The world has become a smaller place in recent decades, with globalization bringing countries from the West to the East closer together. The unprecedented success of Avengers: Endgame in the US, Africa, and Asia, shows how connected we all are. But few things have shown this more pertinently than DNA testing kits.
A variety of DNA testing companies have tapped into the availability of cutting edge technology to make ancestry testing accessible to all. Everyone can find out more about their heritage with a cheap kit and a vial of spit. These tests give us a clearer idea of where our ancestors came from and, spoiler alert, we’re not as different as some people think. Your ethnic heritage may well be more complex than you could have ever imagined, forcing you to finally get to know more about different cultures around the world.
But why are these tests so popular? What have DNA testing kit companies done that all tech startups can learn from?
Here are the most poignant lessons.
Scientific advances are exciting
Tech companies have a tendency to hide the science behind their products except in brief one-liners (and white papers for investors). The idea is that people just want something that works, not to know about how it works. But what we’re learning from people is that science is exciting. As long as it is accessible, we all love to hear about the latest discoveries that our grandparents never even imagined.
Bringing science to the fore can help tech companies sell themselves as more than the makers of a useful product. They can position their product as a culmination of scientific excellence and share what makes it so.
However, simply putting science at the forefront is not quite enough.
Make it personal
The reason that DNA testing kits are so popular is that it brings science into people’s personal lives. They’re not just discovering more about the universe, but are learning about themselves. Tech companies who focus on personal are seeing incredible results. The rise of technology that can tell you what is going on in your body, as well as apps that help you access your mind, has been hugely exciting.
The hallmark of humanity is self-awareness, and tapping into that is key for the most successful tech companies. Even companies like Spotify know this and use their personalized playlists as one of their biggest draws. Simply giving you access to all the music you could possibly want is not enough. They make it personal.
Make it a spectacle
Another aspect that has led to the success of DNA home testing kits is that they’ve managed to make it into a spectacle. There are countless videos on YouTube of people getting their results – results which are structured in a way that is easy to digest. They highlight the most interesting aspects which are revealed by the test and give vloggers the chance to share this engaging content with the world.
The ideal way to succeed as a tech company is to create something that works as a spectacle. This doesn’t mean you have to exaggerate results or outcomes. Rather, it simply means you pass on your own excitement about your product to your customers.
