I love this video from Sasquatch Festival which takes place annually at The Gorge in Washington. Its hilarious and it also speaks volumes about human nature. You see a guy (better known on the internet as Sasquatch Dancing Man or SDM) dancing very crazily to the music. At first the guys is dancing alone and slowly, one by one the entire crowd joins him in dancing. At 1:23 one other person joins the guy then at 1:47 another person joins him. By 2:10 the entire crowd is stampeding to join in.
This video is a great metaphor for how people behave on the web. Most new technologies, products and ideas that are innovative and game changing seem very strange at first. The more original and revolutionary the idea, the crazier it will seem. If its good enough a few early adopters will start using it and convince others to use it. Then it reaches a tipping point and people flock to it in droves.
If you’ve got something remarkable that you are working on watch this video. Stick with your instincts and if you believe strongly enough in what you are doing others will eventually latch on to it.
Check out this blog post which makes some great points about building an online presence:
- It takes persistance to build a following.
- Early adopters are crucial for bridging the gap.
- Participation begets participation.