the best version of every consumer product is the one that’s intrinsically social.

The key isn’t the rule itself, but the implication for founders trying to compete: No category is really won until the social product is built.

Having a social graph is table stakes; the true test is whether the graph is unique and inseparable from the product.

if a social graph is purpose-built for your product or experience, then you’re building something special and defensible.

Designing an annoying “invite a friend” pop-up where it’s not wanted or needed is not a social+ product. To be a social+ product, the social element needs to be critical to the overall product experience.

only when a company demonstrates that authentic engagement between users will it reap the advantages of being social+.

A social+ product typically has both an interaction layer and a transaction layer. The interaction layer appeals to a user’s emotional and cognitive side, while the transaction layer is more functional and rational.

the fact that Pinduoduo has gone from a market cap of zero to more than $100 billion in less than five years shows the potential of social commerce.

Though it is still early days, social audio is clearly an emerging category.

From virtual kitchens to food delivery to meal kits to plant-based food, we’ve seen a lot of innovation in food of late, but so far social+ food has proven elusive.

at our core, humans are social beings. We crave connection and community—beyond social media—and things start to fall apart when we don’t have it. 

“Social” doesn’t exist in a vacuum—it’s frequently layered on top of an activity or experience. And this is why the concept of social+ is so important. It can help us find ways to layer social into so many other activities that we already know and love.