Mark Evans

What Makes a New Service Sticky?

Every day, dozens - if not hundreds - of new Web-based applications are launched - some with great fanfare and hype (Twitter, Flock, Pownce, etc.).

It got me thinking about what makes a few them (Facebook, Google Reader) resonate with users (aka be sticky) while most of them are lucky if they get a few thousand people give them a quick whirl before moving on to the next new thing to come down the pike.

For example, AideRSS was recently launched a new way to approach RSS feeds. The service is based on the idea that each of your feeds is “ranked” to highlight the most interesting. While I’ve used it a little bit, it has yet to become one of my daily “go to” services. It’s not AideRSS isn’t useful or user-friendly. In fact, it works pretty well and it’s Canadian, which are two pretty good reasons to embrace it.

Maybe the challenge facing AideRSS and most new Web 2.0 service is the landscape is so crowded that even if you’re good, it’s hard to get a lot of attention. Nevertheless, how do the lucky few attract enough users to give themselves enough critical mass to build a business and/or attract a suitor?

Is it marketing prowess - and a mention on TechCrunch or Mashable? Is it luck and being at the right place at the right time? Or is it simply offering a service that meets an unfilled need? It’s probably a combination of all three but it still makes for a fascinating look at why some services rock and other disappear quietly into the night.

More: For some insight into the best and worst parts of Web 2.0, check out this video interview that Wallstrip did with Automattic CEO Tony Schneider. In terms of Automattic, Schneider said the company’s “about break-even” and that some ads are being served on Wordpress.com. Check out Schneider’s take (long or short) at the end of the video on some high-profile Web 2.0 services.