Nir Eyal: How Beliefs Drive Behavior and What Marketers Get Wrong
From Insider Interviews: Media and Marketing Pros by E.B. Moss
March 19, 2026 · 11 min · Season 2
About this episode
Nir Eyal discusses how belief systems influence consumer behavior and marketing strategies.
I found a smiling Buddha medallion on the sidewalk on my way to the Uber, and I believed it was a sign it would be a good trip. Then I got in the car and discovered my fellow passenger was Nir Eyal — behavioral designer, Stanford lecturer, and bestselling author with a new book to promote at SXSW: “Beyond Belief.” We were both headed for the same flight. I, of course, invited him to record a podcast episode and he invited me into the United Club lounge record there! I believed in my good fortune, and belief systems turned out to be the focus of Nir’s work. “We like to say that you’ll believe it when you see it — but in fact, that’s not true. The opposite is true: you see it when you believe it.” — Nir Eyal What I captured in 20 minutes was a masterclass in consumer psychology from one of the most cited thinkers in behavioral design. And a lot of fun. Nir’s first book, “Hooked”, gave marketers and product builders a framework for engineering repeat engagement. Yup, he explains his four-step model that of why users keep returning to things like Facebook, Duolingo, Slack, and even my beloved Starbucks. His follow-up, “Indistractable,” tackled the…
People in this episode
Host: E.B. Moss
Guest: Nir Eyal
Topics covered
- consumer psychology
- behavioral design
- marketing strategies
- belief systems
- engagement
- advertising
Keywords
- behavioral design
- consumer psychology
- marketing
- belief systems
- engagement
- advertising
- Nir Eyal
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Stanford
Books & works: Beyond Belief, Hooked, Indistractable
Places: United Club lounge, SXSW, Facebook, Duolingo, Slack, Starbucks
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