Episode 7 — The challenges of discovery platforms
Episode 7 explores the core challenges of discovery platforms — network effects, the chicken-and-egg problem and why dotmap avoids social-style engagement loops.
Discovery platforms are hard to build.
Not because of technology — but because of people.
They all face the same obstacles:
- network effect
- chicken-and-egg problem
You need users to attract users.
You need activity to create activity.
dotmap approaches these challenges differently.
No feeds. No algorithms. No pressure.
Most platforms try to drive engagement through:
- social feeds
- recommendations
- likes and reactions
- attention loops
These mechanics create noise and reward visibility games.
dotmap avoids all of it.
Profiles appear because they exist — not because they perform.
Growing through usefulness
Instead of social dynamics, dotmap grows through:
- clarity of profiles
- honest representation
- a map that encourages exploration
- events that add real context
- word-of-mouth within communities
It’s a slow burn — but sustainable.
Next episode
Episode 8 highlights the first real feedback from early users and how it shaped the platform.
All episodes
- Episode 0 - Building dotmap
- Episode 1 - Why I started building dotmap
- Episode 2 — Designing the concept
- Episode 3 — A map-first way to explore tech
- Episode 4 — Building the MVP
- Episode 5 — Why multi-stack matters
- Episode 6 — Branding, UI & the badge system
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