Sticky Viralness...ewwww

[photo credit: Mr. Wright on Flickr]

What can we do to make our website more sticky?"

or

"I have an idea that is really viral!"

Is it just me, or does that sound disgusting? If you've been reading, you'll already know this (if not, you probably will never read this anyway):

YOU CANNOT MAKE SOMETHING MORE VIRAL OR STICKY.

It happens. Sometimes it happens slowly, sometimes it happens quickly, but it just happens. And it only happens if you have something worth people's time (and by 'worth', I mean that sometimes this is a totally irrational reaction - not scientific, and hardly predictable, but Kathy gives some great tips on how to get better at understanding this). If you are not getting pick up, you are most likely:

• unlovable
• unremarkable
• unnecessary

at best...but most likely you are:

• disappointing
• frustrating
• boring
• irritating.

But I'll stop at those adjectives. I can think of one company who tried to transcend this and, certainly, got a large number of users, but is now the poster child for spam and irritance. These companies don't stop to look at what they have, to listen to not only what is being said in feedback, but what is not being said (by those who don't care to stick around - how do you get this? Well, a Pinko would know...).

"Creating" viralness and stickiness is a sure sign of desperation, and indicative of deeper issues for a product/service/organization. As soon as you hear it creep up in your office, you should begin to worry.

I advise a company-wide ban on the use of these terms...oh...and no substitutions, either. Instead, talk about listening and improving the core product.

[tags: pinkomarketing, cluetrain, marketing]