Why Are Instagram & Foursquare Winning? Consumer Behavior.
I read two quotes today that hit the nail directly on the head. The secret to building a successful consumer startup isn't just solving a problem, it's also unlocking the behaviorial aspects of adoption and use.
On Foursquare's addictiveness, by Dennis Crowley (the Founder & CEO): "It's like pulling the lever on a slot machine", referring to the unlocking badges and mayorships without knowing beforehand if it would happen.
On Instagram's addictiveness, by Tuhin Kumar: "Instagram solves the problem of sharing our moments effortlessly with the world and in a way that makes us look creative. In short, what Twitter is to text, Instagram is to photography. I love it. And it’s rather amazing that it’s grown so fast with nothing other than an iOS client. Not only are there no clients for any other devices (yet), but you can’t even use it via the web."

