Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

by Nir Eyal

Why are services such as e-mail, WhatsApp, or Instagram so popular that many can no longer imagine everyday life without them?

How can entrepreneurs design products so that they attract and retain the attention of their customers – without costly advertising – until they use them out of sheer habit?

Nir Eyal, lecturer, investor, and expert in consumer psychology, has systematically explored these questions. The result is the "Hook Model" – a cyclic process consisting of the following four phases:

1. Trigger: First external (e.g., an e-mail or a notification), later internal (e.g., boredom) triggers lead to action.
2. Action: This must require as little effort as possible, i.e., the product must be as intuitive to use as possible.
3. Variable reward: Rewards should vary (e.g., news and feedback from friends, progress indicators) and motivate to continue using the product.
4. Investment: The more time and effort users invest in a product (e.g., progress in a game, tracked activity in sports apps, their timeline in social networks), the harder it will be for them to part with the product or replace it with another.

The book contains numerous illustrative examples – from social media to Bible apps. It reads smoothly and includes a summary of the key findings at the end of each chapter, as well as practical checklists for applying the theory to your products.

Ethical issues are also addressed, albeit somewhat superficially ("Only develop products that improve people's lives and that you would use yourself").

A recommendation for entrepreneurs, product managers, designers, and anyone who wants to develop products that excite their customers enough to integrate them into their everyday lives.

🎧 Suitable as an audiobook? Yes.

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Genres

User Experience Product Development Habits Psychology Behavioral Economics Marketing Business Strategy Technology