Hooked

Products shape our routines more than we might think. From the first minutes of our morning, we’re already reaching for our phones to check messages or social feeds. This constant connection isn’t by accident; it’s the result of careful product design.

In the modern marketplace, attention is scarce, and companies that figure out how to create unprompted, repeat usage gain a powerful advantage. But the question remains: how do they do it? What sets a product apart so that it feels almost automatic to use?

A handful of products—like social networks, mobile apps, or even certain websites—reach into our daily lives, encouraging us to return frequently. They seemingly know how to hook us in and keep us engaged.

Throughout this summary, you’ll see how habit-forming experiences arise and can be intentionally designed. You’ll also discover the need to balance business goals with ethical behavior, ensuring that benefiting users remains the top priority.

When users form a habit around a product, they become more loyal and less price-sensitive. That’s because changing a core habit is neither trivial nor swift. Once it’s anchored, competitors must be dramatically better to break the attachment.

Habit-forming products tend to spread easily through word of mouth as people integrate them into daily routines. Satisfied customers naturally talk about the things they can’t stop using, drawing more interest and creating viral growth.

Consider something as simple as email or social networks. Their daily presence in our schedules is the direct result of frequent, repetitive interactions. Over time, these interactions become second nature.

By developing user habits, businesses can stabilize revenue, reduce advertising costs, and create a strong competitive moat. When using a product feels almost automatic, switching becomes harder and more disruptive to the user.