Jeopardy and the Power of Engagement

OK, So I'll be back in 213.5 hours...

For those of you that may not be aware, the television game show Jeopardy changed it's policy recently. For as long as I can remember, a player could only win 5 times in a row. Once they won five times, they got the money and a trip back for the tournament of champions.

This policy changed recently. Now, a player can win, and keep on winning until they lose. This is pertinent today because the current player has won seven shows in a row and racked up a record $231,000.

And, AND, you know what? I've never wanted to watch Jeopardy more. I want to root for him and see this person go further. I want to get to know him and marvel at his wit. I feel a connection to this guy and I want to watch again and again. My respect for him grows with each win. (forgive me for sounding like such a Jeopardy nerd)

To me, this is all about engagement. With the new policy, the show is now allowing users to engage in an ongoing event each night instead of cutting off the relationship at five wins.

The more he wins, the more connected I am to the show. The more engaged I get, the more I come back. The more I come back, the better the ratings and advertising dollars. Engagement is good for Jeopardy.

And, likewise, engagement is good for this website- I have the same goal. I'm not comparing me to a Jeopardy winner, but I do want to engage readers/viewers in an ongoing event. I want you to come back and keep coming back. I want you to feel a personal connection and root for me. I want you to look forward to the next post. In this way, Jeopardy and weblogs aren't that much different- its all about engaging people in a flow.

Now, if I could only find a way to earn $231,000 in seven days by writing in this weblog.