How big is the "makerverse"?
🔨 I've been working on a project that could very well benefit makers, but have been debating (and overthinking, maybe) the branding of it, and the target audience.
❓Sites for makers are super popular right now, but I wonder how many people maker sites/products are reaching, especially outside of 'maker' communities.
👈 On one hand, the realm of indie makers seems to be blossoming. Relative juggernauts like ProductHunt, as well as growing communities like this are driving the maker ethos hard. So maybe the community isn't as niche as it sometimes feels.
👉 On the other hand, there are tons of people out there trying to create things who have no idea wtf an indie maker is. Further, some of them might not even care. Some of them might be intimidated by/put off by the more technical orientation of a lot of people in these communities (yes, I know lots of people are non-technical, and there are no code sites, but I think you know what I mean).
🔬Nonetheless, I wonder what part of the whole (the "whole" being people wanting to start successful businesses) makers actually comprise. The very things that make maker communities diverse - indeed like the mix of people who can code and the people who can't - make it a little hard to decode as a market.
🧐 Maybe there's no sense in venturing outside of the makerverse - it's chock full of people who are into tech and startups and eager to learn and build things (not to mention people who will support/upvote/retweet you so you can build that sweet sweet digital-social-capital). But I can't help but wonder if it might be a good strategy to bring some 'indie maker' elements to those who might otherwise not be in the know…without mentioning indie making at all.
Thoughts? Branding and messaging is intriguing 😂
I don't quite understand whats your question is.
the makerverse itself is huge. i would even go so far and say it covers 1/4 of the internet. the thing is, I define makers with people who are active. who want to actively change their surrounding or influence with things they create.
and it makes no difference to me whether hardware or software, whether DIY or upcycler, hobbyist or pro. whether you print 3d game characters or build the latest app.
so maybe you should first define what you mean by maker. because the definition is very spongy after all.
if i understand you right do you want to bring the indie maker feeling to the outside? out of the web? so like hubs?
Not a question so much as looking for perspectives and thoughts. But, sorry, I do realize what I wrote was a little cryptic.
I don't think I can define "maker" explicitly. Like you mentioned, it's a term that's always been strongly tied to DIY culture (think Make: magazine, for example), but obviously it's a movement that's been seeing a new wave of popularity via communities like ProductHunt (esp. 'Makers'), Indie Hackers, NomadList, WIP, Women Make, [Makerlog], etc. At any rate "Maker" as a term/concept is obviously pretty adaptable.
If I rephrase my question into something more concrete: How many people watching someone like Gary Vaynerchuk and wanting to start a business are finding the kinds of resources us makers are swimming in? (ex: https://toolsformakers.com/). If the answer is "not all of them," what type of messaging might those people be most receptive to? Do they want to be involved in Maker culture, or might something else appeal more?
There's no one answer here, really. It's more my thinking out loud about what comes down to branding, and hoping to hear the thoughts and experiences of others.
A lot of what I've witnessed with products similar to mine (start-up tools/resources/guides) is that they've targeted and relied heavily on the attention of other makers. At least this is what's readily visible. (And this doesn't include ProductHunt, because I'm pretty sure they reach a sh*t ton of people). Otherwise there's not a huge amount to find in the way of marketing stories (SEO/keyword/ad strategy, content, outreach), though I have started digging through Failory and StarterStory.
Admittedly, could have come up with a more pithy post 😝. My question perhaps should have been "What experiences have you had with marketing your [insert my niche] product inside and outside of Maker communities?" And all in all, the answer is that I need to make a decision and just start.
This article is a good accessory to what I'm talking about: https://makermag.com/2018/12/07/makers-building-for-makers/
@dehenne ^ That is a good article. I think there's a ton of potential in teaching people how to use no-code tools, similar to what Ben Tossell/MakerPad is doing. And it's interesting to read that Ryan thinks maker communities will continue to grow.
Whether or not it makes sense to try to capitalize on the trend and call something 'Maker' is another issue. Truth is I have a domain that includes "maker" and am unsure about using it (and I already buy too many domains 😂). But all in all, I don't know how much it matters in the end.
I think this direction has extrem potential. but it strongly depends on which subgenre you go to. I say subgenre, because of the definition.
if you associate this with certain topics in which your target group spends money, then the whole thing is a little bit easier.
for example, it's hard with developers. software developers are often inclined to do their own stuff quickly. your service has to offer a lot more value. and most of the time this target group knows exactly what they are missing.
If you are going in the DIY or upcycling direction, it will be difficult as well. because this group is already trimmed to do everything themselves. here you can theoretically only offer tools that will make their lives really easier.
Markets that are extremely good in my opinion:
- 3D printing
- Streaming
- Gaming (table top)
these are only examples, there are a lot more
An great example is Games Workshop. I don't know if you know the table top manufacturer. He comes from England and is also well known in Europa. In his shops, players can always meet with other players. In my city there is one. There are people in it all the time, they talk, play or even make handicrafts.
Even though some target groups are more difficult, that doesn't mean you can't reach them. With enough audience, everything is worth it. Especially the maker community in its whole is often very open-minded about new things.
If we get away from the niche of "tech product makers", the makerverse is absolutely massive - many people are building insanely creative things on the daily.
In terms of tech, I think it's just booming now.
This isn't the most detailed answer, but the movement we're seeing surge now is the indie maker movement in tech - where the democratization of tech has led to a climax in which anyone with willpower can start a profitable online business.
The potential & scope of this is massive.
☝️top. I agree. Indie maker movement getting bigger.
But if you look generally also into the past. People have always built things. The thing what is new, is, people understand now also which possibilities the Internet gives to network themselves.
Fifteen, twenty years ago, you were looked at in a weird way if you said: "I am in a Community"
And we are only at the beginning 😊
@sergio I agree. It's funny - the first time I heard "maker" I thought, "isn't that already a thing?" There has always been a subculture (if you want to call it that) of people making, usually along the lines of physical, DIY, tech-infused projects (Maker Faire type stuff).
But there's certainly something of a new wave. I think a lot of it has a more entrepreneurial bent to it, too. Or, like you said, there's a focus on the fact that anyone can build an online business if only they have the willpower, and use the tools that are now right under their noses.
I don't have a different perspective or opinion really - I just wonder about how much/how fast the average person might be discovering communities like this, who might be turned on by them, and who might for some reason be turned off. I mentioned Gary Vaynerchuk above because he's an example of a high-profile person who talks about business in a way that's much more…analog. I think people are often more comfortable with that. Some of those people don't want to learn and build things, but I think some people would, if only they could encounter resources in an un-intimidating way. (I think for those of us acclimated to talk of launches and tools and code, it's easy to overlook how overwhelming it can be for some…I know it has been for me at times, as a less-technical person).
So all in all, I'm thinking a lot about how to make people more aware of what they can do and build, even if they can't code. And I'm thinking about how to package it, and what people might be most receptive to. Call it bringing people into the fold 😂. Again, I don't know how crucial any of this really is, but I like thinking about branding and psychology and the narrative around things 😋🤷🏻♂️.
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