Book Summary: Hooked - How to Build Habit-Forming Products

by Nir Eyal

“Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products” provides insights and strategies for designing products that create user habits, leading to increased engagement and long-term success.

The most valuable points from the book (with examples) are:

Trigger

Triggers are cues that prompt users to take action. They can be external, like notifications, or internal, such as emotions or routines. Designing effective triggers helps initiate user engagement with the product.

For example, a fitness app uses notifications and reminders to prompt users to log their workouts or track their daily steps, creating a habit of regularly engaging with the app.

Action

Actions are the simple tasks users perform in response to triggers. The book suggests making these actions as easy as possible to increase the likelihood that users will take them.

For example, a social media platform simplifies the process of sharing content by providing a single button to post updates, making it easy for users to take action and stay engaged.

Variable Reward

Variable rewards are unpredictable rewards that users receive after taking action. This element adds an element of surprise and keeps users engaged, as they are motivated to discover what reward they will receive next.

For example, an email app uses the “pull-to-refresh” feature to deliver a variable reward in the form of new emails, keeping users engaged and constantly checking for updates.

Investment

Investment refers to the time, effort, or resources users put into a product, which increases their commitment and likelihood of returning. Encouraging users to invest in the product creates a sense of ownership and fosters long-term engagement.

For example, a language learning app encourages users to customize their learning experience and track their progress, increasing their commitment to the app and making it more likely they will continue using it.

By understanding and applying the Hook Model, product designers and developers can create products that effectively engage users and foster long-term habits, ultimately leading to increased user retention and business success.

This is one the best books on the subject.

Thanks for reading. If you have feedback, contact me on Twitter, LinkedIn or Github.