Instagram uses a strong feedback loop and a smart design to keeps users engaged. See here how they do it.

1. Instagram’s killer feedback loop
And how to apply it to your products

2. Since you’ve downloaded Instagram you are
snapping more photos than ever.

3. I’m not even asking, we both know it’s true.

4. The question is Why do you take more photos.

5. Well, I can tell you it has something to do with...

6. The Tribal Feedback Loop

7. And a smart design.

8. Let me simplify these concepts and put them in easy
to understand frames

9. So you can harness them in your products as well.

10. But before we dive in,
I’d like to tell you a short story.

11. doriadar@gmail.com
My name is Dori Adar,
Game and product designer from Tel-Aviv.

12. Back in the day,
When I was studying electronic music production

13. I had the pleasure of learning from one of the best
Israeli music producers.

15. One day, after a long musical session
he asked us students a question:

16. Why do we make music?

17. And answered himself immediately:

18. Cause our friends tell us our beats are awesome.

19. Matushka was referring to the #1 motivator for
creators to create: Feedback.

20. Part 1
The Tribal Feedback Loop

21. First things first.
What is a feedback loop?

22. Feedback occurs when outputs of a system are
"fed back" as inputs, creating a loop.

23. Take this mic for instance,
As an input to the speaker standing in front of it.

24. The speaker (output) amplifies the signal,
sending it back to the mic

25. Which uses that as an input to the speaker,
this time louder

26. And this loop escalates to this terrible noise
we call “audio feedback”.

27. This is the nature of a feedback loop.
It escalates.

28. See where am I getting at?

29. The Instagram feedback mechanism is based on
likes, comments and followers.

30. (Hence, reward of the tribe)

31. And they do their best to ensure that the user gets
them all.

32. The Tribal Feedback Loop goes as follows:

33. Trigger
Small Act
(Input)
Anticipation
Variable
Reward

34. Let’s use Instagram’s own words to see this loop in action:

35. Trigger
(Instagram is) a simple way to capture and share the world's moments on your iPhone

36. The “world’s moments” are the triggers.

37. A cat, a piece of landscape, a sunset,
are opportunities for us to show the world

38. How great capturers of these moments we are.

39. As capturers, we are always trigger happy,
shooting before the moment is gone.

40. Small act
It’s a simple way to capture

41. Snapping a photo is easier than posting a tweet

42. It only takes the effort of grabbing your phone and
tapping 3 times.

43. Making it a very quick mechanism of creating
content, hence, getting feedback.

44. Instagram also tells us:
Transform everyday moments into works of art.

45. That’s the magic.

46. Altering the pictures to something worthy.
A work of art! one may think.

47. (Usually the one who shot the photo).

48. If gaming taught me anything,
it is that users like to feel smart.

49. Instagram makes us feel talented.

50. Now the picture looks even better,
and we are emotionally invested.

51. When we put effort into something we tend to value it
more.

52. Behavioral economist Dan Ariely calls it
“The IKEA Effect”

53. Choosing a filter in Instagram is a “good amount” of
effort.

54. Not complicated, but yet it feels as if we have done
something creative.

55. Anticipation
The picture shared on everyone’s feed.
Will the world recognize our talent?

56. In some way it is like leaving a cake in the oven.

57. Checking on it is inevitable.

58. Variable Reward
46 likes on my new cat photo! not bad!

59. Instagram users take social acceptance as a reward,
AKA reward of the tribe.

60. This reward is measurable,
and variable from its nature.

61. We get a different amount of likes and comments
each time.

62. Which leaves us wondering..
How much will our next photo get?

63. This last piece in the loop, the variable reward,
feeds back to the first piece, the trigger.

64. Trigger
Small Act
(Input)
Anticipation
Variable
Reward

65. Part 2
Smart design

66. As product designers, we must ensure that our users
enjoy liking the works of others.

67. Instagram has made a great job,
presenting a feed that has now become a standard

68. Liking is easy and fun.
Double tap for getting a beautiful heart.

69. Secret have done an even better job with their
“swipe to like” mechanic.

70. Back to Instagram,
see how picture descriptions look
like comments.

71. This design encourages comments in the sense that
the conversation “has already started”.

72. Facebook does a similar trick
My pic is already there! Guess I’ll
write something….

73. And of course, following other people.

74. see how clear this call to action is.
Wow, Meital Harel LOVES my work!

75. Now lets wrap it up.
If you build a “user generated” product...

76. 1
Make sure you have a solid tribal feedback loop

77. 2
Users have a frictionless way of discovering and
liking content.

78. Food for thought
Many apps uses bare and bones feedback mechanism: voting.

79. Product Hunt
Yik Yak

80. Can you think of a new way of quick feedback mechanism?

81. Plz write me if you do,
And...

82. If you share this deck and tag me,
you’ll get a special heart in return!
@doriadar @dori adar doriadar@gmail.com