The Peak-End Rule: A Simple Yet Overlooked Way to Grow Your Blog

How do writing services manage to create positive experiences for their readers? They use the peak-end rule. Here’s how you can use it to grow your blog.

What do Disney movies and a Nobel Prize laureate in economics have to do with growing a blog? More than you might think.

You’ve likely heard that the best way to hook readers and keep them coming back is to create a positive perception. So you dive right in, following the example of the best writing services — you work hard to improve your readers’ experiences, hoping that it will have some effect, and that your blog’s traffic stats will increase.

But, building a specific perception can be tricky. Many content writers fail not only at creating an intended perception, but even in deliberately building any kind of consistent experiences for their audience.

Here’s the good news!

There are tons of psychological studies that can help you understand what makes your audience tick. For example, one approach used by writing services is the “Peak-End Rule.”

In this track we will consider how you can use the peak-end rule to grow your blog.

So, What Is The Peak-End Rule, Anyway?

In 2002, psychologist Daniel Kahneman won the Nobel Prize in economics for his paper, “Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk.” In his book, he proposed the “peak-end theory”, a psychological rule in which people judge an experience based on how it was at its peak and at the end, rather than based on the total sum of every moment of the experience.

For example, if I go to a new restaurant, this heuristic says that I will remember my experience by the way I felt when I left. So, if the appetizers and the main course were delicious, but the desert was not what I was expecting, I will likely remember the experience as a rather boring one.

On the other hand, if the appetizers and the main course were unimpressive, but the desert was spectacular, there is a greater chance I will remember the experience as a fantastic one!

A 1993 study designed to test whether more pain could be preferred to less, provides evidence for the peak-end rule.

Two groups of participants were subjected to different versions of a single unpleasant experience. The first group was exposed to 30 seconds of 14 degree ice water, while the second group had their hands submerged for 60 seconds in 14 degree ice water, and then for 30 seconds in 15 degree ice water.

Surprisingly, the second group rated their experience as less painful than the first group. The researchers concluded that, despite the prolonged exposure to ice cold water, the peak-end of the second group’s experience was warmer. Therefore, because their ending was better than their initial experience, they remember the whole event as less painful.

How Can I Use The Peak-End Rule to Grow My Blog?

When the folks at Disney made the decision to reinterpret Grimm Brother’s fairy tales, they perfectly employed the peak-end rule. They took out the gore and replaced it with a positive experience and ending. The moral of the story remained the same, but the ending gave viewers a strongly positive impression. As a result, the Disney Company grew and continues to be one of the strongest brands in entertainment today.

What can you learn from this?

According to cochedule.com, consumer confidence is closely related to people’s willingness to take action. How you make your readers feel does have an impact on whether they will subscribe to your newsletter or share your articles. Creating a positive mood in your content writing can increase readers’ confidence — and, the more confident they are, the more likely they are to take action.

Let imagine that you run a financial advisor blog. Instead of pointing out the worst money habits most people have, focus your content on the effects of a desirable behavior. Avoid using negative words, such as “Don’t do this” or “One of the worst mistakes” or “You should” and replace them with positive words that show how their lives will change after doing something new.

Smart copywriting services focus on creating a positive moment at the end of every article to help their audience remember reading their blogs as an enjoyable experience. By using the peak-end rule you can dramatically change your readers’ perception and drive the behavior you want — more signup, more shares, and so on.

Take a look at your content. Are you creating positive experiences for you readers? What could be improved? We’d love to hear your thoughts!