We’re all solving the same puzzle. My word is the same as your word regardless of where you live or the time of day you’re solving it.
Interest is piqued, and community is formed.
The result? People are sharing Wordles at Omicron speed.
💥 Steal It: We think if we create something worthwhile--a great product or standout content--people will share it. That's not how it works. We must bake in triggers to encourage spread by provoking emotion, creating surprise, and rewarding conversation.
3. It Rejects Gimmicks
Wordle was built by software engineer Josh Wardle (yep, the game is a play on his name) as a gift to his word game-loving partner. Swoon! Because it was built for love, not marketing:
- There isn’t an app to download.
- There are no ads.
- I can’t make an account.
- I don’t get an extra Wordle if I fork over an email address
- There aren’t SMS updates
- I won’t get push notifications
- There isn’t a 7-email deep automation strategy
Because Wordle is rooted in love, not an MBA-approved marketing strategy, it exists as a simple word game.
Wordle is a five-minute daily ritual to enjoy over coffee and jumpstart your foggy morning brain. That's it, and there’s something lovely about that.
💥 Steal it: You’re not Wordle. You need to sell and sway people to take a specific action. But your marketing goals shouldn’t serve as roadblocks in your customer’s path or weaken their experience--they should enhance it. Consider your customers' goals and the journey you've laid out for them. Where do your needs and their needs intersect? Take care to insert bits of content and engagement hooks and technology in ways and places that will benefit them. Delighting your customers is your priority. The marketing comes after. [Controversial take!]
4. It Entices With Scarcity
You get just one Wordle every day—just one.
Tomorrow that puzzle will be gone.
If they don't solve the game today, players know they'll miss out on all in-jokes happening, and they won't get a second chance. Being part of the #dailywordle community means carving out time in your day.
The allure of scarcity is real, and so is the Wordle fandom.
💥 Steal It: Scarcity is a tactic sales and marketing teams love--mainly because it works. Low inventory notices. Introductory offers. Sale and shipping countdowns. Use 'em but don't abuse 'em.
* * * *
Here's the thing--it's the beginning of a new year. Every email in your inbox is challenging you to be your best self and to fix all of last year’s supposed wrongs with fads, diets, and shiny new things.
Except for Wordle.
It’s not selling us the latest and greatest tricks. Wordle is bringing us back to the basics of how to create a really great product.
When is something great? When it is:
- Simple
- Shareable
- Purposeful
- Enticing
That’s breaking marketing down to its most basic, long-lasting components. Proof that for now, at least, we can have nice things without destroying them.
Thanks for reading. I'll be back in two weeks.
