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Contagious cover

Contagious

Why Things Catch On

Word of mouth, not advertising, is what really makes things spread.

by Jonah Berger

Jonah Berger investigates the science of why certain products, ideas, and behaviors catch on through word of mouth. He identifies six principles, captured by the STEPPS framework: Social Currency, Triggers, Emotion, Public, Practical Value, and Stories. The book shows how to engineer content and products that people naturally want to share.

For founders, organic word of mouth is the cheapest and most credible growth channel there is. Contagious gives a concrete framework for building shareability into your product and marketing rather than hoping for virality.

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