1) The internet provides access to vast amounts of information but also poses challenges for content creators to stand out. 2) Creators must act quickly as online platforms and standards are constantly changing, and they need to identify gaps and solve problems with their content. 3) Craigslist is an example of a successful big idea because it solved the problem of classified ads simply and works well on any device.

1. No Breaks
By Ari Kogan

2. The Internet…

3. It’s quite impressive.

4. The human race’s collective
knowledge, stored on myriad
servers across the globe.

5. Instant communication is easy.
Language and distance barriers
have turned to rubble.

6. It has fostered the largest human
network in history.

7. Yes, the web is a platform with
unfathomable power and
limitless potential.

8. So the real question is…

9. How does one effectively take
advantage of it?

10. Never before has it been so
easy to get a message out to
such a broad audience.

11. Any schmuck can slap together
a web page.

12. This poses a problem for
content creators.

13. How do you get your
idea, message, or product to rise
above the ever growing cesspool
of unoriginal and mundane
content?

14. To solve that, there are a few
essential things to know about the
web.

15. 1) The web has no
safety nets.

16. It’s not going to wait up as you
fine tune your big idea.

17. It’s constantly evolving, constantly
shedding layers.

18. Facebook might be the standard
for networking right now, but as
soon as something better comes
along…

19. It’ll join MySpace and Friendster
in the graveyard of forgotten web
services.

20. So in short…

21. You have to beat everyone else to
the punch, because there usually
isn’t room for two at the top.

22. But here’s the good news…

23. 2) There’s always
another “Big Idea”

24. You just have to think critically
enough to find a void that needs
to be filled.

25. Kodak refused to accept the
arrival of digital cameras, and
missed out on creating Flickr.

26. Don’t be Kodak.

27. Keep your mind open and
empty, because opportunity rarely
goes hand in hand with
convention.

28. But enough sappy motivational
shit.

29. What makes a big idea big?

30. 3) A Big Idea solves a
problem.

31. It reduces the number of steps
needed to complete a task.

32. It provides a service that didn’t
exist before.

33. An Example…

34. This is
Craig
Newmark.

35. Craig set up an email distribution
list to friends announcing various
local events in San Francisco.

36. This proved to be extremely
popular, as more and more
people jumped on the
bandwagon.

37. It expanded to other types of
postings, and soon became a full
time job for Craig and nine of his
friends.

38. And just like that,
Craigslist was born.

39. Craigslist is in many ways a
perfect example of a Big Idea.

40. Look at that site.
It’s boring as hell!

41. In fact, since its inception in
1996, the site has only
undergone one minor cosmetic
change.

42. And that happened over eleven
years ago.

43. So why does it remain in the top
50 most visited sites in the
world?

44. Simple: it provides such an
effective classifieds service that
any upgrade would just be
superfluous.

45. So remember, just because we
have the technology to add fancy
bells and whistles to a site…

46. Doesn’t mean it’s a good idea.

47. 4) Understand how
people access the
web.

48. We’re long past the point where
it’s acceptable to bog down a
site with fancy flash animations.

49. Today, one type of device has
proven to be the standard
moving forward.

50. Desktop?

51. Desktop?
Laptop?

52. Desktop?
Laptop?
MOBILE.

53. It seems improbable, right?

54. After all, who would want to access
the web on a 3.5” screen?

55. Well, in the USA alone, there are
over 100 million smartphone users.

56. That’s just under a third of the
population.

57. In fact, experts predict that within
the next few years, mobile web
access will eclipse wired internet
access.

58. Does that mean everything will
need to be redone to fit on a 3.5”
screen?

59. NO!

60. The point isn’t to make
mini-me versions of what already
exists.

61. To do that is to assume that a
small screen is a disadvantage..

62. To do that is to assume that a
small screen is a disadvantage..
WHICH IT ISN’T!

63. Some of the things smartphones
can do is absolutely mind bending
compared to a desktop computer!

64. We don’t need a 27 inch monitor for
most everyday tasks.

65. If I wanted to do a vector tracing, or
edit footage for a movie, you bet I’ll
use that screen.

66. But surfing the web rarely requires
that kind of real estate.

67. And if you disagree, you’re
forgetting rule #1…

68. The internet doesn’t care what you
have to say!

69. It is the most malleable platform for
human communication in history.

70. Whatever the masses demand, so
the internet provides a platform for.

71. And for the foreseeable future, the
masses demand light, agile mobile
web access.

72. And any content provider unable to
accommodate that had better start
finding another line of work.

73. So…

74. The recipe for success on the web
is fairly strait forward.

75. Of course, in reality it’s not that
simple.

76. After all, most online presences
completely miss the forest for the
flash animated banner ad trees.

77. But if you only remember one
thing, remember this:

78. Standards
change.

79. Five years ago, Myspace was the
world’s most visited social
networking site, valued at around
half a billion dollars.

80. About a year ago, Justin Timberlake
bought it for $35 million.

81. Industry standards have targets on
their back.

82. Think Facebook is untouchable?

83. Think again.

84. But if you’re trying to get a foot in
the door, don’t think for too long…

85. The web won’t wait up.