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Summary of Derek Thompson's Hit Makers: The Science of Popularity in an Age of Distraction

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Summary of Derek Thompson's Hit Makers

by Alan M. Leduc

5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	1420 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Word Wise	:	Enabled
Print length	:	45 pages

In his book Hit Makers, Derek Thompson argues that the key to creating a hit is to understand the psychology of attention and to use that knowledge to create content that is attention-grabbing, memorable, and shareable.

Thompson begins by exploring the history of attention, from the early days of print to the rise of the internet and social media. He argues that the internet has fundamentally changed the way we pay attention, and that this has made it more difficult than ever to create a hit.

However, Thompson also identifies a number of psychological principles that can be used to create content that is more likely to capture attention. These principles include:

Salience: Content that is more salient is more likely to be noticed. This means that it should be visually appealing, easy to understand, and relevant to the audience's interests.
Emotion: Content that evokes strong emotions is more likely to be remembered. This means that it should be surprising, funny, or heartwarming.
Framing: The way that content is framed can influence how it is perceived. This means that it is important to use language that is clear, concise, and evocative.
Social proof: Content that is shared by others is more likely to be seen as credible and trustworthy. This means that it is important to encourage people to share your content.

Thompson also argues that it is important to understand the different types of attention. He identifies three types of attention:

Focused attention: This is the type of attention that we use when we are concentrating on a single task. It is the most difficult type of attention to capture, but it is also the most valuable.
Ambient attention: This is the type of attention that we use when we are multitasking or paying attention to something in the background. It is less valuable than focused attention, but it can still be used to create a hit.
Peripheral attention: This is the type of attention that we use when we are not paying attention to anything in particular. It is the least valuable type of attention, but it can still be used to create a hit if the content is very salient.

Thompson concludes by arguing that the key to creating a hit is to understand the psychology of attention and to use that knowledge to create content that is attention-grabbing, memorable, and shareable. By following the principles outlined in this book, you can increase your chances of creating a hit that will capture the attention of your audience.

Key Takeaways

The internet has fundamentally changed the way we pay attention.
There are a number of psychological principles that can be used to create content that is more likely to capture attention.
There are three types of attention: focused attention, ambient attention, and peripheral attention.
The key to creating a hit is to understand the psychology of attention and to use that knowledge to create content that is attention-grabbing, memorable, and shareable.