en-us http://www.keithwatanabe.net/index.php Keith Watanabe's Website http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2008/5/3/f7dc20d6f9c855e48e3e24cd0828183a.html
It'll all be customization.

Social networks are absolute shit because they are nothing more than elaborate groupware. Anyone trying to build a new social network should realize that they're not adding a single thing to the equation by creating a neither more niche site nor something with one additional feature that Facebook, Myspace, etc. are already provides.

The key is to let customers have it the way they want it.

If you hear it in the TV, read it in the papers (or online news since newspapers are nothing but zombies at this stage), or just encounter it on the street, what we're seeing is the whole "What about me?" generation pop up. Everyone is a stupid, spoiled brat engulfed in their own self-importance and their only manner of expression is through a specialized commodification of themselves after modeling their lives on some idol that is more glitz than substance.

The reason why large media companies are dying off not only is because their business model no longer works with the digitization of media, but the fact that they try to shove shit down people's throats and people aren't buying anymore.

The thing is that people are babies. They truly are. You need to feed them, take care of them, look after them. But these days, you not only have to do that, but you gotta cater to how you feed them, remove onions and add more pickles, give me some cheese on those fries, a deeper tone of pink, etc. All this is about customization for the individual's whim.

It does throw marketing out the door, but who ever really needed them in the first place?

Work at an enterprise level company and check out the kinds of contracts they get with their software and support. It's all candy wrapped packages that completely cater to how they do business.

Why do you think the airline industry is in trouble? Is it really because of the high fares and gas? No, it's because after 9/11, taking a flight is a royal pain in the ass! People don't like to feel like a drone. They want to know that their $900+ for a plane ticket is going to be well spent.

Why is it that advertising on websites is a horrible long term business plan for a company to make money? It's because many companies like Google impose these low grade algorithms that are mostly contextual in trying to match the content with the readership. But these ads fail severely when instead of getting Chili's coupons for a blog about Friday night meals with your girlfriend, you get a WWF advertisement that has nothing to do with food!

Let me show a great example of where the customized customer experience has been an excellent success: Lego Factory. Lego Factory is a software tool that allows you to create your own model, download, and even receive the parts delivered to your home. As a result, some people's models were so good that they're now on sale over at Shop At Home! Of course, Lego still has their core models, but what Lego has done through this tool is basically open up their service to everyone to become a potential designer. Of course, Google, Amazon, Yahoo and numerous other groups are doing this through providing their APIs. In these cases, it's kinda like Lego Factory minus the software and just ordering the parts that you need. But the idea does work.

You need to cater to people. You have to know them. You have to understand what they want and service that need. You just can't push out shit and expect people to buy. And you can't deceive people because those practices eventually land you in trouble.

People are perfectly willing to buy or act, but you have to give them a good reason to, not force them. The reason is there, it's always been there, but most people are trying to force people into thinking a certain way rather than going in and asking them what they wanted in the first place.

So the next generation of web applications that will succeed are those that are adaptive to people's whims, needs and desires. The more customized experience an application can provide to the customer, the more a customer is likely to be truly sticky. ]]> Sat, 03 May 2008 03:09:25 -0600 http://www.keithwatanabe.net/blogs/2008/5/3/f7dc20d6f9c855e48e3e24cd0828183a.html