Colonization of surfaces in marine benthic environments is often one of the most significant moments in the life history of benthic organisms, representing, for example, a change from a planktonic to a benthic existence, a shift from a mobile to a sessile life form, or the initiation of pathogenesis. Many of the surfaces that are colonized are, in fact, other marine organisms, and in a general sense there is widespread evidence that specific chemical cues derived from marine organisms affect colonization by both marine prokaryotes and eukaryotes. However, detailed information for any one system on the nature of such cues, their distribution in situ, and their effects on the demography of colonizers is rare. Here, we selectively review the literature on chemical cues for colonization in the sea, focussing on contrasts between positive (inducers) and negative (inhibitors, deterrents) cues and on prokaryote/eukaryote interactions. We also consider whether generalized life history or natural history characteristics of colonizers (i.e., the mobility of a propagule, the extent to which a species is a habitat generalist or specialist, etc.) affect their response to chemical cues, and we touch briefly on some recent highlights relevant to the critical interplay between hydrodynamics and chemistry. A number of important methodological concerns are now being addressed through the introduction of field assays and analyses for chemical cues, and through molecular techniques for the characterization of microbial biofilms. These developments are encouraging, as is the increasingly multidisciplinary and cross-taxonomic approach to research in this area.