Don’t want to be an early adopter? No problem! The best time to join a new platform isn’t when it first comes out, it’s when everyone else is joining in. New platforms are often promoted by early adopters who enjoy being one of the first users and willing to put up with bugs and glitches in order to be trendsetters.
However, these same platforms often have mass appeal, which means more people are likely to start using them, which leads to more features being added to the platforms and fewer problems with implementation as they grow in popularity.
If you’re thinking about joining a new platform, wait
According to research, it’s best to be one of several or many people trying out a new platform, rather than being one of the first. Here’s why. You’ve probably heard of early adopters — people who try new things and buy products from start-ups.
When you hear about an emerging product, it’s usually because someone has been labeled as an early adopter for trying it out (think Snapchat).
And these individuals can have a great influence on your perception of whether something is valuable and trustworthy enough for you to try. So if you find yourself thinking about joining a new platform, take some time before making your decision.
Because jumping on board too early could mean learning from others’ mistakes instead of your, own, that early adoption strategy may be working against you. It’s becoming increasingly clear that early adopters tend to get burned when it comes to new tech platforms and tools.
That’s because new doesn’t necessarily mean better, and new platforms often lack simple, easy-to-use features designed for more mainstream users.
If you wait until a platform has matured, you’ll likely have a much easier time finding and using good products tailored for your needs. When new platforms are initially launched, they have relatively few users, which can make them harder to use as well.
Add in technical problems (which are common with brand-new technology) and it can feel like jumping into an ice bath without warming up first — even if you’ve been dying for something new!
Don’t be in such a rush. First, wait until you need it, and then it should just be there. What you really want as an early adopter is for your platform choice to be ubiquitous and accessible.
Waiting for ubiquity can mean months or even years of having to do things the old way, but that’s time well spent — it means you’ll only have options available when it’s time for you to finally decide which of those options works best for you and your specific needs.
Why you shouldn’t be an early adopter
It’s easy to be seduced by newer, shinier things; they just seem so much more enticing than their duller predecessors.
However, cool isn’t always better. In fact, when it comes to launching your next project or product, it can often be better not to be one of those early adopters. Here are some pros and cons of being on cutting-edge technology platforms
So, what’s wrong with being an early adopter? Well, for starters, there are social norms and status expectations.
If everyone has been using Facebook for six years or Twitter for three or Instagram for two or whatever new platform you want to join (and people generally use multiple platforms), it’s not good enough that your friends think you’re cool because you joined their app first.
You have to be on that app before anyone knows it exists if you want your friends and family and co-workers to think you’re cool. Basically, you’re expected to be on top of things so if someone finds out you didn’t know about something because they did, they might find reasons not to like you anymore. No one likes a loser!
When you’re trying out a new app or platform, you’re essentially buying into that community with your attention. As with any other purchase, early adopters take on more risk than others because they haven’t had much time to evaluate what they’re getting into.
First impressions matter, and while it’s important to try out new things (especially if they have potential), being an early adopter also means being exposed to bugs and incomplete features before everyone else.
If you want that experience, go for it — but just remember that when you get in at launch, there might be some bumps along the way.
What makes this platform different from others?
This platform will be more relevant for you because it’s targeting a very specific group of professionals in your niche. Unlike other platforms, members on Jobber are specifically job-seekers looking for employment in their field and those who have jobs related to that industry.
That means recruiters, job listings, and companies hiring employees are all far more prevalent on Jobber than on any other platform. If you have connections with any companies or individuals in your niche, leveraging them through Jobber could help you find new employment quickly and easily!
When people go to invest their time and energy in something new, they want assurance that what they’re getting involved with will last. If you’re thinking about joining a new platform (or trying out the one you haven’t before), ask yourself these questions:
What makes it different? How has it evolved over time, and how has its approach changed along with that evolution? Do I trust its founders — and do I believe they can make good on their promises? Why would I choose it over other platforms, if those alternatives exist and are thriving already?
Getting your hands on one of Google’s new Pixel phones would make you one of its earliest adopters. And while it’s no doubt that some people love being first, many consumers enjoy using what they know and what they like.
Being an early adopter can mean enjoying benefits like first access to new software updates or other cool features, but it also means facing risks that come with trying something new.
As more and more brands flock toward offering up their own apps for these platforms (even Apple recently launched its own News app), skipping early adoption means there are fewer steps between you and getting exactly what you want — as long as it’s available on your preferred platform.
Is it really worth it to join now?
For example, I’ve had readers tell me that they’re nervous about leaving Facebook behind. What will happen when they don’t have access to all of their high school friends and family members anymore?
While it might be scary at first, what new platforms really offer are fresher networks with fewer old ties and formalities holding you back.
When we make big changes in our lives — like starting from scratch and building a fresh online presence — we tend to focus on just how different things will be than before.
I’m sure that you’ve been in one of those conversations, where people argue about whether it’s worth using a new technology before it becomes widely adopted.
I mean, wouldn’t you rather be part of something when it first starts and everyone talks about how great it is? Or maybe, like me, you think that early adopters are too hard on technologies and actually cause more problems than they solve.
But regardless of which side of the debate you fall on, there’s one thing we can all agree on: When deciding if and when to adopt a new platform or technology, there are plenty of things to consider. Are other people using it yet? How many other projects use it?
I love new platforms, but I’m not so sure it makes sense for you. For example, let’s say you joined when Twitter first launched. If you had five friends who joined you, then that would make perfect sense because it would allow your social circle to grow quickly and keep up with one another.
But if there was no one in your network on Twitter at all, would it still be worth joining just for that? Of course!
How will I cope without the old platforms I used to use?
There are plenty of reasons people resist joining new platforms. After all, change can be scary. Think about what you’ll miss if you don’t jump into whatever’s new and hot. If it’s communication with friends, for example, will you be able to keep in touch on another platform?
If it’s an event planning and organizing with groups, can your team members easily find each other on another network that caters specifically to what you do? If your answer isn’t yes at least as often as no, try holding off on diving into whatever’s new until it no longer feels foreign.
As soon as you’ve joined, you’ll be greeted with shiny new technology that solves all your needs. But for many of us, we’re still attached to our old habits and devices.
In fact, there are plenty of reasons why someone might not want to jump on board with tech trends right away: Maybe they already own devices that do everything they need.
If you’re not used to a certain new platform, there will be some growing pains as you adjust. That said, knowing that things are going to change with any new social network helps keep it from being too disorienting.
Plus, once you’ve figured out how to use it and made your first few connections and contacts, your early days on that platform won’t feel as awkward or painful as they would have otherwise been.
Of course, it still doesn’t hurt to ease into social networking moves slowly; ramp up your efforts gradually rather than diving in headfirst. If a particular site or service isn’t for you, at least you gave it a fair shake before moving on!
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