Recently in a client workshop, my very clever friend Pat brought up a concept that has stuck in my mind since - the notion of an experience's magnetism. In the context of the our chat, we were talking about content that attracts other content (ie. quality content begets interaction.. makes sense). But it's also a lot more than that.

When you think about draws people to an online destination, it's increasingly some form of digital word-of-mouth. Of course online media spend, brand building and cross-medium promotions are also huge factors. But when you drill down into what makes people feel inclined to pass something on, you can start to see how this can contribute to its magnetism.

One of the working definitions I've always used for Web 2.0 is that I see the term as referring to an experience where "it's tangibly better for any one person if more people use it". This means that it's in someone's best interests, on a purely selfish level, to get others involved. This is different from simply passing something on so that the recipient thinks you're hip/informed/younger-than-you-really-are. On the surface you might think that some interactions don't really need this kind of trait, like online banking or looking up a phone number. These would seem to be pretty dry, functional ways of using the web, yeah? Well consider the work that Wesabe is doing in sharing financial experiences to the benefit of everyone. Or how Skydeck is looking to pull the intelligence out of every phone call you make and show relationships within your address book.

This is not really about Web 2.0, it's simply about strategic and creative experience definition. What's it's it going to be that adds digital 'magnetism' to your brand's next project? What is it about the content that makes it beg to be added to? And what's going to make its users hold up a magnet and draw their friends in?