The Real History of Twitter: How the Biggest Consumer Apps Got Their First 1,000 Users

The Real History of Twitter: How the Biggest Consumer Apps Got Their First 1,000 Users

Twitter, the now ubiquitous social media platform, had humble beginnings that were intertwined with the story of another startup called Odeo. Odeo was a platform for podcasting created by Noah Glass and Evan Williams. By July 2005, Odeo had developed its product, but interestingly, they never used it. This lack of emotional investment in their own product would prove to be a turning point for the company.

To foster creativity and innovation within the company, Odeo started organizing "hackathons" where employees would spend an entire day working on projects. It was during one of these hackathons in February 2006 that Jack Dorsey, Biz Stone, and Florian Weber presented an idea to the company. This idea was a system where users could send a text to one number and have it broadcasted to all of their friends. This system was initially named Twttr.

Evan Williams, the skeptical co-founder of Odeo, put Noah Glass in charge of the project. While Jack Dorsey is often credited as the creator of Twitter, Glass was equally passionate about the platform and played a significant role in its early days. Glass himself emphasized that Twitter was a group effort and came out of conversations among the team.

Twitter had its first breakthrough moment in August when a small earthquake shook San Francisco, and the news quickly spread through the platform. This event showcased the power of Twitter as a real-time information sharing platform. By that fall, Twitter had already gained thousands of users, marking its initial success.

In a surprising turn of events, Evan Williams proposed buying back Odeo investors' stock, effectively buying the company and Twitter. The exact amount he paid for the buyback has never been disclosed, but it is worth noting that the investors, who had collectively put $5 million into Odeo, were made whole. This acquisition would prove to be massively successful, as Twitter's valuation soared to $5 billion over time.

However, this success did not come without its fair share of conflicts. Glass, who was Odeo's founder and Twitter's biggest champion, was eventually fired by Williams. The reasons behind this decision vary, with some attributing it to clashing personalities between Glass and Williams. Others suggest that Glass's expressed interest in running Twitter independently may have played a role.

The story of Twitter's early growth aligns with the experiences of other successful consumer apps. Many startups found their initial users through a single strategy, while a few utilized multiple strategies. However, no startup found success from more than three strategies. The key was to narrowly define the target user and employ tactics that were tailored to their needs.

Pinterest, for example, achieved early success by leveraging personal referral networks and the power of exclusivity. The founders, Ben Silbermann and Evan Sharp, handpicked their first users, specifically design bloggers who would extend invitations to people they knew with unique ideas and creative minds. This exclusive community slowly grew and eventually removed the invitation requirement in 2012.

Another lesson from Pinterest's journey is the importance of traditional media. The founders actively courted designers with high Twitter follower counts to set the right artistic tone and create compelling content for others to enjoy. This strategy proved instrumental in attracting a broader user base.

In conclusion, the real history of Twitter and the experiences of other successful consumer apps highlight key lessons for startups. Emotional investment in the product, fostering creativity within the team, and carefully selecting and nurturing the first users are crucial. Additionally, leveraging personal networks and traditional media can significantly contribute to early growth. By understanding these lessons and implementing actionable strategies, startups can increase their chances of success in the highly competitive app market.