don't connect with 1st/2nd degree connections (local). I'd also add that the bigger and more mature a social network is, the more it starts to eat up every attribute by nature of network effects (everyone is on it so what starts local becomes global and what's global becomes also local). The framework I propose works best on the early iterations of a social network. Reddit in its early days had far less subreddit/interest coverage. Everyone congregated around stuff like /r/IAMA, /r/AskReddit, /r/funny, etc where it was just a giant global community most people would lurk in. Over time as network effects kick in and the community explodes, you start to see subreddit coverage of every nook and cranny interest. For example, most big cities (even small cities) have their own subreddit. You could certainly say these start to resemble local connections (though again with Reddit being pseudonymous there's a floor and how "local" it can ever feel imo).
😣 *Promo SM*