Nudge Instagram failed until it made THIS simple change
71 snips
Jun 9, 2025 Join Bas Wouters, an expert in persuasion and behavioral design, as he reveals how Instagram transformed from a struggling app to a digital titan. He discusses the pivotal behavioral science model that ignited its success. Discover how a simple question can skyrocket reviews by 400% and the psychology behind effective prompts that drive engagement. Wouters shares insights on why unique offers enhance perceived value and how curiosity fuels audience interaction, providing invaluable strategies for boosting your online marketing.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Instagram's Transformation Story
- Instagram's founder Kevin Systrom initially launched a check-in app called Bourbon, which was unsuccessful.
- Attending BJ Fogg's Stanford Persuasive Technology Lab coaching helped transform it into Instagram, resulting in immense success.
Fogg Model Drives User Action
- BJ Fogg's behavioral model states that motivation, ability, and a prompt are necessary for behavior to occur.
- Instagram succeeded by increasing motivation via social approval, enhancing ability through simplicity, and using prompts to trigger action.
Design Clear Behavioral Prompts
- To apply Fogg's model effectively, focus on designing clear prompts as these have the highest chance to persuade.
- Also improve motivation and ability, but concentrates first on creating prompts that ask for the behavior explicitly.
