Whenever a new platform launches, there’s a magical window of time when its culture is developed & defined by its earliest users. And like how culture permeates an entire company, platform culture similarly seeps into user behavior. In the long run, it shapes how people use and talk about your product.
This is why your first users are crucial. Barring a few moments of ingenuity, humans are an unoriginal, conforming species. We imitate others. Akin to your first hires, your earliest users set and maintain the culture that everyone else follows. A new user learns how to use app by copying how other people use it.
A few real-world examples of platform culture at play.
Airbnb:
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In 2009, the founders of Airbnb noticed that most home listings had terrible pictures.
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Customers weren’t attracted to them and won’t book.
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They personally visited 100+ hosts to offer free professional photoshoots, and by doing so sat a platform culture at upheld quality listings.
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Within weeks, other hosts followed the founder’s example and hired professional photographers to take photos of their homes.
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Bookings rose and the rest is history.
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Behance:
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Scott Belsky started Behance to create a design communit.
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But he wanted it to build the place for the world’s best designers. Cream of the crop.
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He went on a quest to acquire them by hand - emailing 100+ top designers and personally helped them to set up their portfolios for free.
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Behance launched all these award-winning designers, setting a culture of craft and quality.
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They established a culture that is set until today. Behance is still a home for a creative’s best, most polished work.
Airchat:
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Pioneered a fresh take on social audio by combining audio with voice transcription.
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Early users were confused on how to use the app - the kind of conversations you can have, post length, topics, and more.
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Naval & Sigil (founding team) spent upwards of 12 hours a day on the app to spark conversations and content that aligned with their original vision.
As you build your product, consider and define what your Platform Culture will be. What behaviors to encourage? What to look for and what to avoid? Or in Gen Z lingo, what’s the vibe? Like in Airbnb’s case, it’s worth considering what actions and behaviors will help make your product commercially successful.
Second, recruit early users who are a culture fit. Help them get started and encourage them to evangelize the same culture to others. Remember - people imitate each other. Just as a single pebble creates expanding ripples in a pond, the actions of your earliest users shape the character of your platform.
Finally, maintain it. Think of tending a garden – it requires deliberate attention, nurturing, and occasional pruning. Champion users who adhere to your standards and don’t be afraid to show the door to those who don’t. Ultimately, the mark of a platform with a strong culture is one where users feel empowered and engaged in a community.