Keep the lurkers in mind

I mentioned it a couple of years ago in another post, that there is something called the 1% rule

According to the 1% rule, about 1% of Internet users create content, while 99% are just consumers of that content. For example, for every person who posts on a forum, generally about 99 other people view that forum but do not post.

Based on my experience as a community manager for a podcast with hundreds of people in the chat and as product designer for a jobs network, I approve this message.

However, it’s crucial to remember the needs of your smaller user groups when planning new features or mapping out your roadmap.

By the numbers, these people might seem unimportant. They’re probably using features that have been in maintenance for a long time, and you’re thinking about turning them off because almost nobody uses them, right?

Don’t!!

These users are usually the ones who love your product the most, and you can easily turn them against you by ignoring their workflows, use cases, or whatever it is they do.

So, what do you do? I know it sounds crazy, but talk to them. They’ll tell you what they need, why they use your product, and what the pain points are. By improving their experience, you’ll improve it for the other 99%.