Subtitle
How to Build Habit-Forming Products
Cover
Category
Product GrowthEngagement
Author(s)
Top
PMMBA
"Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products" by Nir Eyal is a comprehensive guide on creating products that keep users coming back. Eyal introduces the "Hook Model," a four-step process designed to build user habits.
Key Topics Discussed:
- The Hook Model:
- Trigger: External or internal cues that prompt users to take action. External triggers can include notifications or advertisements, while internal triggers are linked to emotions like boredom or loneliness.
- Action: The behavior that users perform in anticipation of a reward. This step emphasizes simplicity and ease of use to encourage frequent engagement.
- Variable Reward: The key to maintaining user interest. Rewards should be unpredictable to keep users coming back, such as social rewards (likes, comments), material rewards (discounts, freebies), or intrinsic rewards (personal satisfaction, progress tracking).
- Investment: Users invest time, effort, or data into the product, which increases their likelihood of returning. This stage often involves users contributing content, making purchases, or personalizing their experience.
- Habit Formation:
- Products that successfully form habits can increase customer lifetime value, create word-of-mouth growth, and build a strong competitive edge.
- Frequency and perceived utility are crucial. The more frequently and usefully a product integrates into a user’s life, the stronger the habit.
- Emotional Engagement:
- Eyal emphasizes the role of emotions in habit formation. Products should address internal triggers by providing relief or satisfaction.
- Ethical Considerations:
- Eyal introduces the “Manipulation Matrix” to help designers assess the ethics of their products, encouraging them to create beneficial and ethical habit-forming products.
- Real-World Applications:
- The book provides examples from various industries, including social media, gaming, and productivity tools, to illustrate how the Hook Model can be applied to create engaging and habit-forming products.
By following these principles, product managers and designers can create products that not only meet users' needs but also become a regular part of their lives.