7 days ago
The How-To: Staying Relevant on Social Media
The things that are effortless to start are just as effortless to abandon.
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The digital space is desperate for our attention, which is why it's full of frictionless experiences - one-click purchases, easy-to-consume videos and bite-sized content that demands almost no mental effort.
The reason why it works is that our brains are wired to follow the path of least resistance. Psychologists call this a preference for cognitive fluency. Put simply, when something is easy to process, we instinctively like it more. By reducing the mental cost of interacting, these platforms lower the barrier to entry, leading to a high initial use.
But here is the paradox - the things that are effortless to start are just as effortless to abandon.
Hooks might be winning the battle, but not the war
The social media hook is a brilliant piece of psychological engineering. It's a pattern interrupt, designed to reverse brain numbness from scrolling into paying attention.
A successful hook shatters that pattern with an unusual sound, a surprising visual or a bold, curiosity-piquing statement. These tactics trigger a primal reflex that makes us pay attention. It's the modern equivalent of hearing a twig snap in the woods. Your attention is captured. It gets the view, the like, and the initial spike in metrics.
But stopping the scroll is just winning the first few seconds. The real challenge is winning the next minute and earning the right to be remembered tomorrow. Relying only on hooks is like shouting in a crowded room. People will turn their heads, but they won't necessarily listen to what you have to say or care who you are.
The initial engagement is driven by immediate gratification, such as a dopamine hit from the novelty or humour. But because the interaction required nothing from the viewer, it creates no lasting bond.
Easy comes, easy goes
When an experience requires nothing from us, it rarely leaves a mark. Several psychological principles explain why things that are too easy fail to create a meaningful connection:
1. We care more deeply about the things we've put our own effort into
Also known as the "IKEA effect", named after a series of revealing experiments on valuation, in these studies, one group of people was asked to assemble their own IKEA furniture, while another was given identical, pre-assembled pieces. When asked what they'd pay, the people who built their own furniture, even if it was wobbly and imperfect, consistently valued it far more highly. The research concluded that the effort we invest in something dramatically increases our perception of its worth.
Effortless engagement is the opposite of this. When we passively consume a stream of content, it requires minimal effort. We don't assemble, solve, or contribute anything. As a result, we place little to no value on the experience.
2. We have no problem quitting when there's nothing to lose
The sunk cost fallacy describes our tendency to continue with something if we have already invested time, money, or effort into it, even if it's no longer the best option. This is why you might finish a terrible movie you paid for, or keep wearing uncomfortable shoes that were expensive.
Frictionless engagement has no sunk cost. The cost of watching a 15-second video is virtually zero. Therefore, the cost of swiping away to the next one is also zero. There's no psychological "skin in the game" to keep you there. You feel no loss in abandoning it because you sacrificed nothing to begin with. This makes your audience incredibly susceptible to the next, newest, equally effortless distraction.
3. We crave the satisfaction that comes from a challenge
While immediate rewards are nice, sustained human motivation is often fueled by a sense of progress and meaningful achievement. Think about finally mastering a difficult tune on the piano or finishing a challenging book. These activities are often difficult, and that difficulty is precisely what makes the reward so significant.
Effortless content provides no sense of accomplishment. It's a flatline experience. Because it asks nothing of you. It can entertain for a short period of time, but provides little impact.
4. We judge an entire experience by its most intense moment and how it ends
Our memory of an experience isn't a detailed recording but a quick mental summary, and this summary is built on just two points: the most emotionally intense moment (the peak) and the very end.
We don't remember every step of a long hike - we remember the breathtaking view from the summit (the peak) and the sense of accomplishment as we finish (the end). Effortless content, by contrast, has no strong emotional anchors to hold onto. As a result, the brain doesn't bother creating a durable memory.
Building a place to stay
Understanding this paradox is the key to building something that lasts, whether you're a marketer, business leader, or just someone trying to make an impact. The goal is to strategically balance initial ease with opportunities for deeper, more meaningful engagement.
The hook may get the first glance, but what happens next determines if you build a loyal community or just become part of the digital noise.
And the initial interaction should be simple. But once a user is in, gently introduce ways for them to invest their time and energy. People may come for the content, but they stay for the connection. Foster a sense of belonging and facilitate discussions that allow audience members to interact with each other.
The ultimate challenge is to guide people on a journey. The front door must be wide open and easily accessible. But a truly remarkable experience isn't just a door. It's a house with rooms to explore and people to meet. It's about moving beyond the effortless trap and creating something that people don't just see, but that they come to value.
