Many content sites only really consider two types of users: content creators and content consumers. However, there is a third and more important user that is often overlooked: content distributors (the users who will share the content).
I've used the analogy which has been previously downvoted, but startups hold a lot of similarities with "the hustle." Not like "do the hustle", but "the hustle."
Anyway, the analogy I like to use is the one where Birdman encourages his listeners to "take straight shots, then pop bottles. flirt with the hood rats, then pop models." You can see this in the typical game of raising funds. At first, you don't know what you're doing and your pitch will probably suck. So it probably doesn't hurt to start with some VCs that you probably would never consider having a serious relationship with (flirt with the hood rats). In other words, why start at the very top of Sand Hill Road?
After a while, you get good at your pitch, your demo starts to look really nice, and so on. Now you're ready to "pop models", or talk to the VCs who you actually would be interested in working with, if the opportunity presented itself.
He makes a fair point, but his argument would have been greatly enhanced if he had presented a specific example/redesign to illustrate it. Solving the "how" is the hard part.
Oftentimes, when people keep a point abstract, it's because it doesn't translate as powerfully into the specifics of the real world as the abstract version makes it sound.
I am disturbed that I found this blog post useful, but despite the jargon it has some ring of truth. I do think that people who contribute content are also very likely to be distributing it as well though, and I don't really think that the distributors are an entirely different segment. I guess there are some die hard distributors out there, but I'm not sure what their motivation is.. thoughts?
useful maybe, funny yes. i agree that there may not be a whole 3rd segment, but the channels for distribution are really important to consider and if the content is going to go viral, its because of the distributors.
Many content sites only really consider two types of users: content creators and content consumers. However, there is a third and more important user that is often overlooked: content distributors (the users who will share the content).