Blog Spotlight - Why Procrastinators Procrastinate
The article suggests that we procrastinate not because we choose to, but because we’re unable to do otherwise. The procrastinator’s brain is depicted as having two main characters - the Rational Decision-Maker and the Instant Gratification Monkey.
Procrastination - the action of delaying or postponing something
The Monkey, focusing only on the present moment’s ease and pleasure, often overpowers the Decision-Maker, leading to procrastination and time spent in the “Dark Playground”, where activities are neither productive nor genuinely enjoyable.
The only force that can overpower the Monkey is the Panic Monster, which awakens in the face of imminent deadlines or potential embarrassment, pushing the procrastinator into frantic action. However, this way of functioning is far from ideal. It leads to a cycle of unpleasure, underachievement, and missed opportunities, as the procrastinator fails to do things they genuinely want to do.
News Highlights
1. Google Will Start Deleting Old Accounts This Week
Google has recently declared that as of December, inactive accounts will be deleted. An account is considered inactive if it hasn't been used for two years. However, Google has promised that the account names will not be made available for new registrations.
2. FDA Moves Forward With Dog Life Extension Drug
The FDA announced that it would fast-track approval for a drug intended to extend the life expectancy of large dog breeds. The company behind the drug, Loyal, is aiming for a one-year healthy life span extension. The drug works by reducing the growth-promoting hormone IGF-1, which is found at higher levels in larger breeds than smaller ones.
3. Reddit Might Once Again Be Flirting With an IPO
Bloomberg reported that Reddit might be preparing for another attempt at an IPO.
In December of 2021, Reddit submitted a draft registration statement to go public, eyeing a $15 billion valuation, but the plans did not materialize.
4. EA Working on Player-Voiced Characters in Games, Patent Shows
A patent filed by EA reveals the company is looking into ways to implement player-voiced characters into its games.
Many modern games allow players to create their own characters. EA is taking a step further to give them the player’s voice.
Talk of the Week - How to Build Great Paywalls
Your paywall is how you turn your app’s users into subscribers. It’s your sales pitch. Your app’s conversion machine. Most users bounce in the first 24 hours, so if your paywall doesn't make the best first impression, you may have lost them for good.
Even if paywalls aren’t one-size-fits-all, these are the things Mark Villacampa suggests you try to find one that fits your app best:
Make sure your paywall is accessible - if customers want to pay you money, make sure they can easily do that
Measure the % of users who actually see the paywall - if the paywall is not shown as soon as you open up the app, make sure enough people actually reach it
In the copy, focus on benefits, not features. Strengthen them with proof - studies, testimonials
On the Call To Action (CTA), highlight the opportunity and use clear verbs - Continue, Start, Join, etc
Constrain design to 3 sections: Benefits, Packages, and CTA.
Use visual cues to make it easy to spot differences between packages
Always pre-select one package
Make sure your CTA stands out
Experiment! Start off with these best practices, but keep changing individual, high-impact elements to find what works best for your app