Kevin Rose provides advice for building 1 to 1 million user products based on his experience with companies like Digg and Revision3. He emphasizes focusing on the user experience by avoiding features that inflate ego over usefulness, keeping products simple, releasing iteratively based on user behavior data, engaging with influencers and communities, leveraging user networks for growth, and analyzing traffic patterns.

1. 1 TO 1M
USERS
Kevin Rose

2. My background
• Digg, WeFollow, Revision3, Pownce
• Investor: Twitter, OMGPOP, DailyBooth,
FourSquare
• Advisor: NGMOCO, SixApart, Thread

3. #1. Ego

4. #1. Ego
• Ask yourself: Does this feature increase the
users self-worth or stoke the ego?

5. #1. Ego
• Ask yourself: Does this feature increase the
users self-worth or stoke the ego?
• If a user is contributing to my system, what
emotional rewards do they walk away with?
What (visible) rewards will they receive?

6. Twitter Followers

7. Why do followers work?

8. Why do followers work?
• Twitter provides a (largely) one way
communication platform - zero expectations,
approachable for any user

9. Why do followers work?
• Twitter provides a (largely) one way
communication platform - zero expectations,
approachable for any user
• Follower counts take on the form of social
currency - in the users mind the more the
better

10. Why do followers work?
• Twitter provides a (largely) one way
communication platform - zero expectations,
approachable for any user
• Follower counts take on the form of social
currency - in the users mind the more the
better
• Increased follower counts (even by spammers)
gives individuals the false impression of
audience

11. Digg Leaderboard

12. Digg Stories

13. #2. Simplicity

14. #2. Simplicity

15. #2. Simplicity
• Stop over building features

16. #2. Simplicity
• Stop over building features
• Pick 2-3 things to focus on

17. #2. Simplicity
• Stop over building features
• Pick 2-3 things to focus on
• Ask yourself: Is there anything
I can take out of this feature?

18. #3. Build & Release

19. #3. Build & Release
• Stop thinking you understand your users

20. #3. Build & Release
• Stop thinking you understand your users
• Learn from what they’re actually doing on
your site, not what you think they’ll do

21. #3. Build & Release
• Stop thinking you understand your users
• Learn from what they’re actually doing on
your site, not what you think they’ll do
• Decide on what you’re going to build... and
build it (avoid analysis paralysis)

22. #3. Build & Release
• Stop thinking you understand your users
• Learn from what they’re actually doing on
your site, not what you think they’ll do
• Decide on what you’re going to build... and
build it (avoid analysis paralysis)
• Build, release, iterate, and repeat

23. #4. Hack The Press

24. #4. Hack The Press
• Invite only system (Pownce, Digg v3)

26. #4. Hack The Press
• Invite only system (Pownce, Digg v3)

27. #4. Hack The Press
• Invite only system (Pownce, Digg v3)
• Talk to the junior bloggers

28. #4. Hack The Press
• Invite only system (Pownce, Digg v3)
• Talk to the junior bloggers
• Attend parties for events you can’t afford -
network w/influencers, bring a demo

29. #5. Connect w/your
community

30. #5. Connect w/your
community
• Start a podcast (it’s OK if not everyone
listens)

31. #5. Connect w/your
community
• Start a podcast (it’s OK if not everyone
listens)
• Throw a launch party, then yearly/quarterly
events - invite the press/influencers
personally - don’t tell the bar

32. #5. Connect w/your
community
• Start a podcast (it’s OK if not everyone
listens)
• Throw a launch party, then yearly/quarterly
events - invite the press/influencers
personally - don’t tell the bar
• Engage w/the community, be an active
participant your own ecosystem

33. #6. Advisors

34. #6. Advisors
• What technical problems are you going to
have?

35. #6. Advisors
• What technical problems are you going to
have?
• Advisors can be helpful in a whole slew of
areas (marketing/hiring/bizdev)

36. #6. Advisors
• What technical problems are you going to
have?
• Advisors can be helpful in a whole slew of
areas (marketing/hiring/bizdev)
• Stock compensation, typically not a board
seat, solid advisors help during fund raising

37. #7. Leverage your userbase
to spread the word

42. #8. Does your product
provide value for 3rd party
sites?

45. #9. Analyze your traffic

46. #9. Analyze your traffic
• Install Google analytics

47. #9. Analyze your traffic
• Install Google analytics
• Entrance sources (search?)

48. #9. Analyze your traffic
• Install Google analytics
• Entrance sources (search?)
• Paths through site

49. #9. Analyze your traffic
• Install Google analytics
• Entrance sources (search?)
• Paths through site
• Top exit pages

50. #10. The entire picture

51. Thank You!
@kevinrose
digg/kevinrose