A Trillion Dollar Opportunity: Harnessing the Power of Subjective Search and Social Apps

A Trillion Dollar Opportunity: Harnessing the Power of Subjective Search and Social Apps

In today's digital age, search engines have become an integral part of our lives. Whether we are looking for facts, specific results, or subjective information, search engines have become our go-to source for answers. However, there is a vast untapped opportunity in subjective search, and social apps that can revolutionize the way we find and interact with information.

Subjective searches are those that do not have straightforward answers. They involve seeking ideas, opinions, recommendations, and advice from others. The best subjective search content is often found on forums, long-tail blogs, social media, and review sites. These platforms allow people to freely express their thoughts and engage in conversations. However, these valuable insights are not readily surfaced on traditional search engines like Google.

This presents a trillion-dollar opportunity for innovative companies to fill the gap left by search engines. As more and more people shift their subjective search activity to platforms like Reddit, Twitter, HackerNews, TikTok, and Pinterest, there is a growing demand for a more personalized and interactive search experience.

One of the key challenges for search engines like Google is their reliance on displaying a page of links filled with keyword auctions and pay-per-click ads. This business model may not be well-suited for subjective search, where accuracy is less critical and the focus is more on entertainment, conversations, and interactive experiences. Industries like fashion, food, and entertainment, where subjective opinions matter more than factual accuracy, are prime candidates for disruption in the subjective search domain.

To tap into this opportunity, companies need to focus on creating a search experience that combines the best of both worlds - providing relevant information while also offering entertainment and interactive features. Customizable user control is a crucial aspect of this, empowering users to personalize their search algorithm, results, and user interface. By allowing users to curate and share the content they find interesting, companies can create a sense of community and foster ongoing engagement.

In the realm of social apps, benchmarking growth is a key factor in determining success. Daily active users (DAUs) or weekly active users (WAUs) are often used as core metrics for consumer social apps. The goal is to have users engaging with the app on a regular basis, ideally organically. Paid marketing can only take a social app so far, and true growth should come from the product itself.

Retention is another crucial metric for social apps. The percentage of users retained over specific time periods, such as d1 (day 1), d7 (day 7), and d30 (day 30), provides valuable insights into the app's stickiness. A good social app should see a flattening of the retention curve between d7 and d14, indicating that users are making the app a regular part of their lives.

Weekly retention can also be relevant for companies transitioning from a tool to a network. As Chris Dixon's framework suggests, the goal is for users to come for the tool but stay for the network. This can be measured by looking at the percentage of users retained over time, such as w1 (week 1) and w4 (week 4).

While point-in-time numbers are important, analyzing cohorts over time provides a more comprehensive understanding of the app's performance. Stable metrics or improvements cohort by cohort indicate strong network effects, where the product becomes more valuable with each new user.

In conclusion, the convergence of subjective search and social apps presents a trillion-dollar opportunity for companies willing to innovate and disrupt the traditional search engine model. By focusing on providing a personalized, interactive, and entertainment-driven search experience, companies can tap into the growing demand for subjective content. Additionally, benchmarking growth and retention metrics are crucial for social apps to thrive in a highly competitive market.

Actionable Advice:

• 1. Embrace subjective search: Explore platforms beyond traditional search engines to find valuable insights and engage in conversations with like-minded individuals. Reddit, Twitter, HackerNews, TikTok, and Pinterest are all great places to start.

• 2. Personalize your search experience: Look for search tools that allow you to customize your algorithm, results, and user interface. This will ensure that you find the most relevant and engaging content tailored to your preferences.

• 3. Prioritize organic growth and retention: Instead of relying solely on paid marketing, focus on creating a product that users genuinely want to use and share with others. Monitor retention metrics closely and strive for consistent improvement cohort by cohort.

By harnessing the power of subjective search and social apps, we can unlock new levels of engagement, entertainment, and community-building in the digital landscape. The trillion-dollar opportunity is within reach - are you ready to seize it?