The Secret Psychology of Snapchat 7 min read
Do you get Snapchat?
If you don’t get it, you’re probably over 30.
This app ... is huge!
It is used by 100 million monthly active users who send more than 400 million snaps per day. Source: Mashable
The company is worth $10 billion. Source: Mashable
Keep reading to learn the psychology of Snapchat … … and why people use it so much.
1. What it is 2. How it works 3. The secret sauce Deconstructing Snapchat
1. What it is
Snapchat is a way to make bite-sized content. Snaps! Easy to consume pics perfect for snacking on mobile phones.
Snapchat is useful for capturing life’s little moments.
Kind of like capturing the “Kodak moment” (if you remember what that is.)
Snapchat is also a messaging service with special rules.
Every app has rules.
Swipe right to like or left to pass. If someone likes you back, it’s a match!
Write up to 140 characters.
Create 6 second looping videos.
Send photos/videos that disappear in seconds.
Why does this particular rule work so well for Snapchat?
The fact that snaps disappear means people can be more honest, more fun, and more...themselves. PHEW Carefree Communication
“Snaps disappear in 10 seconds so who cares!?!” … says the Snapchat user
Reducing the "cognitive load" of worrying what others might think of the photos. See: Nir Eyal’s “Hooked: How to Build Hab...
Snapchat users snap without worry.
snapchatting is like wearing pyjamas at a friend’s house. If Instagram’s feed is like a wedding to dress up for,
2. How It Works
The default screen is the camera page. It’s clear what the app wants people to do… Take a snap already!
Other apps (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) always show the feed first.
Snapchat broke that rule, putting the camera first. … and reduced the number of steps to one tap instead of several.
There’s another way Snapchat saves steps.
If you are an Instagram user, you know the pain of choosing just the right filter.
Choosing a filter in Instagram creates a loop of two decisions:
In Snapchat, filters apply automatically when swiping. One less decision to make.
Cognitively speaking, that’s huge.
Users can get creative here too! After taking a snap, altering the picture with paint and text is fun.
Snapchat offers endless customization opportunities.
Not only that, Snapchat has geo-filters, which, with one swipe, customize the image based on your location.
There is something novel, uncertain, creative, and surprising about taking and altering snaps. See: Nir Eyal’s book “Hooke...
The best user-submitted snaps are curated into a Story by Snapchat for all to see.
All of these Snaps add “variable rewards.” See: Nir Eyal’s book “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products”
There’s still one more behavioral secret at work.
3. The Secret Sauce
Snapchat’s secret sauce lies in its roots as a messaging service.
Sending snaps activates the rule of reciprocation. See: Robert B. Cialdini’s book “Influence”
Reciprocity in social psychology refers to our need to respond to a positive action with another positive action.
Following this rule, when a user gets a snap, she is somewhat obligated to send something back.
Because Snaps disappear, you need to reply right away before you forget what Snap you received!
“Double tap to reply!” says Snapchat. And a few taps later a response is on its way...
Loading the next trigger for even more snapping...
Eventually making Snapchat a daily habit.
Snapchat has a great Hook See: Nir Eyal’s book “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products”
1. Internal Trigger The fear of losing the moment. Quick! Snap it! So cute!
2. Action Open the app and snap with just one tap.
3. Variable Reward How does it look? Did I capture the moment? How should I modify this?
4. Investment Sending it to another user “loads the next trigger” and “stores value” when new contacts are added.
5. External Trigger Replying to a snap sends a new notification, activates the rule of reciprocity, … … and the Hook cycle...
… And now you understand why people are hooked to Snapchat! Dori Adar DoriAdar.com Nir Eyal NirAndFar.com Victoria Young C...
The Secret Psychology of Snapchat
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The Secret Psychology of Snapchat

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What makes Snapchat so habit-forming? An examination of Snapchat through Nir Eyal's Hook Model.

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The Secret Psychology of Snapchat

  1. The Secret Psychology of Snapchat 7 min read
  2. Do you get Snapchat?
  3. If you don’t get it, you’re probably over 30.
  4. This app ... is huge!
  5. It is used by 100 million monthly active users who send more than 400 million snaps per day. Source: Mashable
  6. The company is worth $10 billion. Source: Mashable
  7. Keep reading to learn the psychology of Snapchat … … and why people use it so much.
  8. 1. What it is 2. How it works 3. The secret sauce Deconstructing Snapchat
  9. 1. What it is
  10. Snapchat is a way to make bite-sized content. Snaps! Easy to consume pics perfect for snacking on mobile phones.
  11. Snapchat is useful for capturing life’s little moments.
  12. Kind of like capturing the “Kodak moment” (if you remember what that is.)
  13. Snapchat is also a messaging service with special rules.
  14. Every app has rules.
  15. Swipe right to like or left to pass. If someone likes you back, it’s a match!
  16. Write up to 140 characters.
  17. Create 6 second looping videos.
  18. Send photos/videos that disappear in seconds.
  19. Why does this particular rule work so well for Snapchat?
  20. The fact that snaps disappear means people can be more honest, more fun, and more...themselves. PHEW Carefree Communication
  21. “Snaps disappear in 10 seconds so who cares!?!” … says the Snapchat user
  22. Reducing the "cognitive load" of worrying what others might think of the photos. See: Nir Eyal’s “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products”
  23. Snapchat users snap without worry.
  24. snapchatting is like wearing pyjamas at a friend’s house. If Instagram’s feed is like a wedding to dress up for,
  25. 2. How It Works
  26. The default screen is the camera page. It’s clear what the app wants people to do… Take a snap already!
  27. Other apps (Instagram, Facebook, Twitter) always show the feed first.
  28. Snapchat broke that rule, putting the camera first. … and reduced the number of steps to one tap instead of several.
  29. There’s another way Snapchat saves steps.
  30. If you are an Instagram user, you know the pain of choosing just the right filter.
  31. Choosing a filter in Instagram creates a loop of two decisions:
  32. In Snapchat, filters apply automatically when swiping. One less decision to make.
  33. Cognitively speaking, that’s huge.
  34. Users can get creative here too! After taking a snap, altering the picture with paint and text is fun.
  35. Snapchat offers endless customization opportunities.
  36. Not only that, Snapchat has geo-filters, which, with one swipe, customize the image based on your location.
  37. There is something novel, uncertain, creative, and surprising about taking and altering snaps. See: Nir Eyal’s book “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products”
  38. The best user-submitted snaps are curated into a Story by Snapchat for all to see.
  39. All of these Snaps add “variable rewards.” See: Nir Eyal’s book “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products”
  40. There’s still one more behavioral secret at work.
  41. 3. The Secret Sauce
  42. Snapchat’s secret sauce lies in its roots as a messaging service.
  43. Sending snaps activates the rule of reciprocation. See: Robert B. Cialdini’s book “Influence”
  44. Reciprocity in social psychology refers to our need to respond to a positive action with another positive action.
  45. Following this rule, when a user gets a snap, she is somewhat obligated to send something back.
  46. Because Snaps disappear, you need to reply right away before you forget what Snap you received!
  47. “Double tap to reply!” says Snapchat. And a few taps later a response is on its way...
  48. Loading the next trigger for even more snapping...
  49. Eventually making Snapchat a daily habit.
  50. Snapchat has a great Hook See: Nir Eyal’s book “Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products”
  51. 1. Internal Trigger The fear of losing the moment. Quick! Snap it! So cute!
  52. 2. Action Open the app and snap with just one tap.
  53. 3. Variable Reward How does it look? Did I capture the moment? How should I modify this?
  54. 4. Investment Sending it to another user “loads the next trigger” and “stores value” when new contacts are added.
  55. 5. External Trigger Replying to a snap sends a new notification, activates the rule of reciprocity, … … and the Hook cycle continues.
  56. … And now you understand why people are hooked to Snapchat! Dori Adar DoriAdar.com Nir Eyal NirAndFar.com Victoria Young CreateInteractions.com

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