Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products

Nir Eyal presents the Hook Model—a four-step process (Trigger, Action, Variable Reward, Investment) used by Facebook, Twitter, and Pinterest to bring customers back repeatedly without costly advertising. The book explains how habits form in layers over time when triggers automatically bring about behaviors, with variable rewards driving more user activity than fixed rewards. While demonstrating how to increase customer lifetime value and competitive edge, Eyal addresses ethical concerns, advocating for products that enhance users' lives and align business success with user well-being.

8 sections · 22 lessons

Course outline

Habit Fundamentals

  1. Habit Economics
  2. Habit Zone
  3. Vitamin to Painkiller
  4. Habit Fundamentals

Triggers

  1. External Triggers
  2. Internal Triggers
  3. Building Associations
  4. Triggers

Action Design

  1. B=MAT Model
  2. Core Motivations
  3. Simplicity Elements
  4. Action Design

Variable Rewards

  1. Variable Rewards
  2. Tribal Rewards
  3. Hunting Rewards
  4. Self Rewards
  5. Variable Rewards

Investment

  1. Investment Phase
  2. Trigger Loading
  3. Investment

Testing and Iteration

  1. Habitual Users
  2. Habit Testing
  3. Testing and Iteration

Ethical Design

  1. Manipulation Matrix
  2. Ethical Design
  3. Ethical Design

Implementation

  1. Social Media Hook
  2. Bible App Case
  3. Hook Implementation
  4. Implementation

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