90-9-1 Rule: Why Most People Are Dumb Consumers

The 90-9-1 rule is a mental model that depicts how users typically interact with social platforms. It states that 1 percent of website users actively create content, 9 percent change or update content, and 90 percent merely lurk. The rule is similar to the Pareto principle, in that 20 percent of a group will produce 80 percent of the activity, regardless of the activity at hand. According to the 90-9-1 rule, only 1 percent of all internet users produce content, whilst 99 percent consume it.

For example, for every one person that posts on a forum, about 99 other people will view the forum but not post. A 2007 study on forums found that 87 percent of people never posted, 13 percent posted at least once, 5 percent posted 50 or more times, and only 1 percent posted 500 or more times. Think of forums as the Twitter, Reddit, or Quora of the past. The actual percentage, of course, varies from 90-9-1, but the content producers will still be a disproportionate minority of overall users.

The idea applies not only to the internet, but community as a whole. Multi-user communities and networks typically have a few “superusers”, the top 1 percentile of producers, and lots of regular users, the remaining 99 percent. Most people do not participate. They read, observe, watch, see, but do not contribute. The 9 percent contribute from time to time, perhaps by voting or commenting, but they spend most of their time lurking as well. And the rare 1 percent genuinely spend time and energy to produce and post content. The same is true for product reviews, political movements, charity, and customer feedback.

The problem is the concerning sample size of data. On any given website, 99 percent of users hear from the same 1 percent of producers. This can cause trouble, since it provides and unrepresentative slice of reality. You simply cannot bet on extreme feedback on products and services, political posts from leftists or rightists, or the personalized information from search. It amplifies the echo chamber or filter bubble effect, and further skews the expectations of consumers. The worst part? Overcoming participation inequality is impossible. You don’t decide. Even the most engaging platforms which make contribution easy and reward their creators still sport similar splits of lurkers to creators.

Thus the most you can hope to do is be aware of the rule and leverage it as a contributor. Most communities will exhibit a significant disparity between creation and consumption. Join the creators. Active contributors gain visibility and influence. They become thought leaders and strengthen their voices. It is an untapped opportunity. Seize it.

Real life implications of the 90-9-1 rule:

• Social media: on platforms like Instagram or Twitter, the majority of users scroll and consume posts, a smaller group likes and comments, and an even tinier proportion creates content; if you’re building a community, incentivize people to participate, as the platform’s success depends on that 1 percent;

• Content creation: in YouTube’s ecosystem, most people watch videos without interacting, some comment or share, and a minuscule fraction uploads videos regularly, so becoming part of the 1 percent allows you to stand out as there is relatively little competition for attention in this group;

• Workplace: in the workplace, a few employees contribute updates and ideas, while most lurk in Slack or other project management tools; leverage this by becoming an active contributor, making yourself stand out as an employee;

• Open-source projects: in projects like Linux or Python, most users adopt the software, a smaller group files bug reports or offers feedback, and a core team of developers creates and maintains the code; that 1 percent is critical for keeping the project up and running;

• Social movements: in advocacy campaigns, most supporters sign petitions or follow updates, a smaller group volunteer to spread the message, and a committed few lead the initiative and strategize, meaning the tiny group of individuals drive most of the momentum;

• E-commerce reviews: on platforms like Amazon, the majority of shoppers don’t leave reviews, a small subset provides occasional feedback, and a tiny portion leave genuine reviews, so be careful when you allow these reviews to sway your purchasing decisions.

How you might use the 90-9-1 rule as a mental model: (1) understand the audience, as when launching a product or service, you have to take into account that most users will be passive, so you have to design keeping both passive and active users in mind; (2) create pathways to engagement, gradually moving your users from passive consumption to active participation through prompts, gamification, and other rewards, like challenges or sharing routines on a fitness platform; (3) prioritize high-leverage activities, concentrating on mobilizing the 9 percent of sporadic contributors, as they are more easily converted into the top 1 percent; (4) recognize and reward contributors, acknowledging active participants publicly to retain their enthusiasm and set an example for others; (5) while the top 1 percent drive creation, the bottom 99 percent ensure a large audience, so aim to keep both groups engaged, such as YouTube providing creator tools while optimizing the viewer experience.

Thought-provoking insights. “The world is run by those who show up.” reflects a universal idea that the active 1 percent wield disproportionate influence over the way things work. “Most people watch the parade; few march in it.” highlights the gap between observers and active participants. “Small actions can ripple through the many.” is a key reminder of the outsized impact active contributors have on the community. By recognizing participation inequality, you can empower yourself to join the top 1 percent. It’s not that hard. Be the leader or creator, not the follower and consumer. Passive participation is okay. Active creation is great.