Game Developers Excel Consumer Products

Greg Isenberg shares insights about hiring for consumer internet products, drawing from his experience in affiliate marketing and observations about game developers. He believes these backgrounds provide unique skills that are particularly valuable but often undervalued in the market.

• Ideal Hiring Candidates for Consumer Internet Products:

  • Ex-game developers
  • Game product people
  • Game marketers
  • Former affiliate marketers

• Why Game Industry People Are Valuable:

  • Deep understanding of game dynamics
  • Knowledge of social mechanics
  • Expertise with sophisticated marketing funnels
  • Strong grasp of user flow

• Value of Affiliate Marketing Background:

  • Understanding of internet economics
  • Knowledge of user psychology and behavior
  • Ability to drive action and conversions
  • Experience with traffic optimization
  • Skills in arbitrage opportunities

• Learning Through Affiliate Marketing:

  • Develops deep understanding of what people want
  • Forces attention to subtle details that drive conversion
  • Creates awareness of economic implications of small changes
  • Teaches practical internet mechanics

• Career Evolution:

  • While not ideal as a long-term path
  • Serves as excellent training ground
  • Skills transfer well to building sustainable businesses
  • Provides foundation for more meaningful products

• Market Opportunity:

  • These backgrounds are currently undervalued
  • Provides competitive advantage in hiring
  • Skills particularly valuable for consumer internet products