Type the name of almost any successful consumer web company into your search bar and add the word “addict” after it. Go ahead, I’ll wait. Try “Facebook addict” or “Twitter addict” or even “Pinterest addict” and you’ll soon get a slew of results from hooked users and observers deriding the narcotic-like properties of these web sites. How is it that these companies, producing little more than bits of code displayed on a screen, can seemingly control users’ minds? Why are these sites so engaging and what does their power mean for the future of the web?
We're entering a new phase of the internet. In a world overflowing with digital distractions, businesses must adapt to remain relevant and memorable. Simply having a large user base is no longer sufficient. Companies are discovering that their true value lies in their ability to form lasting habits among their users. While some organizations are just beginning to grasp this shift, others are already reaping the benefits by implementing what I've termed the "Hooked Model" - a framework for creating products that foster habitual use.
The Hooked Model is a way of describing a user’s interactions with a product as they pass through four phases: a trigger to begin using the product, an action to satisfy the trigger, a variable reward for the action, and some type of investment that, ultimately, makes the product more valuable to the user. As the user goes through these phases, he builds habits in the process.
Companies that successfully build strong user habits gain significant advantages. They create powerful 'internal triggers' in users' minds, prompting engagement without external prompts. This reduces reliance on costly marketing and eliminates concerns about differentiation. Instead, these companies integrate their services into users' daily routines and emotional patterns.
A truly ingrained habit manifests when users instinctively turn to a specific service to fulfill a need or emotion. For instance, feeling bored might instantly evoke thoughts of Facebook, or curiosity about current events might automatically lead to Twitter. In this landscape, the service that first comes to mind when a need arises is the ultimate winner.
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But how do companies create a connection with the internal cues needed to form habits? The answer: they manufacture desire. While fans of Mad Men are familiar with how the ad industry once created consumer desire during Madison Avenue’s golden era, those days are long gone. A multi-screen world, with ad-wary consumers and a lack of ROI metrics, has rendered Don Draper’s big budget brainwashing useless to all but the biggest brands. Instead, startups manufacture desire by guiding users through a series of experiences designed to create habits. I call these experiences “Hooks,” and the more often users run through them, the more likely they are to self-trigger.
The cycle in the Hooked Model is comprised of a Trigger, Action, Reward, and Investment. As the consumer passes through these phases, he builds habits in the process. After the cycle is complete, his habits have been reinforced and the product even has more value to him. Here’s how it works, in four steps:
The trigger is the actuator of a behavior—the spark plug in the Hooked Model. Triggers come in two types: external and internal. Habit-forming technologies start by alerting users with external triggers like an email, a link on a web site, or the app icon on a phone. By cycling continuously through these hooks, users begin to form associations with internal triggers, which become attached to existing behaviors and emotions. Soon users are internally triggered every time they feel a certain way. The internal trigger becomes part of their routine behavior, and the habit is formed.
For example, suppose Barbra, a young lady in Pennsylvania, happens to see a photo in her Facebook news feed taken by a family member from a rural part of the state. It’s a lovely photo and since she’s planning a trip there with her brother Johnny, the trigger intrigues her.
After the trigger comes the intended action. Here, companies leverage two pulleys of human behavior – motivation and ability. To increase the odds of a user taking the intended action, the behavior designer makes the action as easy as possible, while simultaneously boosting the user’s motivation. This phase of the Hook draws upon the art and science of usability design to ensure that the user acts the way the designer intends.
Using the example of Barbra, with a click on the interesting picture in her newsfeed she’s taken to a website she’s never been to before called Pinterest. Once she’s done the intended action (in this case, clicking on the photo), she’s dazzled by what she sees next.
What separates Hooks from a plain vanilla feedback loop is their ability to create wanting in the user. Feedback loops are all around us, but predictable ones don’t create desire. The predictable response of your fridge light turning on when you open the door doesn’t drive you to keep opening it again and again. However, add some variability to the mix—say a different treat magically appears in your fridge every time you open it—and voila, intrigue is created. You’ll be opening that door like a lab animal in a Skinner box.
Variable schedules of reward are one of the most powerful tools that companies use to hook users. Research shows that levels of dopamine surge when the brain is expecting a reward, just ask any primate. Introducing variability multiplies the effect, creating a frenzied hunting state, activating the parts associated with wanting and desire. Although classic examples include slot machines and lotteries, variable rewards are prevalent in habit-forming technologies as well.
When Barbra lands on Pinterest, not only does she see the image she intended to find, but she’s also served a multitude of other glittering objects. The images are associated with what she’s generally interested in – cute farm animals, farmhouse antiques, Pennsylvania landscapes – but there are some others that catch her eye also. The exciting juxtaposition of relevant and irrelevant, tantalizing and plain, beautiful and common sets her brain’s dopamine system aflutter with the promise of reward. Now she’s spending more time on the site, hunting for the next wonderful thing to find. Before she knows it, she’s spent 45 minutes scrolling in search of her next hit.
The last phase of the Hook is where the user is asked to do bit of work. This phase has two goals as far as the behavior engineer is concerned. The first is to increase the odds that the user will make another pass through the Hook when presented with the next trigger. Second, now that the user’s brain is swimming in dopamine from the anticipation of reward in the previous phase, it’s time to pay some bills. The investment generally comes in the form of asking the user to give some combination of time, data, effort, social capital or money.
But unlike a sales funnel, which has a set endpoint, the investment phase isn’t about consumers opening up their wallets and moving on with their day. The investment implies an action that improves the service for the next go-around. Inviting friends, stating preferences, building virtual assets, and learning to use new features are all commitments that improve the service for the user. These investments can be leveraged to make the trigger more engaging, the action easier, and the reward more exciting with every pass through the Hook.
As Barbra enjoys endlessly scrolling the Pinterest cornucopia, she builds a desire to keep the things that delight her. By collecting items, she’ll be giving the site data about her preferences. Soon she will follow, pin, re-pin, and make other investments, which serve to increase her ties to the site and prime her for future loops through the Hook.
So, food for thought is how can you manufacturing desire for your products of services and borrow from the "Hooked Model" ?
Now that we've broken down the Hooked Model and its four phases, let's delve into how companies can apply this framework to manufacture desire for their products or services. By understanding the needs and desires of their users, businesses can create habit-forming experiences that keep users engaged and loyal.
To successfully prompt user engagement, companies must create effective triggers. External triggers, such as app notifications or emails, should be used sparingly and strategically, as users can become desensitized to them over time. Instead, focus on developing internal triggers by associating your product with an existing user behavior or emotion.
For instance, consider a fitness tracking app. Rather than solely relying on push notifications to remind users to exercise, the app could associate itself with the user's desire for self-improvement or social validation. By sharing their progress with friends or setting personal goals, users create an internal trigger that encourages them to use the app regularly.
Once the trigger is in place, the user must be able to perform the intended action with ease. This requires a streamlined, intuitive user interface and a clear value proposition. The user should immediately recognize the benefits of taking the intended action and be motivated to do so.
In our fitness app example, the action could be as simple as opening the app and tracking a workout. By making the tracking process quick and seamless, users are more likely to adopt the habit.
Variable rewards are a powerful tool for encouraging repeat behavior. By introducing elements of surprise and uncertainty, companies can tap into the human desire for novelty and pleasure. However, it's crucial to strike a balance between variability and predictability; too much unpredictability can lead to frustration or confusion, while too little can result in boredom.
For the fitness app, variable rewards could include personal bests, badges for consistent workouts, or randomized motivational messages. These rewards create a sense of accomplishment and anticipation that keeps users engaged.
Lastly, companies must encourage users to invest time, data, or effort into their product. This investment not only increases the user's commitment to the product but also provides valuable feedback for improving the user experience.
For our fitness app, investments could take the form of setting long-term goals, connecting with friends, or contributing user-generated content. These actions create a stronger bond between the user and the app, making it more likely that the user will continue using the app and recommending it to others.
By following the Hooked Model and understanding the psychology of habit formation, companies can manufacture desire for their products and create loyal, engaged user bases.
Food for thought: How can you borrow from the “Hooked Model” to crate desire for your products and services?
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