The game Wordle has been quite popular in only a short span of its release. The simple game can be played online, where the players have to guess a word each day. While the game has moved to New York Times now, it still remains free and can be played by people of all ages, genders, and demographics.
Wordle and Its Popularity
Wordle is a simple word game that can be played online. A player can access the game through his/her smartphone, tablet, or computer. All the players who play the game will get a total of 6 chances for guessing a word having five letters. The game will reveal to the player whether a letter he or she guesses is in the correct place or not. It will also tell the player whether a particular letter that he/ she has guessed is the right word but has been placed by him/her in the wrong place.
Those who are active on social media can easily spot the posts from their friends and acquaintances featuring their Wordle game success and progress. The grey, green, and yellow boxes reveal the pattern of gameplay and people share them enthusiastically each day with the people they know. Contrary to what many people may think, the game Wordle was not developed by professional developers and product managers. It was developed by Josh Wardle, a software engineer. He later sold the game to New York Times at a price of $ 1 million. Below is what the success of Wordle can teach to businesses, product managers, freelancers, entrepreneurs, and business owners.
Complex and Big Products/Services are Not Always Better
The success of Wordle reveals that a product need not be complex or big to be successful. The Wordle game is quite easy to learn and targets an appropriate market segment. Smartphones are ubiquitous today and people from various income segments, ages, and gender groups have access to it. They can use their free time to play a game that is highly intuitive and easy to learn. Therefore, product managers and businesses should create products that are easy to use and adapt.
Freemium Makes a Product Engaging and Attractive
Apps and games that can be downloaded free of cost and have freemium offerings are well accepted and are popular. The freemium offerings can be included in a variety of other products as well. The upfront cost of the product should be minimum so that it attracts users. Once the users and customers are engaged and can see the real value of the product, they can be further introduced to the more premium features that may have a cost to them. Wordle success may also state indirectly that the importance of discounts is undiminished in achieving better sales and popularity.
Make Your Offering Popular
Social media networking websites and platforms including Facebook and Twitter can help people communicate and share their views and thoughts about a product, brand, or business. One of the most important reasons for the success of the app and game Wordle is that it is gaining millions of shares every day across different social media websites. It is important for modern businesses to take advantage of social media platforms. They should communicate directly with their consumers and prospects and invite their opinions and feedback about the products and services they utilize. The consumer should also be encouraged to share their opinions with their friends, family members, and others whom they know. The use of social media networking for business purposes has alone helped a plethora of businesses succeed. A business should therefore fully recognize and utilize this new and modern medium of communication and networking to establish itself and proliferate beyond regional and local boundaries.
Do Not Over Stress Yourself with Monetization and Success
The unique and exclusive features may enhance the popularity of a product/service. An attempt to monetize too soon may not go down well with the customers. At the onset of things, a business should not try to monetize and gain more revenues. It should first try to build the product and the brand in the best ways, and the monies will keep flowing-in, in the future. Such proactive measures also ensure that the integrity of a new product is maintained. The initial gaming structure for Wordle was created by Wardle 8 years before it was actually presented in the market. Businesses should also not hurry in any part of the product discovery, prototyping, and launch process. Input of more time and resources ensures that you come up with something that is bound to succeed.
Conclusion
Wordle is an example of how a simple and affordable offering can capture the imaginations of the customer and can be successful in the market. Patience is the key. A business should also try to make something that can be easily adopted and learned, and give adequate time and effort before actually launching a product in the market.