Network Effect

Noun · Startup & VC

Definitions

  1. A phenomenon where a product becomes more valuable as more people use it. The telephone is the classic example: one phone is useless; a billion phones form the most valuable communication network in history. Facebook, Uber, and marketplaces all depend on network effects.

    In plain English: When a product gets better the more people use it — social media is useless with one user but invaluable with billions.

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