Everyday, we are spending more time on social media. When we wake up in the morning, the first thing we do is check our phones. We open apps such as Instagram, Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and so on. We want to see what our friends are up to and what is new. Social media has become our way of connecting and staying in touch with others. Studies suggest that teens today spend up to 9 hours each day on social platforms, and 60% of that time is spent on mobile.
However, this social media addiction is not 100% by choice. Research has found that many of these popular apps are designed to use certain features to continuously grab our attention and lure us in. Here are some of the top tricks that they do.
1. Push Notifications
If you have an Instagram, I am sure this does not look unfamiliar to you guys. If you have enabled the push notifications, you are likely to receive many of them each week: when a friend posts his first story, films a live video, or has recently joined Instagram. Push notifications like these keep users updated and engaged with their online community. More importantly, these notifications are by default - meaning that users will have to manually go to the settings to turn them off.
2. Snap Streaks
Snap streak is a feature developed by Snapchat that keeps track of how many days in a row you have sent a picture to a friend on Snapchat. This is definitely a trick that Snapchat does to keep users hooked on the app. It forces them to log on everyday and snap their friends in order to keep the streaks going. Many of the users are obsessed with this feature. Some even think it is an indication of friendship.
3. Spinning Wheel
Not just Twitter, many other Apps such as Facebook and Instagram have this feature too. When you swipe downward, you will see a spinning wheel that works on loading more new content. This is a psychological trick called "variable ratio schedule," which is a concept referring to when an action is rewarded, but at various times. In order to see new content, the users will have to swipe downward. However, they never know what kind of content they will receive, or whether they will receive any at all. This trick often keeps users interested and excited because the results are unpredictable.
4. Logging in with Facebook
Facebook is doubtlessly one of the most used apps in the United States. One unique technique that Facebook uses is that it allows you to log into other apps with your Facebook account. Instead of making a brand new account for each app you download, you can simply log into that app with Facebook. This trick makes users' lives easier while ensuring that they keep their Facebook accounts active.
5. Connecting with People
LinkedIn, along with many other apps such as Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat, has this feature that allows you to connect or make friends with people quickly. When you receive a friend/connection request, under that section you will see a list of people you might also want to add. This widely-used concept is known as "social reciprocity," which is a back-and-forth flow of social interaction. This means that when users see an invitation from someone, they will unconsciously feel obligated to repay, either by adding them back or by sending invitations to other people. This thus keep the users on the apps longer and acts as a way of socializing.
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