Startup Notes #2: Lessons from tumblr (When less features are better)
One of the things about tumblr that I find interesting is that tumblr purposely limits certain functions. For instance, the messaging system doesn’t allow you to reply. In turn, this limits the capacity to easily exchange private messages with other users. tumblr also tries to avoid a commenting function on posts. In most situations you are forced to reblog if you want to add thoughts to what is currently written. This forces users to only comment when they are really interested in something (since any superfluous commenting will take up space on the tumblog). Overcommenting / reblogging might cause followers to unfollow (since too much of this will overwhelm follower’s dashboards).
To make a long story short, tumblr uses a carrot and a stick to make users use tumblr’s platform in a manner consistent with what the tumblr’s heads want to achieve. It cuts out of the waste in terms of features which distract from the overall purpose of tumblr. This is distinctly different from facebook which adds everything it possibly can onto the facebook platform.
Tumblr begins to resemble the social networking equivalent of Apple with its emphasis on focusing on the core alone. On the other hand, facebook resembles Microsoft with the idea that more is always better. The upside to facebook’s (and its corollary Microsoft) is that they get a piece of every pie on their plate. So technically there is something for everyone using this analogy. Using this same analogy, we can also acknowledge that different flavors don’t always mix well and may lead consumers to have a worse experience (despite having more available) because the abundance of features disrupts or muddles the purity of what they consumer is seeking.
I think tumblr has something powerful that other startups can take from the more I think about this. Some other food analogies. Tumblr is the equivalent of eating raw vegetables uncooked. You get some extra nutrients and textures that you might not notice if the veggies are cooked. Meanwhile facebook is the equivalent of cooking the veggies and adding a dozen differences spices and sauces on top of them. It’s not to say one is better, but there is a market for both depending on the consumer’s preferences. I’ve been working late and I am very sleepy (it’s 5:37 AM as I write this), so that’s the extent of my thoughts on tumblr’s purposeful limitations for now.
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