Crafting the First Mile of Product: Lessons from Netflix and Beyond

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Aug 07, 2023
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Crafting the First Mile of Product: Lessons from Netflix and Beyond
In the fast-paced world of technology and product development, the first mile of a user's experience is crucial. It sets the tone for their entire journey and determines whether they will continue using the product or abandon it altogether. Understanding the mindset of users during this initial stage is key to creating a successful product. In this article, we will explore the common points between Scott Belsky's insights on user engagement and Netflix's failed social strategy, and delve into actionable advice for crafting an effective first mile experience.
The first 15 seconds of a user's interaction with a product are critical. People are inherently lazy and want instant gratification. They don't have the time or patience to invest in something they don't yet understand. They are also vain and want to look good quickly using the product. Lastly, users are selfish; they want to know what immediate benefits they will gain from using the product. Therefore, it is important to provide novelty or utility upfront to capture their attention and keep them engaged.
One interesting observation is that users often feel a strong impulse to return to a social product after posting something. This is because their ego is on the line; they want to see how others respond to their post. This highlights the importance of creating features that cater to users' need for validation and social interaction. By tapping into this psychological aspect, you can increase engagement and keep users coming back for more.
When it comes to explaining your product, less is more. Users don't want to make choices, especially during the first mile. Life is already complicated, and the last thing they want is to be overwhelmed by complex decision-making. Use familiar terms and concepts instead of being overly creative. This ensures that users can easily understand and navigate your product without feeling overwhelmed.
Allocating a significant amount of energy and resources to the first mile of your product is crucial for achieving aggressive growth. Even if your product's user experience for existing users is performing well, you cannot neglect the importance of attracting new users. They are the real source of sustainable growth. Neglecting the first mile experience can lead to complacency and the failure to maintain simplicity over time.
Netflix's failed social strategy offers valuable lessons in understanding the biases that cloud human judgment and the challenges of inventing the future. Despite small wins and a proxy metric that seemed promising, Netflix failed to recognize that their social features would never be big enough to matter. They persisted in their strategy because the CEO was passionate about the idea and believed the failure was in execution rather than the concept itself. This highlights the need to temper pride in ownership and objectively evaluate the merit of a project.
To avoid falling into the same traps as Netflix, it is important to establish clear objectives and set measurable goals. This helps guard against youthful enthusiasm and ensures that decisions are based on data and evidence. Successful projects gain momentum quickly and are embraced by customers despite early shortcomings. It is crucial to remain objective and reevaluate projects, discounting executive-level support and conventional wisdom. By asking, "What should we invest in today, regardless of past investment decisions?", you can make informed choices and avoid sunk cost fallacies.
In conclusion, crafting the first mile of a product is a critical aspect of user engagement and growth. Understanding users' mindset and providing immediate novelty or utility is key to capturing their attention and keeping them engaged. It is important to avoid complex explanations, use familiar terms, and allocate significant resources to the first mile experience. By learning from Netflix's failed social strategy, we can also avoid biases, temper pride in ownership, and set clear objectives. Remember to remain objective, evaluate projects based on merit, and invest in what matters most today, regardless of past investment decisions.
Actionable Advice:
- 1. Focus on providing immediate value and benefits to users during the first mile of their experience. Capture their attention and keep them engaged by offering novelty or utility upfront.
- 2. Avoid overwhelming users with complex choices and explanations. Use familiar terms and concepts to make it easy for them to understand and navigate your product.
- 3. Establish clear objectives and set measurable goals for your projects. Remain objective and regularly reevaluate their merit, discounting past investment decisions and biases.
By following these actionable tips, you can create a compelling first mile experience that attracts and retains users, setting your product up for long-term success.
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