Wordle: A Marketing Metaphor
The 6 Best Marketing Lessons from Wordle
1. MAKE YOUR CONTENT HIGHLY SHAREABLE
Wordle would not be the global phenomenon it currently is if it weren’t so easy to share your score in the form of those colored blocks. Talk about creative shareability! And they do this so effectively — with the click of a button.
Fun-fact: Conversations on Twitter about Wordle has experienced a daily average growth rate of 26%*
*Source: Benveniste, A., & Frere, J. (2022, January 15). Everyone Wants to Be Wordle. The New York Times. https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/crosswords/everyone-wants-to-be-wordle.html
2. STAY CONSISTENT
Everyone in the world gets the same word everyday at midnight in their respective timezones. We have faith in this consistency, and we look forward to it. This consistency has helped Wordle build brand trust, credibility, and reliability.
The same principle applies to your marketing — “out of sight, out of mind” is real! Stay consistent!
3. FOSTER A SENSE OF COMMUNITY WHILST STANDING OUT FROM THE CROWD
People want fun things to do together — and Wordle solves that problem. When you come across a post with those blocks, you just know that person plays the game. It’s a massive “IYKYK” situation. In fact — I’m hearing of so many WhatsApp/Messenger groups that have been created between old friends just for Wordle!
4. WORD-OF-MOUTH MARKETING
Let’s be honest — did you start playing because you saw all those blocks online and didn’t want to feel left out? 🟩🟨⬛️ Wordle didn’t even have to run ads to target you. You saw your friends, family, and online community engage with it and chose to participate! Classic word-of-mouth marketing — and a great reminder that it still works!
5. GENERATE BUZZ
Sharing your Wordle score has mystique, intrigue. Seeing a cryptic series of colored boxes piqued peoples interest. It has almost become somewhat of an inside joke! This also ties into the importance of the gamification element. Gamification appeals to people’s natural desire to “play” and has shown to be an effective approach for marketers to engage their customers in a new and unique way!
6. GREAT MARKETING WON’T FIX A BAD PRODUCT
Why is Wordle so successful? Simply put — it’s a good product. They have a clean design, user-friendly interface, and most importantly — no ads or notifications…(yet! The New York Times buyout might change this)
If you know Wordle’s backstory, you know the creator, Josh Wardle, embodied this marketing philosophy by Seth Godin perfectly — “Dont find customers for your products, find products for your customers.”
Disclaimer: I have contributed this article in my personal capacity. The views and opinions expressed in this article are mine and are not shared, supported, or endorsed in any manner by another organization, company or employer which have been, will be, or are associated with me in a professional or personal capacity, unless explicitly stated. This is a personal post.
Thoughts on Wordle? I would love to hear ‘em! Feel free to drop it in the comments down below or reach out to me via Instagram!
