UI/UX Psychology Tricks in Real Products

UI/UX psychology tricks are often used in real products to influence user behavior and create engaging experiences. In this article, we’ll look at how companies like Netflix, Spotify, and Airbnb apply these psychology tricks to keep users entertained, motivated, and committed.

Netflix consistently offers users something to watch, even when you haven’t actively searched for it. By autoplaying trailers when you dwell on the title, Netflix ensures that users remain engaged and entertained.

Example showing how Netflix keeps users entertained and hooked

Spotify Wrapped highlights how listeners compare to others, creating a sense of social status and leadership. These positive feelings are directly tied to listening habits on Spotify, which promote future use.

Spotify Wrapped associates use with positive feelings

Netflix optimizes its landing page using these key UI/UX psychology tricks:

Example of Netflix optimizing its landing page

Squarespace uses the decoy effect to promote sales of more expensive options. As you can see in the image below, the Pro plan exceeds needs but seems like an amazing deal compared to the starter/free option.

This subtle but powerful trick increases the shift toward more expensive options.

Squarespace using the decoy effect

Snapchat rewards users with big streaks, trophies, and milestone celebrations. Users take pride and even compete in having long Snapchat streaks. Losing a big streak is so disappointing that it almost obliges users to continue using the app daily.

This is one of the most effective UI/UX tricks for driving consistent daily engagement.

Example showing how Snapchat rewards commitment and use

Airbnb highlights the most visually appealing accommodations to evoke the excitement that comes with travel. This visual appeal inspires users to plan trips and book stays.

Example showing how Airbnb evokes the excitement

Airbnb focuses on host and guest education to improve the overall user experience.

Airbnb host education:

Guest education:

Better host and guest collaboration means:

Airbnb helps users succeed

These examples show how UI/UX psychology tricks are used by top products to influence user behavior, simplify experiences, and drive engagement. From rewarding streaks to evoking emotions, these strategies show the impact of small yet powerful psychological cues.

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