Diffusion of innovations

Diffusion of innovations describes how new products and ideas spread through a population, classically pictured as a bell curve of innovators, early adopters, early and late majority, and laggards. Five attributes predict adoption speed: relative advantage, compatibility with existing habits, simplicity, trialability and observability. The model is among the best-evidenced in social science, but marketing often misuses it: the segments are after-the-fact descriptions, not audiences you can identify in advance, and the curve is no guarantee adoption will continue. The practical lesson stands: spread is a social process you can accelerate by lowering barriers.

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