Why does everything need an invite code now?
Vanity over sanity?
If you’ve been on the lookout for any new trending app lately, you’d probably be familiar with this: A landing page with a waitlist enrollment box appears, or worse, a Google Forms link asking you to fill in your details for a spot on the waitlist. But how did we get here?
The Scarcity Effect
When Elon Musk acquired Twitter last year, we all knew it was all gonna go downhill for the microblogging platform bird app. Multiple controversial decisions later, it’s safe to say that Twitter has lost its charm and everyone on the platform is looking for a way out. The problem is, we don’t have a true alternative to Twitter and there starts the Twitter clone boom.
While there are a lot of Twitter alternatives in the market, one app that’s receiving the most hype is Bluesky — a platform backed by Twitter founder Jack Dorsey. Although the app looks like a literal Twitter clone, a frustrating factor driving hype and building anticipation is the invite system.
As of this writing, opening a Bluesky account involves applying an invite code from an existing Bluesky user. Another option is to sign up for the waitlist and you know… wait. In other words, Bluesky relies on public FOMO to keep itself relevant in a crowded market.
Honestly, this is not the first time we’re seeing an invite-only system. It’s a tale as old as time. One specific example that comes to mind is the invite system for OnePlus’ first phone, the OnePlus One. More recently, however, we have seen a similar approach from platforms like Clubhouse.
To be fair, I understand scaling systems take effort and infrastructure investments. And I agree that no company wants to give their users downtime right when they are trying the service out for the first time. But where do we draw the line?
Is there a way out?
Giving companies the benefit of the doubt, let’s assume the limitations are real. So, the question is, what can companies do to make the experience better for everyone who wants to get in and check out what’s inside?
For starters, it could start with transparency. If there is a waiting list, it’d be nice to see the position you’re in and how long it would approximately take for a new user to onboard (I’m aware some companies do this, and I appreciate you!).
Another approach would be to have realistic estimates and start the marketing efforts accordingly. Almost no one cares about the wider availability of an app that was once hyped and failed to keep up the momentum in the initial run. It’s gonna be dead on arrival. There has to be an efficient roadmap to present the product/software in a way that doesn’t bottleneck the R&D efforts and keeps the anticipation of potential users alive.
Sincerely,
A frustrated early adopter netizen who’s tired of filling out waitlist forms
Having said all that, if anyone has a Bluesky invite code, hit me up on Mastodon or Reddit1🏃🏽♂️ What? I'm only human! ;-;
Treat Corner 📱
Now that we’re on the subject, one app that I found myself using a lot lately is Artifact. For the uninitiated, Artifact is an AI-powered news app from the co-founders of Instagram.
A unique feature of the app is the universal comments section where you can comment on news articles and interact with other Artifact users without having to sign up for multiple accounts. So essentially Disqus, but better.
Moreover, it has newly added a summary feature that lets you summarize news articles. And guess what? You don’t require an invite code to access it. 🎉
Check it out and let me know if you’re liking it in the comments.
Until next time. Hearts if you liked it, subs if you loved it!
Don’t believe the hype,
Subin
Haha, got you! xD