Hooked - Nir Eyal: 8 effortless ways to make users addicted to your product

Scan Time: 3-5 minutes / Read time: 5-9 minutes 

Chapters in book: 8 / Chapters in here: 8

Hey rebel solopreneurs 🦸‍♂️🦸‍♀️

Do you make products that people use once and forget about?

If you don't fix this problem, your digital product will get lost among too many others (and you'll waste lots of money on ads that don't work).

Hooked from Nir Eyal will help you build products that users can't stop using, so you can create a successful online business without spending all your money on ads.

Just like Doctor Strange who controlled time to beat his enemies, you need to learn about how humans get addicted to products to win in today's online world.

Ready to create products that users crave without the endless marketing costs?

Let's jump right in!

💰 Multi-Millionaire entrepreneurs who love this book

🚫 Traditional methods which the author disagrees with

• Focusing only on making a better version of what already exists

• Using paid advertising as your main growth strategy

• Letting user feedback alone guide your product decisions

🍹 The book's core solution

• The Hook Model

• You'll learn exactly how to create a four-step process that builds habits in your users (it works even if you're just one person!)

• This leads to products that bring users back again and again without expensive ads - your users do your marketing for you!

🔮 The author's journey: From struggling founder to habit design expert

• Nir wasn't always someone who knew about habit building

• As a business owner, he watched his businesses struggle to keep users coming back

• He kept asking: why do some products become habits while others get forgotten? (this kept him up at night!)

• During this tough time, he saw his ad money disappear with little to show for it

· · ·

• BREAKTHROUGH! He had an "aha moment" when studying human psychology and how tech products are built

• He noticed successful companies weren't just making better products—they were making habit-forming ones

• By mixing psychology insights with business ideas, he created the Hook Model

• This four-step process showed why some products become habits while others are forgotten

· · ·

• He tested these ideas with struggling businesses and saw amazing results

• Businesses using his Hook Model saw user numbers go up 70% (while cutting their ad costs in half)

• Nir became a trusted advisor to tech companies and a professor at Stanford

· · ·

Time to explore if Chris, a solopreneur can use these ideas to go from struggling fitness instructor to digital product success!

Let's get this party started!

📖 The story: Chris's journey to profitable fitness products

Meet Chris:

• His idea: Making online workout plans for busy people who want to get in shape with little equipment

• His target audience: Office workers who want to get fit but can't go to the gym regularly

• His money making plan: Making workout templates and videos, sharing them on Instagram and YouTube

• His dream: Earning enough from online products to stop doing in-person training (and maybe finally take that vacation he's been putting off for 3 years!)

🆘 The crisis

Chris had made several workout programs but very few people bought them.

He was ready to give up on his online product dreams and just do in-person training.

While getting a smoothie at his local juice bar, he heard someone talking excitedly about how products change what people do.

This was Nir, a successful business owner who helps other people build better online products.

Chris told Nir about his struggling fitness products.

Bammo-kazammo! I can totally help you with that problem, Chris! Nir said, making a big muscle pose like his favorite superhero.

Chris felt hopeful for the first time in months.

Chapter 1: 🧠 The Habit zone: Are your users addicted or just visiting?

🔥 The challenge

• Chris explained how people would buy his workout plans but rarely stick with them for more than a week.

• Core Problem: One-time purchases that never become daily habits

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• Swoosh-kabosh!, You gotta know about The Habit Zone, Chris!, hollered Nir

• Products win big when they reach the Habit Zone - where people use them without even thinking about it.

• The best products become habits when people use them often (at least once a week) and find them super helpful.

• ➡️ Draw a simple chart showing how often people use your product and how helpful they find it.

• Just like in The Matrix when Neo had to train his mind to bend the rules of reality, your product needs to train users' minds to automatically turn to your solution when certain triggers arise.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• Instagram started as a complex location check-in app called Burbn with many features

• The founders noticed users mostly ignored the check-in features but loved sharing photos with filters

• They simplified everything to focus just on photo sharing with cool filters

• Instagram grew to 100 million users with just 13 employees, while old photo giant Kodak went bankrupt with thousands of employees

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Holy Moly! blurted Chris, his jaw literally dropping to the table

• I've been trying to sell one-time workout plans when I should be creating a fitness habit that brings people back daily

• I need to focus on making a simple daily fitness app that becomes part of my users' routine

• Core Solution: Transform one-time purchases into automatic daily routines

Chapter 2: 🔔 Trigger: The secret starting gun that fires before every habit

🔥 The challenge

• Chris reflected on how his fitness app needed to become a habit for users

• But he was confused about how to get users to even remember to open his app in the first place

• Core Problem: Users forgetting your product exists entirely

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• You need to understand Trigger Types, Chris!, exclaimed Nir, waving his hands excitedly

• All habits start with triggers - the things that make users want to use your product.

• Outside triggers (like app alerts) lead to inside triggers (feelings like being bored or stressed).

• ➡️ Find the bad feelings your product helps fix, then make triggers that connect to those feelings.

• Just like in Inception when they needed a "kick" to wake people from the dream world, your users need specific triggers to prompt them to use your product.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• Facebook uses many types of external triggers like notifications, emails, and friend requests

• These external triggers prompt users to return to the app until they develop internal triggers

• Eventually users check Facebook automatically when feeling bored or afraid of missing out

• Facebook's growth to billions of users came from mastering both external triggers and creating powerful internal emotional triggers

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Holy Smokes! exclaimed Chris, slapping his hands to his cheeks Home Alone style

• I've been sending random workout emails instead of targeting specific emotional triggers like morning stress or afternoon energy slumps

• I'll create morning notifications timed for when people feel sluggish and need energy, connecting my app to that negative emotion

• Core Solution: Connect your product directly to emotional pain points

Chapter 3: 🏃 Action: Why your users aren't taking the bait (and how to fix it)

🔥 The challenge

• Chris thought about how to trigger users effectively

• But he realized his current workouts were too complicated and time-consuming for beginners

• Core Problem: High-friction actions that users avoid completely

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• You need to master the Action Phase, Chris!, hollered Nir, jumping out of his chair dramatically

• The Action is the simplest thing users do to feel better when they have a bad feeling.

• Users need both to want to do it and be able to do it easily - when they don't want it much, it must be super easy.

• ➡️ Make your main action as simple as possible - cut out every extra click, field, and step.

• Just like in Wall-E where the humans just had to press a single button to get whatever they wanted, your users should be able to take action with minimal effort.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• Google dominated search by creating an incredibly simple interface with minimal steps

• While competitors like Yahoo had cluttered portal pages, Google offered just a clean search box

• This reduction in friction made Google the easiest option when users wanted information

• Google's market dominance came from making the action phase (searching) remarkably simple

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Good Grief! blurted Chris, his eyes growing wide with understanding

• I'm asking for way too much from users - 45 minutes is way too intimidating for beginners

• I need to create 2-minute "micro workouts" that users can do instantly when feeling stressed or low on energy

• Core Solution: Reduce all friction until action becomes effortless

Chapter 4: 🎁 Variable reward: The surprising reason users can't stop checking your product

🔥 The challenge

• Chris had simplified his workouts to make the action easier

• But users were getting bored with the same exercises and predictable experience each time

• Core Problem: Users getting bored with predictable, samey experiences

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• Zipity-zow!, You need to implement Variable rewards, Chris!, boomed Nir, making an imaginary explosion gesture with his hands

• Variable rewards are surprises that keep users excited and coming back for more.

• The surprise rewards make the brain happy, turning your product into a healthy habit.

• ➡️ Create three types of surprises - friend rewards (connecting with others), search rewards (finding cool stuff), and personal rewards (feeling good about finishing things).

• Just like in Forrest Gump when he said life is like a box of chocolates because "you never know what you're gonna get," your product should offer variable, surprising rewards that keep users engaged.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• Slot machines became the most profitable form of gambling through variable reward schedules

• The unpredictable nature of wins—sometimes big, sometimes small, sometimes nothing—creates a powerful dopamine loop

• This same psychology underpins many digital products like Pinterest's endless discovery feed

• Pinterest built a platform where users scroll for hours because they never know what cool image might appear next

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Holy Guacamole! exclaimed Chris, fist pumping the air excitedly

• I'm giving the same boring congratulations message after every workout

• I need to create surprise rewards like random achievement badges, unexpected motivational videos, and community celebrations to keep users excited

• Core Solution: Create unpredictable surprises that drive continued engagement

Chapter 5: 🏆 Investment: The counterintuitive trick that makes users value your product more

🔥 The challenge

• Chris had improved his app with better triggers, simpler actions, and variable rewards

• But users weren't feeling personally connected to the app or seeing increased value over time

• Core Problem: Products that don't become more valuable with continued use

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• You've gotta implement Investment phase, Chris!, exclaimed Nir while dramatically rubbing his hands together

• The Investment phase is where users do small tasks that make your product better for them over time.

• When users put in a little work, they want to come back and won't switch to other products.

• ➡️ Create easy ways for users to add their information - like saving data, making content, adding friends, or building skills.

• Just like in Field of Dreams where "if you build it, they will come," when users invest in your platform, they become much more likely to return.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• LinkedIn encourages users to invest time creating detailed profiles

• Each connection, skill, endorsement and recommendation improves the user's profile value

• These investments make LinkedIn more useful while creating high switching costs

• Users who spend hours building their LinkedIn profiles are unlikely to abandon that investment for a new platform

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Great Caesar's Ghost! blurted Chris, looking upward with a thoughtful expression

• I'm letting users complete workouts without storing their progress or building on previous achievements

• I need to create a system where users track progress, customize workouts, and build a fitness streaks record that becomes more valuable over time

• Core Solution: Make users invest time that increases future product value

Chapter 6: 🧐 Manipulation matrix: Are you a hero or villain in your customers' story?

🔥 The challenge

• Chris was excited about applying the Hook Model to his fitness app

• But he worried about creating unhealthy addictions or manipulating users

• Core Problem: Creating addictive products that might harm users

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• You should follow the Manipulation Matrix, Chris!, hollered Nir, striking a superhero pose with hands on his hips

• The right way to use habit-forming products is simple: use your own product and make sure it helps people.

• The best products are ones you use yourself that truly help others (the Facilitator type).

• ➡️ Ask yourself two simple questions - Would I use this myself? Does it really make people's lives better?

• Just like in Spider-Man when Uncle Ben says "with great power comes great responsibility," your ability to form habits gives you the power to help or harm users.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• Zynga designed FarmVille with deliberate psychological triggers creating artificial urgency

• The game used social pressure and time constraints to push users toward spending money

• Players would receive notifications that their crops were dying or friends needed help

• This raised ethical questions as the company created stress and obligation to drive purchases

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Jumpin' Jehoshaphat! exclaimed Chris, leaning back dramatically in his chair

• I was getting caught up in engagement metrics rather than focusing on actually improving my users' health

• I need to use my own workout app daily and make sure every feature truly helps users become healthier, not just more addicted to the app

• Core Solution: Build products that genuinely improve users' lives

Chapter 7: 📱 Habit winners: How an ancient book became a modern addiction (in a good way)

🔥 The challenge

• Chris was understanding the Hook Model but wasn't sure if it worked outside of social media

• But he wondered if it could really apply to a fitness app with a positive healthy purpose

• Core Problem: Believing habit psychology only works for social media apps

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• Boomy-zoomy!, Let's look at Habit winners from unexpected places, Chris!, exclaimed Nir, making an expansive gesture like revealing a hidden treasure

• Even non-tech products like the Bible App have successfully applied the Hook Model to create positive habits.

• The most effective habit-forming products connect powerful internal triggers to meaningful rewards.

• ➡️ Study successful habit-forming products outside your industry for inspiration on applying the Hook Model.

• Just like in The Karate Kid when Mr. Miyagi taught Daniel using everyday activities like waxing cars, you can learn habit design from examples in completely different industries.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• YouVersion Bible app successfully applied the Hook Model to make Bible reading a daily habit

• The app sends triggers like daily verse notifications and reading reminders

• It makes reading easy with bite-sized content and various translations

• The app grew to over 400 million downloads by turning Bible reading into a daily digital habit

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Well I'll be! blurted Chris, slapping the table with sudden inspiration

• I didn't realize spiritual and health apps could use these same techniques successfully

• I can create a positive, ethical fitness habit by following YouVersion's example of daily triggers, simple actions, varied content, and personal tracking

• Core Solution: Use habit principles to build positive daily behaviors in your customer's lives

Chapter 8: 🔍 Habit detective: The million-dollar clues hiding in your users' behavior

🔥 The challenge

• Chris had learned the components of the Hook Model

• But he wasn't sure how to test what was working or find new opportunities

• Core Problem: Not knowing which parts of your product truly engage users

· · ·

🌈 The big idea

• You need to become a Habit Detective, Chris!, hollered Nir, dramatically cupping his hand to his ear as if listening for clues

• Habit testing helps you find ways to make your products more habit-forming.

• Building good habits happens in three steps: find what works, understand it, and make it better.

• ➡️ Find your most loyal users, see what they love doing, then make your product better at those specific actions.

• Just like in Sherlock Holmes when the detective looks for small clues others miss, you need to carefully observe your users' actual behaviors rather than just what they say.

· · ·

🏄 Example

• Instagram began as Burbn, a complex location check-in app with many features

• The founders identified their most engaged users and observed which features they actually used

• They discovered users primarily used the photo sharing feature with filters

• By focusing exclusively on this behavior, they created a much more successful product that was acquired for $1 billion

· · ·

🎁 The breakthrough

• Eureka! exclaimed Chris, jumping from his chair with excitement

• I've been adding features based on what users requested rather than studying what they actually use most

• I need to track which specific workouts get completed most often and double down on that format and style

• Core Solution: Study what actually works, not what users say works

🏆 The parting

Looks like our last coffee shop meeting, Chris. Keep me posted on how the app develops, Nir said.

Remember what Captain America taught us - it's not about being perfect, it's about never giving up on your vision.

You've got all the tools you need to build something people truly can't put down.

Nir gave Chris a fist bump followed by an explosive hand gesture mimicking a mind being blown.

🎉 The happy ending

Within six months, Chris's fitness app had over 30,000 active daily users completing the 2-minute workouts.

This was a huge improvement from his previous product that only sold 50 copies a month.

Best of all, he was finally able to quit personal training and take that long-overdue vacation to Bali (where he still did his own 2-minute workout every morning, of course!).

🧘‍♀️ The simple success recipe

The key lessons that transformed the business:

1. Identify your users' emotional triggers - Understanding that people exercise to escape stress and low energy helped Chris create timely notifications that felt helpful, not annoying.

2. Make the core action ridiculously simple - Switching from 45-minute workouts to 2-minute micro-sessions removed the biggest barrier to daily use.

3. Create variable rewards - Adding surprise achievements and community celebrations kept users excited to open the app each day (what badge would they get today?).

4. Build investment through progress tracking - The streak calendar and progress photos made the app more valuable over time, creating a product users couldn't bear to abandon.

5. Test and modify based on actual user behavior - By watching what users actually did (not what they said), Chris optimized the features people really used.

✨ Loosely inspired by...

• Chris Heria, creator of fitness programs for people who want to train anywhere with minimal equipment

• His unique, accessible approach to calisthenics and at-home workouts attracted millions of followers on YouTube and Instagram

• He's amassed over a billion views and successfully turned his workouts into a multi-million dollar digital product business

🥂 Your turn!

That's it, my fellow rebels!

You now have the blueprint for creating products that form healthy habits in your users' lives.

As Nir says, "For new behaviors to really take hold, they must occur often."

Today, identify one emotional trigger your target audience experiences regularly, then design your product to address that specific feeling.

Your digital products can become as automatic as brushing teeth for your users - if you focus on habits, not just features.

Just like Thor channels lightning, you can now channel the power of psychology to create digital products that truly stick!

Keep rocking! 🚀 🍩

Yours 'making success painless and fun' vijay peduru