The hottest User engagement Substack posts right now

And their main takeaways
Category
Top Technology Topics

The Top Ways Video Games Affect Your Brain. Number Five May Disturb You!

The Bottom Feeder • 727 implied HN points • 29 Dec 25
💼 Business User engagement
  1. Video games are engineered to change how players' brains feel, offering things like dopamine rewards, adrenaline rushes, thoughtful puzzles, artistic moments, or simply a way to kill time.
  2. Dopamine-driven design is the biggest money maker because it makes players feel rewarded, but it can be addictive, wears out over time, and becomes problematic when tied to gambling or monetization.
  3. Game creators need to decide which of these experiences they want to sell and balance them carefully—mixing rewards, challenge, art, and time-sinking determines how long and how well a game keeps players.

I’m Losing All Trust in the AI Industry

The Algorithmic Bridge • 1911 implied HN points • 03 Jul 25
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Many AI researchers are changing jobs, suggesting they don't really believe that powerful AI will be ready soon. If they thought it was near, they wouldn't leave their positions.
  2. A lot of AI development focuses on creating engaging products rather than useful ones, similar to social media strategies. The aim often seems to be keeping people addicted rather than truly helping them.
  3. The AI industry is running into financial problems and most companies are currently not profitable. This might lead them to prioritize making money over the responsible use of technology.

How To Measure If Your Startup Has Network Effects. | VC Jobs

Venture Curator • 319 implied HN points • 25 Jun 24
💼 Business User engagement
  1. Network effects are crucial for the success of a startup, with big companies utilizing them to create sustainable businesses.
  2. Measuring if a startup has network effects involves evaluating metrics related to acquisition, competitors, engagement, and economics.
  3. Understanding the nature of a company's network effects and tracking metrics like user retention cohorts and pricing power are essential for founders.

Does Bluesky have the juice?

Read Max • 4426 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Bluesky is growing quickly, with many users moving from Twitter. However, it's still not as big as Twitter or Threads, raising questions about its ability to truly replace Twitter.
  2. The users joining Bluesky are mainly liberal and politically engaged, which might limit the diversity of content compared to Twitter's broader audience.
  3. YouTube viewers seem to value two main qualities: curiosity and the ability to dominate in debates. These characteristics shape how people engage with political ideas online.

How Meta Plans To Crank the Dopamine Machine With Infinite AI-Generated Content

The Algorithmic Bridge • 1677 implied HN points • 03 Jan 25
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Meta is creating AI that generates custom content for users, aiming to keep them engaged on platforms like Facebook and Instagram. This could hook people's attention even more than traditional entertainment.
  2. There's a risk that as AI-generated content becomes more common, people might lose the ability to notice or care about its presence. They could become so used to it that they forget it exists.
  3. The real concern isn't just the entertainment itself but how it distracts people and affects their ability to think and engage with the world around them. It raises questions about what kind of life we actually want to lead.
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Notes on SubStack These Days

Brad DeLong's Grasping Reality • 338 implied HN points • 04 Aug 25
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack thrives on community engagement. When users get involved by sharing feedback and suggestions, it keeps the platform vibrant and active.
  2. The success of Substack isn't just about technology; it's about the writers and readers who contribute their ideas and critiques. Their participation helps shape the platform's future.
  3. Balancing free and paid subscriptions is essential for growth. A healthy free audience can convert to paying subscribers, which is crucial for lasting success.

Ready to Rock 2024? Share Your Questions about the Future of Substack!

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 379 implied HN points • 09 Jan 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. You can ask questions about the future of Substack in an interview with Christina Loff. This is a great chance to find out more about what's coming for the platform.
  2. Sharing your thoughts helps improve the Substack community. By asking questions, you can help shape the discussion about new features and growth strategies.
  3. Substack is focusing on community engagement this year. Getting involved can help you make the most out of the platform, whether you're a writer or a reader.

More languages, live video previews in the feed, and new community moderation tools in the app

Substack • 635 implied HN points • 28 Jan 25
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack now offers translations in six new languages, making it easier for more people to read posts. This means readers can enjoy content in French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Brazilian Portuguese.
  2. Live video previews are now part of the feed. This helps users discover and join livestreams that are open to everyone, making it easier to connect and engage.
  3. New community moderation tools allow admins to manage comments more effectively. Users can now ban commenters right from the app, helping maintain a positive discussion environment.

New read-aloud voices, quote restacks, and Note stats

Substack • 551 implied HN points • 18 Dec 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack has introduced new ways to share quotes, making it easier for readers to customize and share their favorite parts of posts. This fresh look helps quotes stand out better.
  2. Publishers can now track how their Notes are performing with stats showing new subscribers, clicks, and shares. This can help creators understand what their audience likes.
  3. There are new text-to-speech voices available to enhance the listening experience for readers. Publishers can pick different voices for their posts, making listening more enjoyable.

Twitter’s King Lear

quite useless • 353 implied HN points • 08 Apr 23
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack announced a new feature called Notes, prompting a negative response from Twitter.
  2. Twitter disabled embedding, likes, and retweets of Substack links, leading to backlash from Substack writers.
  3. The conflict between Substack and Twitter highlights the importance of understanding the nature of platforms and not alienating loyal users.

Live video is available to all publishers in the Substack app

Substack Blog • 449 implied HN points • 14 Jan 25
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Live video is now available to all Substack publishers. This feature lets you connect with your audience and collaborate with other creators in real time.
  2. Collaborative livestreams are really effective. Working with other publishers can help you reach more people and keep your audience engaged.
  3. After your live session, you can share recordings and AI-generated clips on social media. This helps keep the conversation going and attract more subscribers.

Elon Musk Blocks "Hostile Rival" Substack - Here's Why

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 539 implied HN points • 08 Apr 23
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Elon Musk has blocked Substack links on Twitter, making it hard for creators to share their work. This is a big deal because many writers rely on Twitter to grow their audience.
  2. Substack is seen as a competitor to Twitter, so Musk's decision seems to be aimed at limiting its influence. He has done similar things before with other platforms like Mastodon and Instagram.
  3. Creators express disappointment over the block, arguing it restricts free sharing of their work. Many believe that writers deserve to share links freely without being censored.

Why we like coffee more than Duolingo - P2.

Gentle Nudge • 39 implied HN points • 08 Jun 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Make it easy for users to complete a desired action to increase the likelihood of them repeating it in the future. Reduce barriers for users to engage with your product or service.
  2. Users value products more when they perceive effort or work behind the scenes. Consider implementing small delays or visual cues to show the process at work, enhancing user perception.
  3. Adjust the learning curve in your product to match user progress, keeping them engaged by introducing new challenges or surprises over time. Changing the complexity of actions can help maintain user interest.

Introducing post stats in the Substack app

Substack • 658 implied HN points • 26 Jun 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack now has a feature that shows writers detailed statistics about their posts. This helps creators see how well their posts are doing and where new subscribers are coming from.
  2. There is a new Discussion tab that makes it easier for writers to engage with comments and interactions on their posts. This way, they can manage conversations in one place without searching through notifications.
  3. The Substack app is driving a lot of new subscriptions. The app helps users discover content and connects writers to their audience more effectively.

Fixing the Web Week Recap: 5/27/24

Unmoderated Insights • 39 implied HN points • 28 May 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Social media feeds often rank content based on how much people engage with it, but this can lead to promoting harmful or low-quality information. It's better to rank content based on diverse engagement from a variety of users.
  2. Research shows that when diverse groups engage with content, it helps point out harmful posts. If a lot of different people express concerns about a post, it’s likely low-quality.
  3. Using smarter ranking methods can improve the overall user experience on social media by reducing bullying and misinformation, which can help companies grow in the long run.

Beyond Functionality: Measuring the Social Dimension of User Experience

UX Psychology • 218 implied HN points • 13 Oct 23
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Measurements of user experience are expanding beyond just functionality and usability to include social dimensions, reflecting the importance of catering to users' social needs and interactions in digital products.
  2. Key social factors like self-expression, social learning, relatedness, communication, and social approval significantly impact user engagement, highlighting the need to address these aspects in UX design.
  3. Newly developed Social UX Scales, such as Identification, Social Interaction, Social Stimulation, and Social Acceptance, offer tools to effectively measure and improve social aspects of modern technology experiences.

Getting started with Notes

Substack • 546 implied HN points • 11 Jul 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Using Notes on Substack helps you connect with new readers by sharing short posts, images, and videos. Posting frequently can really boost your subscriber count.
  2. Start with a welcome video to introduce yourself and what you offer. This gives potential subscribers a clear idea of what to expect.
  3. Engage with other creators in the Substack community. Sharing your ideas and discoveries can build connections and grow your audience.

Live video, Substack Summer Recaps, and new tools and features

Substack • 432 implied HN points • 24 Sep 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack now offers live video features, allowing creators to host events and engage directly with subscribers. This could help users connect better with their audience and share real-time updates.
  2. Publishers can edit images directly from the post editor, making it easier to manage visuals. This update simplifies the process of adding or modifying images in posts.
  3. Category tabs have been introduced to help readers find relevant content easily. This makes it simpler for subscribers to explore topics they are interested in.

Better community tools, activity and contributor controls, and more

Substack • 359 implied HN points • 09 May 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack has new community tools that make it easier for publishers to connect with their audience. You can customize chat spaces and filter activity feeds better.
  2. Publishers now have more control over contributors. Contributors can see draft posts but won't access private subscriber info.
  3. The platform has improved search features and now offers full-screen transcripts for audio and video posts, making it easier for subscribers to find and follow content.

How Twitter Survives (Or Doesn't)

Throwable • 58 implied HN points • 12 Jul 23
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Meta excels at applying data rigorously to their product development process.
  2. Twitter's unique atmosphere of cynicism and wit sets it apart on the internet.
  3. Possible future scenarios for Threads include dominance, failure, or coexistence with Twitter.

4 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Mastodon — The Anti-Twitter

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 119 implied HN points • 17 Jan 23
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Mastodon is growing while Twitter is losing users. Many people are leaving Twitter, and Mastodon is gaining traction as a new option.
  2. Creators are seeking alternatives to Twitter due to the changes made by Elon Musk. Mastodon offers a decentralized space where users can have more control.
  3. On Mastodon, you can post short messages called 'toots' that are up to 500 characters long. This is a great way for users to connect and share their thoughts.

Duolingo’s Scaling Journey: Education Revolution or Engagement Obsession?

Gad’s Newsletter • 26 implied HN points • 30 Jun 25
🚌 Education User engagement
  1. Duolingo uses fun games and personalized lessons to help people learn languages. This method keeps users engaged but raises questions about whether it's helping them learn deeply.
  2. The app has many users but faces challenges in getting people to pay for premium features. Most users stick to the free version, making it important for Duolingo to find new ways to encourage subscriptions.
  3. While Duolingo effectively attracts beginners, it struggles to keep advanced learners. The company needs to create better resources for those wanting to reach high levels of fluency.

Blue Sky Mine

Internal exile • 77 implied HN points • 15 Nov 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Many users are leaving Twitter to join Bluesky, hoping for a better platform. They want a space that isn't dominated by negativity and misinformation.
  2. Bluesky is attracting users who still value text and reading in a world where video dominates social media. This platform might encourage meaningful conversations through writing.
  3. There's hope that Bluesky can create a new kind of online community focused on text-based interaction, instead of just chasing viral content like other platforms.

Psychological principles in product design — a closer look at Duolingo

UX Psychology • 198 implied HN points • 05 Oct 21
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Small improvements near the end of an experience can significantly impact how people remember the entire event.
  2. Highlighting a unique option among similar choices can make it more memorable and likely to be chosen.
  3. As people make progress towards a goal, they tend to speed up their actions to reach it faster, indicating motivation by the remaining distance to the target.

the end of the internet is nigh?

Tiny Empires • 49 implied HN points • 23 Oct 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. The internet is getting crowded with spammy content from bots and AI, making real conversations harder to find. It's important to focus on creating genuine and trusted online communities.
  2. Brands need to shift their strategies from chasing algorithms to building direct connections with their audience. This means prioritizing quality content and engaging personally with customers.
  3. Future success lies in balancing technology and human interaction. Startups should aim to create authentic spaces where people can connect, despite the overwhelming digital noise.

Building Psychological Attachment — Not Just Ownership — Into Web3

Li's Newsletter • 136 implied HN points • 04 Apr 23
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. User interest in crypto projects is often short-lived and transactional, not fostering psychological ownership.
  2. Psychological ownership is important in changing behavior, increasing loyalty, and fostering contribution in digital products.
  3. Builders in crypto can enhance user retention and engagement by creating a stronger sense of psychological ownership through factors like investment, control, knowledge, and self-congruity.

Substack’s “Your Note Made You $” Notification Is the Best New Feature

Kristina God's Online Writing Club • 1 HN point • 28 Jul 24
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Substack now has a cool feature that shows how much money a post made. This helps writers see the direct impact of their work on earnings.
  2. Using Substack's Notes can really help writers grow their audience quickly. Many are seeing big boosts in their subscriber numbers by engaging more on this platform.
  3. It's important to focus on building genuine connections and community through Notes. This can lead to more engaged subscribers, even if they don't interact with every post.

DraftStocks

Exzakt Enough • 39 implied HN points • 05 Mar 23
💼 Business User engagement
  1. DraftStocks is a weekly stock-picking game where you can compete with friends to win $25.
  2. The app was built to create a platform for picking stocks and experimenting with different tools and technologies.
  3. Future developments for the app include live pricing, custom contests, and more ways for users to build portfolios.

TikTok’s Hidden Playbook: Why Short Video Is Eating the World (Again)

Divinations • 18 implied HN points • 19 Feb 25
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. TikTok is more than just a social app; it's changing how we interact with content and brands. It's not just about watching videos; it's about building connections and trust with creators.
  2. Short-form video content is reshaping how we seek information and shop online. Many younger people now prefer TikTok for product searches over traditional sites like Google.
  3. TikTok encourages creativity and collaboration among users. Its features let people remix each other's content, making it a fun community where everyone can participate and contribute.

Product Led Growth, Explained!

Product Mindset's Newsletter • 21 implied HN points • 07 Jan 24
💼 Business User engagement
  1. Product-Led Growth focuses on building products that users love to experience and use.
  2. PLG empowers users to discover value on their own, leading to faster growth, happier customers, and lower costs.
  3. Key principles of PLG include prioritizing user experience, offering a freemium model, embracing virality, tracking data, focusing on value, and building communities.

Week 50 - 🙇‍♂️Unpacking the Power of Product Thinking: A Deep Dive

The Product Channel By Sid Saladi • 23 implied HN points • 30 Jul 23
🕹 Technology User engagement
  1. Product thinking focuses on understanding user needs and crafting solutions that enrich lives.
  2. Product thinking drives innovation by questioning the status quo and creating user engagement through tailored solutions.
  3. Key principles of product thinking include deeply understanding user needs, challenging assumptions, envisioning future states, and promoting user engagement through great experiences.